Behaviourist explanations for phobias

• Behaviourism 2 forms of learning

  Classical conditioningOperant conditioning
• Classical conditioning is learning through...


  Association
• Operant conditioning is learning through...


  Consequences
• Behavioural characteristics of phobias

  Panic, avoidance, endurance
• What do behaviourists aim to explain about phobias?

  Behaviour shown when an individual has a phobia
• Who proposed the two-process model?


  Mowrer
• How does the two-process model say phobias are acquired?

  Classical conditioning
• How does the two-process model say phobias are maintained?

  Operant conditioning
• How is a phobia acquired by classical conditioning?


  Learning to associate something which we initially have no fear for with something that already triggers a fear response
• Classical conditioning diagram for phobias balloon popping examples


  Before:Balloon peopling -> Flinch Unconditioned stimulus -> Unconditioned response Pin approaching balloon -> no responseNeutral stimulus -> no responseDuring:Balloon popping + pin approaching balloon -> flinchUnconditioned stimulus + neutral stimulus -> Unconditioned responseAfter:Pin approaching balloon -> flinchConditioned stimulus -> conditioned response
• Example of classical conditioning fear


  Little Albert
• How is a phobia maintained by operant conditioning?

  Negative reinforcement
• How does negative reinforcement maintain phobias?

  An individual avoids a situation that's unpleasantSuch behaviour results in a desirable consequence which means that the behaviour will be repeatedWhen we avoid a phobic stimulus we successfully escape the fear and anxiety we would have experienced if we remained thereThis reduction in fear reinforces the avoidance behaviour and so the phobia is maintained
• Strengths of the two process model

  Real world application to exposure therapy Link between bad experiences and phobias
• Why is "Real world application to exposure therapy" a strength of the two process model?

  Says phobias are maintained by avoidance - explains why people benefit from being exposed to phobic stimulusAvoidance cannot be reinforced by anxiety reduction so it declines so when avoidance is prevented the phobia is curedShows the value as it identifies a means of treating phobias
• Why is "Link between bad experiences and phobias" a strength of the two process model?

  Little Albert study shows how phobias can be developedAd De Jongh - 73% percent of people with a fear of dental treatment had experienced a traumatic experience, compared with 21% of people with low dental anxietyConfirms the association between stimulus and unconditioned response does lead to the development of phobias
• Limitations of the two process model

  Does not account for cognitive aspects of phobias Not all phobias appear following a bad experience
• Why is "Does not account for cognitive aspects of phobias" a limitation of the two process model?

  Behavioural explanations explain behaviour, the key behaviour is avoidance, however phobias are not just avoidance responses the also have a cognitive component People hold irrational beliefs about a phobic stimulus, such as spider is dangerous, the two process model explains avoidance but not other phobic cognitionsDoes not completely explain the symptoms of phobias
• Why is "Not all phobias appear following a bad experience" a limitation of the two process model?

  Some common phobias such as snakes appear in populations where very few people have experiences of snakes let alone traumatic onesAlso not all traumatic events lead to phobias The link between phobias and frightening events is not as strong as would be expected using behavioural theories