Maintenance by Operant Conditioning

• Maintenance by operant conditioning:

  Responses acquired by classical conditioning usually tend to decline over time. However, phobias are often long lasting. Mowrer has explained this as a result of operant conditioning
• Operant conditioning takes place when our behaviour is reinforced (rewarded) or punished. Reinforcement tends to increase the frequency of a behaviour
• Negative reinforcement - An individual avoids a situation that is unpleasant

  • This behaviour results in a desirable consequence, which means the behaviour will be repeated
• Negative reinforcement:

  Mowrer suggested that whenever we avoid a phobic stimulus we successfully escape the fear and anxiety we would've experienced if we had remained there. This reduction in fear reinforces the avoidance behaviour and so the phobia is maintained