behavioural explanations of phobias

• Behaviourist approach for explaining phobias

  Two process model
• Phobia of spiders

  • A person who is scared of spiders, run away when they see one, fears acts as a negative reinforcer, more likely to avoid spiders in the future
• Classical conditioning


  Learning to associate something of which we initially have no fear (neutral stimulus) with something that already triggers a response (unconditioned stimulus)
• Little Albert


  • Neutral stimulus -> no fear of rats
  • Loud bang (UCS) -> fear and anxiety (UCR)
  • Rats (CS) + loud bang (UCS)-> fear (UCR)
  • Rats (CS)-> fear (CR)
• phobia maintenance 


  would be maintained via operant conditioning as we successfully avoid the phobic stimulus and dont experience anxiety. this reinforces the avoidance behaviour and phobia is maintained.
• negative reinforcement 


  avoiding a thing or place that would be unpleasant
• positive reinforcement 


  avoidance would lead to positive results so behaviour is repeated
• A03: STRENGTH

  research would support behavioural explanation done by Waston and Rayner (1920) demonstrated classical conditioning with Little albert supporting the idea of classical conditioning being involved with phobias
• AO3: STRENGTH

  evidence to link bad experience and phobias. Jongh et al (2006) found that 73% of people with dentists have had a traumatic experience whilst the control group had a low dental anxiety being 21% with no traumatic experiences. this confirms an association between stimulus and an unconditional response leading to phobias
• COUNTERPOINT JONGH ET AL


  Bounton (2007) highlights that evolutionary factors would have a role especially on avoidance of particular stimulus which could of caused pain on our ancestors. suggesting that some phobias such as snakes or heights could be due to survival instincts kicking in
• AO3: STRENGTH

  application would be used in exposure therapies. this helped develop treatments such as systematic desensitisation and flooding. (explain the two therapies briefly)
• AO3: LIMITATION

  would not take into account the cognitive aspects of phobias, as phobias could develop due to the irrational thinking and not just learning. eg sufferers of claustrophobia may think "i am going to get trapped" so in the behaviourists explanation would not offer a valid explaniation all symptoms of phobias and how they’re formed