behaviourist approach to explaining phobias

• Behaviourists


  Behaviour (including phobic behaviour) is learned from interacting with the environment, so from experience.
• The two-process model


  Phobias are acquired through classical conditioning (association). Phobias are maintained through operant conditioning (consequences/reinforement).
• Acquisition of a phobia - classical conditioning

  A phobic object (e.g. bee) starts as a neutral stimulus (NS), it causes a neutral response (NR), so there is no response.

  An unconditioned stimulus (UCS) (e.g. pain of being stung) produces an unconditioned fear response (UCR), unconditioned stimulus-response links are automatic.

  An association is formed when the NS is paired with the UCS. The object (bee) becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS), now producing the conditioned response (NR) (e.g. fear).

  Phobias can then be generalised (e.g. fear of bees could lead to fear of other flying insects)
• Maintenance of a phobia - operant conditioning


  Operant conditioning is a form of learning that occurs through learning the consequences of our actions.

  A person with a phobia is aware of their phobia and will try to avoid the phobic object and the situations that put them in contact with it.

  This avoidance behaviour leads to a reduction in anxiety, which is a pleasant sensation. This reinforcement strengthens the phobia, making the person more likely to avoid the phobic object in the future.
• + Supporting evidence


  E - Watson and Rayner conditioned Little Albert to associate white rats with loud noise. This led to him developing a phobia. He also developed a phobia of all white, fluffy things (e.g. rabbits, cotton wool, Santa's beard)

  E - It suggests that phobias can be learnt through association, as suggested by the behaviourist approach.

  L - Therefore, It supports the concept of stimulus generalisation as the phobias went beyond white rats.
• + Practical applications


  E - Systematic desensitisation: Where clients with phobias are counter-conditioned to associate a previous fear stimulus with relaxation, removing their phobic response.

  E - It suggests that phobias can be learnt and unlearnt through conditioning

  L - Therefore, the explanation is explaining what it claims to explain, as it can be applied effectively to the real world, increasing the validity.
• / Other explanations


  E - Other explanations can be used to explain phobias effectively. Biological preparedness: We have evolved to develop phobias which are adaptive to aid our survival. Diathesis stress model: We have a genetic vulnerability to a phobia, and the environment triggers this.

  E -The behavioural explanation of phobia development cannot explain this.

  L -Therefore, this suggests the explanation lacks validity.
• / Reductionist


  E - Wolpe tried to treat women, with an insect phobia, using systematic desensitisation (a treatment based on classical conditioning), which was not successful as her phobia was actually being caused by her marital problems with her husband who had an insect nickname.

  E - This is something which the behaviourist explanation could not explain.

  L - Therefore, it ignores other factors, therefore cannot explain all human behaviour suggesting that it lacks validity.