The Two-Process Model

• Explanation of Phobias: 


  Acquired through classical conditioning

  Maintained through operant conditioning.
• Watson + Rayner - CC - Little Albert


  In their experiment, an 11 month old baby (Albert) was given a white rat to play with. Albert did not demonstrate a fear response towards the rat initially, but the researchers then made a loud noise which frightened Albert. This process was repeated several times, after which Albert demonstrated fear behaviour (e.g. crawling away, whimpering) when presented with the rat (and similar stimuli such as a rabbit and a fur coat) even without the loud noise.
• OC - Maintenance of Phobias


  Classical conditioning is outside a person’s conscious control – the conditioned response develops automatically. In contrast, operant conditioning occurs in response to behaviour, which is under a person’s control. If a person behaves in a way that produces a pleasurable outcome, then that behaviour is positively reinforced, making the person more likely to behave that way again. Similarly, if a person behaves in a way that reduces an unpleasant feeling, then that behaviour is negatively reinforced, also making them more likely to behave that way again.
• CC - Acquiring the Phobias


  Humans naturally fear pain, and so a fear response to pain is unconditioned. But when this natural (unconditioned) response is associated with a neutral stimulus (e.g. a dog) through experience (e.g. a dog biting them), then a person can become conditioned to associate the response (fear) with the stimulus (dogs).