BEH - EXPLAINING PHOBIAS

• Two process model


  Acquisition and maintenance of phobia
• Acquisition of phobia through classical conditioning - association
• Little Albert - fear of rats

  UCS - loud noise

  UCR - fear

  NS - rat

  CS - rat

  CR - fear

  The UCS is continuously paired with the NS to create fear whenever Albert is exposed to rats.
• Maintenance through operant conditioning - negative reinforcement as we avoid the phobic stimuli
• Avoidance may reduce anxiety that we may have felt facing the fear but does not eliminate the fear altogether so the phobia is maintained.
• Strength - real world application - exposure therapies - shows value as it gives a means of treating the phobia
• Limitation - ignores cognitive factors as people often have irrational beliefs about the phobia which hold significant value so the two-process model does not fully explain phobias