Behavioural approach to explaining + treating phobias

• Explanations for phobias -

  Two-process model

  Acquisition of phobias: classical conditioning

  Maintenance of phobias: operant conditioning
• Acquisition through CC: phobia is learnt through cc, associate something we initially have no fear of (NS) with something that does trigger a fear response (US). The NS gets associated with the fear meaning the phobic object is now a controlled stimulus.
• • Acquisition through CC: phobia is learnt through cc, associate something we initially have no fear of (NS) with something that does trigger a fear response (US). The NS gets associated with the fear meaning the phobic object is now a controlled stimulus.
  • Maintenance through OC: negative reinforcement takes place as the individual avoids the unpleasant situation. The fear and anxiety is also avoided and the reduction in fear is maintained by avoidance behaviour so the phobia is maintained.
• AO3 Explaining phobias -

  • Environmental reductionism doesn't account for evolutionary factors e.g. snakes. It is an adaptive need to acquire these fears to increase chances of survival.
  • CC cannot always explain acquisition as there may not always be a trigger/reason.
  • RLA, led to successful treatments: flooding + SD.
  • Only explains behavioural characteristics e.g. avoidance but not cognitive/emotional factors.
• AO3 Explaining phobias -

  • RS, Watson + Raynor Little Albert study. Little Albert was conditioned to fear white rats. Supports idea of CC being involved in acquisition of phobias.
• Systematic Desensitisation (SD) -

  • behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety. Teaches patient to replace fear with relaxation - reciprocal inhibition.
• SD -

  • 3 processes:
  • Anxiety Hierarchy - list of situations related to the phobic stimulus from least to most frightening.
  • Relaxation - patient is taught relaxation techniques e.g. breathing techniques
  • Exposure - over a prolonged period started at the bottom of the hierarchy when the patient can stay relaxed in the lower levels they will progress onto the next & so on. Success is determined when individual is relaxed in most feared situation = reciprocal inhibition.
• AO3 SD -

  • Can only treat simple phobias not complex e.g. evolutionary as these are adaptive.
  • Patients prefer it, doesn't cause a high degree of trauma, low refusal & drop-out rates.
  • More costly for the NHS but has positive economic implications if people go back to work.
  • Takes longer to complete.
• Flooding -

  • extreme behavioural therapy, person is exposed to their most frightening situation immediately. The individual is taught relaxation techniques & applies these to their most feared situation through direct or imagined exposure. The individual is unable to avoid (negatively reinforce) their phobia. Through continuous exposure, anxiety levels decrease.
• AO3 Flooding -

  • Cost-effective as it is significantly quicker than other treatments e.g. SD. Patients are treated quicker which is better for the NHS & the economy.
  • Highly traumatic for patients, high anxiety may lead to higher drop-out rates. Could become a waste of time + money.
  • Ethical issues, right to withdraw may feel as though it cannot be used in that situation.
  • Less effective for other types of phobias e.g. social as these are caused by irrational thinking not unpleasant experience. Complex phobias can't be treated. Inadequate explanation.
• Two-process model of Phobias -

  • development of phobia through classical conditioning – association of fear/anxiety with neutral stimulus to produce conditioned response; assumes experience of traumatic event; generalisation of fear to other similar objects; one trial learning
  • maintenance of fear through operant conditioning – avoidance of phobic object/situation is negatively reinforced via avoidance, endurance etc; relief as reward/primary reinforcer.
• AO3 -

  • Research Support: Watson and Rayner Little Albert Study was conditioned to fear all white, fluffy objects.
  • not all phobias are the result of trauma
  • alternative evolutionary explanations for more common phobias prone to be adaptive based off innate survival instincts, e.g. preparedness
  • behavioural approach ignores cognitive aspects of phobias
  • alternative explanations for avoidance, e.g. safety
• AO3 Limitation of SD -

  • SD is time-consuming, when compared to alternatives such as flooding, as the person with the phobia needs to be trained in relaxation techniques and gradual exposure can take many sessions
  • progress in therapy may not generalise outside of the clinical setting when the person with the phobia must face their fear without the support of the therapist
  • may not be appropriate for more generalised ‘free-floating’ phobias, such as social phobia, where there is no obvious target behaviour so difficult to devise a hierarchy
  • ‘expense’ if justified through reasoned discussion