explanation

• the two process model

  1 - classical conditioning > initiation

  2 - operant conditioning > maintenance
• whats explained at initiation

  -why phobia develops
• what's explained at maintenance

  -why phobia continues
• what's the Little Albert experiment

  -Little Albert learnt to be scared of white rat

  -phobia brought on through classical conditioning
• Little Albert - PROCEDURE

  -white rat presented to LA > no fear & happy

  -LA scared of loud noises > hitting steel bar with hammer

  -this made LA cry

  -LA presented with rat and loud noise made

  -loud noise & rat paired together

  -rat became conditioned stimulus that LA was scared of
• what type of conditioning is involved in Little Albert experiment

  classical
• operant conditioning in phobias

  -OC explains why phobias continue & why people avoid feared object

  -rewards reinforce behaviour > avoiding phobia reduce fear

  -reduction in fear is rewarding so repeat this behaviour

  > negative reinforcement

  -reducing fear reinforces behaviour so avoidance of going out repeated = agoraphobia