Acquisition and maintenance of phobias using LT Flashcards
Define ‘phobia’.
An irrational fear of an object or situation that can develop because of direct experience and learning via classical and operant conditioning
How are phobias created by classical conditioning? (3 points)
An unconditioned stimulus (UCR) brings about an instinctive response (UCR) - in the case of phobias, fear
An NS is paired with the UCS multiple times, causing an association to be formed - the NS is now the CS which brings about a CR of fear
Stimulus generalisation can occur - stimulI similar to the CS can cause fear
How does operant conditioning maintain phobias? (4 points)
The association will extinguish unless operant conditioning maintains the phobia
Positive reinforcement:
Avoiding the feared object/situation brings rewarding relief
Negative reinforcement:
The object or situation remaining avoided stops anxiety
Positive punishment:
If a situation/object cannot be avoided, anxiety is caused
What are the strength of learning theories as an explanation for the acquisition and maintenance of phobias? (4 points)
Research support for CC causing phobias comes from Watson & Raynor’s study
Little Albert:
+ Healthy from birth
+ Had no fear towards a range of stimuli at 9 months except a hammer striking a steel bar
After 7 trials over 2 weeks of pairing a hammer hitting the steel bar (UCS) with a white rat (NS), Little Albert showed a conditioned response of fear when he was presented with a white rat (CS)
He was successfully classically conditioned to have a phobia of rats which also generalised to other similar stimuli such as white beards and white rabbits
How credible are learning theories as an explanation for the acquisition and maintenance of phobias? (3 points)
Watson and Raynor’s study lacks population validity - case study of one individual
Little Albert had the unique condition of hydrocephalus - he isn’t representative of all humans
The study’s conclusion that classical conditioning explains phobias lacks generalisability
Are there other explanations for the acquisition and maintenance of phobias other than CC and OC? (4 points)
The SLT principles can be used to successfully treat phobias through modelling therapy
The patient with a phobia observes a role model interacting happily with the phobic object/situation and they will vicariously learn it is not harmful
Covers-Jones used counter-conditioning and modelling to successfully treat a boy for his phobia of rabbits
Modelling therapy’s success highlights the validity of SLT in explaining behaviour and phobia acquisition - CC and OC are reductionist
Is there room for debate on learning theories as an explanation for the acquisition and maintenance of phobias? (3 points)
The explanation is very reductionist - sees all behaviour deemed from past associations and consequences
Ignores that phobias can be:
+ Inherited through genes
+ Due to free will
+ Due to the unconscious mind
These alternative explanations suggest that the assumption CC and OC cause phobias is reductionist and invalid
How can evolution explain the acquistion and maintenance of phobias? (3 points)
It is evolutionarily adaptable to fear a stimulus such as heights
Without fear, the survival of a species like humans would be threatened
By having a biological preparedness to fear heights, the species will avoid the threat and survive
How did Freud explain the acquisition and maintenance of phobias? (3 points)
Freud explained phobias in terms of displacement
He suggested that a person experiences anxiety arising from a complex situation which is hard to deal with (e.g. parental relationship)
The individual copes with it unconsciously by displacing their anxiety onto a simpler object/situation
