Acquisiton And Maintenance Of Phobias

Question 1

How would classical conditioning say we get phobias?

Answer 1

Phobia is a CR to a CS which on a previous occasion was a NS

Question 2

How would operant conditioning say we get phobias

Answer 2

Phobia can be learned through positive punishment- someone is bitten by a dog after they have stroked it

Question 3

How would social learning theory say we get phobias

Answer 3

Learned vicariously- throughly observation and imitation of family members, peers and media role models

Question 4

How would classical conditioning say we maintain phobias

Answer 4

If someone who is phobic of dogs following a dog bite is bitten again, then the association will be maintained

Question 5

How would operant conditioning say we maintain phobias

Answer 5

The phobic person avoids the thing they fear, so it is further learned through negative reinforcement

Question 6

Supporting evidence

Answer 6

Barlow et al- found that many phobias were caused by classical conditioning

Question 7

Reductionist

Answer 7

Learning views overemphasise learned factors and ignore factors such as genetics