BEHAVIOURAL APPROACH TO EXPLAINING PHOBIAS

Question 1

what is Mowrer two-process model?

Answer 1

the fact that we learn phobias through classical conditioning and maintain it through operant conditioning

Question 2

what is a case-study of the two process model?

Answer 2

Little Albert where loud bang (UCS) combined with white rat (NS) produced fear of white rats (CR) and was generalised to other stimuli

Question 3

how does operant conditioning maintain a phobia?

Answer 3

negative reinforcement where an individual produces behaviour that avoids something unpleasant

Question 4

the two process model has good…

Answer 4

has good application for example in therapy, where a patient doesn’t practise their avoidant behaviours fear declines

Question 5

however the two process model doesn’t explore what?

Answer 5

alternative behaviours for avoidance, e.g. agoraphobes can go outside with a friend, but two process says that avoidance is driven by anxiety reduction

Question 6

is the two process model a complete or incomplete explanation of phobias?

Answer 6

it is an incomplete explanation, for example it doesn’t look at biological preparedness for example we are innately prepared to fear some things more than others

Question 7

who found the term ‘biological preparedness?’

Answer 7

Seligman 1971

Question 8

a limitation of the two process model is that not all what leads to phobias?

Answer 8

not all bad experiences lead to phobias, so conditioning alone cannot explain phobias as this may only occur if a vulnerability already exists

Question 9

what does the two process model not properly consider?

Answer 9

doesn’t consider the cognitive aspects of phobias, for example irrational beliefs and selective attention