Behavioural Approach to explaining phobias

Question 1

What did Mower sugget?

Answer 1

Phobias are acquired through classical conditioning and maintained by. operant. conditioning

Question 2

What did Watson and Rayner do?

Answer 2

How ‘Little Albert’ associated the fear of a loud bang with a white rat

Question 3

How did Watson and Rayner do this?

Answer 3

Albert was exposed to the rat as the NS, producing no response. When paired with a loud band (UCS) it produced an UCR of fear. Through several. repetitions, Albert associated the rat (CS) and fear (CR)

Question 4

What did Albert’s conditioning cause?

Answer 4

The conditioned was generalised to other white fluffy things

Question 5

When does operant conditioning take place

Answer 5

When a behaviour is rewarded or punished

Question 6

Give an example of operant conditioning

Answer 6

Phobic practice avoidance behaviours means they avoid the stimuls. By avoiding. it it creates a phobic stimulus they create a phobic stimulus the created an associated fear. By. avoiding the consequence the avoidant behaviour is negatively. reinforced likely to be repeated giving maintenance of the phobia

Question 7

Give a + (GEP)

Answer 7

Good explanatory power - It can explain the mechanism behind the acquisition and maintenance (which conditioning can’t do on its own) Mowrer emphasises the importance exposing patients to the phobic stimulus as. it prevents negative reinforcement of avoidance. The patient relies that the phobic stimulus is harmless and their response is irrational giving successful treatment

Question 8

Give a - (BAV)

Answer 8

Buck gave an alternative view and suggested safety is a greater motivation for avoidance behaviour rather than avoiding the anxiety. associated with the stimulus. . Beck used social anxiety. the patient went out with a trusted friend and still exposed to hundreds of strangers which would trigger anxiety. Meaning. Mowrers explanation is incomplete and only suited to. some

Question 9

Give a - (SDPS)

Answer 9

Seligman suggested that we’re more likely to develop phobias towards prepared stimuli. These would propose threat. to our ancestors meaning our behaviour has become a selective evolutionary advantage.Meaning alternative theories can explain why some phobias are more common