Behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Question 1

Who proposed the two-process model and what is the basic explanation for phobias?

Answer 1

• Mowrer
• phobias are acquired via classical conditioning and maintained via operant conditioning

Question 2

How do we acquire a phobia through classical conditioning?

Answer 2

• we learning to associate something which we initially have no fear (NS) to something that already triggers a fear response (UCS)

Question 3

Outline Watson & Rayner’s study on Little Albert

Answer 3

• created a phobia in 9 month old little Albert
• showed no unusual anxiety at the start of the study
• when shown a white rat, Albert played with it
• experimenters made a loud banging noise whenever rat was presented to Albert

Question 4

Explain steps of classical conditioning in terms of little Albert

Answer 4

noise (UCS)= fear (UCR)
Rat (NS) = play R

Noise (UCS)+ Rat (NS)= fear(UCR)
continuous pairings

Rat(CS) = fear (CR)

Question 5

How did conditioning become generalised to similar objects for Albert?

Answer 5

• tested Albert by showing him other furry objects e.g. fur coat, cotton balls
• little Albert became distressed at the sight of these

Question 6

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 6

learning through reward & punishment (consequences)

Question 7

How is negative reinforcement involved in the maintenance of phobias?

Answer 7

• avoiding phobic stimulus = escape fear & anxiety that we would have experienced
• this reduction in fear= reinforces avoidance behaviour so phobia is maintained (can become resistant to extinction)

Question 8

What is a strength of the behavioural approach in explaining phobias?

Answer 8

• real world application in exposure therapies (SD & Flooding)
• TPM explains that phobias are maintained by avoidance of phobic stimulus
• important in explaining why people with phobias benefit from being exposed to phobic stimulus
• if avoidance behaviour is prevented it ceases to be reinforced> avoidance declines
• shows value of model

Question 9

What is a limitation of the two process model in explaining phobias?

Answer 9

• ignores cognitive factors & looks at stimulus-response pairings only
• cognitive aspects can’t be explained using traditional behaviour framework
• cognitive characteristics include irrational thinking e.g. causes extreme anxiety & triggers phobia
• TPM does not offer adequate explanation for phobic cognitions
• limited explanation for symtons

Question 10

What is another strength of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias?

Answer 10

• evidence for the link between bad experiences & phobias
• theory predicts that phobic individual would have experienced a triggering event at some point in their past
• Ad De Jongh et al > found that 73% of people with a fear of dental treatment had experienced a traumatic experience with the dentist compared to a control group with low dental anxiety
• shows an association between a NS and UCR leads to development of phobia

Question 11

What is a counter point for the link between bad experiences & phobias?

Answer 11

• not all people develop a phobia after a fear incident
• some common phobias such as snake phobias occur in populations where very few have had any experiences with a snake (traumatic experience)
• association between frightnening experiences are not as strong as we would expect