Behavioural approach to explaining phobias Flashcards
Who proposed the two-process model and what is the basic explanation for phobias?
Mowrer
- phobias are acquired via classical conditioning and maintained via operant conditioning
What is classical conditioning in terms of phobias?
learning to associate something which we initially have no fear (NS) to something that already triggers a fear response (UCS)
Outline Watson & Rayner’s study on Little Albert
-created a phobia in 9 month old little Albert
-showed no unusual anxiety at the start of the study
-when shown a white rate Albert played with it
-experimenters made a loud banging noise whenever rat was presented to Albert
Explain steps of classical conditioning in terms of little Albert
noise (UCS)= fear (UCR)
Rat (NS) = play R
Noise (UCS)+ Rat (NS)= fear(UCR)
continuous pairings
Rat(CS) = fear (CR)
How did conditioning become generalised to similar objects for Albert?
-tested Albert by showing him other furry objects e.g. fur coat, cotton balls
-little Albert became distressed at the sight of these
What is operant conditioning?
learning through reward & punishment (consequences)
How is negative reinforcement involved in the maintenance of phobias?
-avoiding phobic stimulus = escape fear & anxiety that we would have experienced
-reduction in fear= reinforces avoidance behaviour so phobia is maintained ( can become resistant to extinction)
Why does the two-process model have real-world application?
-in exposure therapies (SD & Flooding)
-TPM explains that phobias are maintained by avoidance
-important in explaining why people with phobias benefit from being exposed to phobic stimulus
avoidance behaviour prevented =phobia cured
What is a weakness of the two process model?
-ignores cognitive factors looks at stimulus-response pairings only
-cognitive aspects can’t be explained using traditional behaviour framework
-cognitive»irrational thinking e.g. may suffocate in lift - causes extreme anxiety & trigger phobia
What evidence is there for the link between bad experiences & phobias?
-theory predicts that phobic individual would have experienced a triggering event at some point in their past
-DiNardo et al found that over 60% of people with a fear of dogs could relate their fear to a particular frightening experience
What is a counter point for the link between bad experiences & phobias?
- not all people develop a phobia after a fear incident
In DiNardo et al’s study, proportion of control group had had a fearful incident with a dog but had not developed a phobia
-clear individual differences in development of phobia, yet to be explained
