Behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Question 1

what are the 3 behavioural explanations for explaining phobias

Answer 1

• the two process model
• classical conditioning
• operant conditioning

Question 2

what is the two process model

Answer 2

• proposes that classical conditioning happens first - the individual learns a fear through association
• but then this phobia continues because of operant conditioning and the rewarding feelings the individual experiences when they avoid the thing they are terrified of.

Question 3

classical conditioning + phobias

Answer 3

• Fears are acquired when an individual associates a neutral stimulus, such as a cat, with a fear response. This becomes a conditioned stimulus, the fear.
• E.g. a person never previously showing fear of cats is one day scratched and reacts with intense fear.
• From this point onwards the individual associates all cats with the fear/pain they felt in that situation and a phobia emerges.

Question 4

what is the +ve ao3 evidence for classical conditioning explaining phobias

Answer 4

• Watson and Rayner (1920) sought to provide experimental evidence that fear could be learned in this way:
• They worked with an 11 month old boy called Little Albert.
• Albert showed no fear when exposed to white fluffy objects (neutral stimuli)
• Albert showed fear when an iron bar was struck loudly behind his head (unconditioned stimulus causing unconditioned response)
• These white fluffy objects were repeatedly paired with the clanging of the bar
• Albert soon showed great fear to the fluffy objects when presented alone (conditioned stimuli now causing a conditioned response)
• Watson had induced a phobia in Albert via classical conditioning.

Question 5

operant conditioning + phobias

Answer 5

• The second stage of the two process model is operant conditioning whereby avoiding the phobic stimulus is reinforcing and rewarding because it greatly relieves anxiety.
• So avoiding cats makes the person feel much better, relieving their fear and anxiety.
• This behaviour has become positively reinforcing and Operant conditioning has occurred.

Question 6

what is the -ve ao3 for operant conditioning explaining phobias

Answer 6

• Munjack (1984):
• Refuted this theory
• Investigated people with driving phobia
  Found that only 50% of the pps had actually experienced a car accident
• More importantly, in the control group (non-phobic) 50% of these people had experienced a serious car accident.
• doesn’t show support for the two process model - there must be other reasons why people develop phobias

Question 7

what are the -ve ao3 points of the two process model

Answer 7

• diathesis stress model
• alternative evidence/biology
• evolutionary approach

Question 8

expand on the -ve ao3 point diathesis stress model for the two process model

Answer 8

• An explanation for Munjack’s findings
• This is the idea that we may be born with some sort of biological predisposition to make us more susceptible to developing a phobia (e.g. a faulty gene) but it depends whether experiences in our environment bring it out
• this is an interactionist approach - both nature and nurture contribute to our psychology

Question 9

expand on the -ve ao3 point alternative evidence/biology for the two process model

Answer 9

• There is evidence from studies use brain scanning techniques that phobias could be purely caused by our biology
• too much blood flowing through the amygdala (emotional centre of the brain).
• This would explain why not everyone who experiences a traumatic event goes on to acquire a phobia through classical conditioning.

Question 10

expand on the -ve ao3 point evolutionary approach for the two process model

Answer 10

• states that all phobias are linked to our evolutionary past (i.e. caveman times)
• We have evolved specifically to be afraid of certain things (spiders, the dark, snakes) because they could have posed a serious threat to our ancestors –> so it was adaptive to be scared of them - it promoted survival!
• This could explain why phobias do not always develop after a traumatic incident too.
• Only “prepared” fears which posed a threat to our ancestors have the potential to be learned via classical and operant conditioning.
• Cars, toasters, motor bikes- these have not been around long enough to have been subject to the same evolutionary processes, although they are far more likely to kill us than snakes/spiders.
• All of these points - the diathesis stress, biological explanation and evolutionary explanation suggest that the behavioural explanation is not sufficient on its own to explain how phobias develop.