Behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Question 1

Behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Two processed model:

Answer 1

Behaviourists see all behaviour (including phobias) as being learned from experience.

Question 2

Mowler

Answer 2

1960 - says that

behaviours aquired through classical conditioning then maintained via reinforcement (operant conditioning)

Question 3

Acquisition - classical conditioning / learning by association

Answer 3

phobic object first NS
Not producing response
then presented with UCS which gives UCR

NS associated with UCS so now feared when NS appears

so the NS = CS
AND UCR = CR

Question 4

how can this fear be passed onto to other stuff

Answer 4

through generalisation

Question 5

Maintenance - operant conditioning. Learning through trial and error

Answer 5

avoiding the object causes less stress. Pleasant sensation which acts as a negative reinforcement (removal of negative stimulus)

Question 6

Social learning theory (SLT) suggests..

Answer 6

that learning can happen vicariously by observation of models. Observing fear could lead to same display of fear,

Question 7

Evaluation positive

Answer 7

watson and reyner 1920, little albert demonstrated how phobias could be induced in a child by making a loud noise when presenting a rat to a child. Fear was generalised to other objects.

Question 8

Evaluation negative

Answer 8

Menzies and Clarke 1993 - when asked 2% of children with a fear of water could recall a traumatic experience with water. Suggesting the behaviourist explanation cannot account for all phobias.