behavioural explanation of phobias

Question 1

What is mowrer’s two process model

Answer 1

States that behaviours are acquired by classical and then continue due to operant conditioning

Question 2

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What does this approach focus on?

Answer 2

Emphasises the role of learning in the acquisition of behaviour.
Main phobia behaviours avoidance , endurance and panic

Question 3

What does accquisition by classical conditioning mean?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Watson and Rayner

Answer 4

• The white rat is initially a neutral stimulus and elicits no response
• The bang is UCS because it naturally produces ( UCR) fear
• The bang and rat become paired meaning the rat becomes a ( CS) which then elicits a (CR) of fear on its own

Thus a phobia of rats has be developed ( conditioned)
Rat is now a conditioned stimulus that provides a conditioned response of fear

Question 5

Little albert generalisation

Answer 5

This conditioning generalised to similar objects – tested Albert by showing him other furry objects ( non- white rabbit / fur coat) → displayed distress at sight of all of these

Question 6

what is stimulus generalisation?

Answer 6

Stimulus generalisation means phobias can be generalised to similar objects

Question 7

Maitenance by operant conditioning

Answer 7

Responses acquired by classical conditioning usually tend to decline overtime → however phobias are long lasting

• Reinforcement tends to increase the frequency of behaviour
• Negative reinforcement → individual avoids a situation that’s unpleasant
  **Such behaviour results in desirable consequences → behaviour will be repeated **

Question 8

What does Mower suggest about operant conditioning.

Answer 8

suggests that whenever we avoid a phobic stimulus we successfully escape the fear and anxiety that we would have suffered if we had remained there.
* Reduction in fear/ anxiety reinforces the avoidance so phobia maintained overtime

Question 9

Strengths

Answer 9

• Good explanatory power
  Went beyond initial simply classical conditioning
  Important implications for therapy → if the patient is prevented from avoiding behaviour then phobia declines
  Application to therapy is a strength
• Real world application
  Can help people get over their phobias

Question 10

Limitations

Answer 10

• Behaviourism more towards behaviour than cognition Ignores cognitive elements
  Partial explanation
• Alternative explanation for avoidance
  Not all avoidance associated with phobias seem to be due to anxiety reduction

Evidence to suggest avoidance due to + feelings of safety
Motivating factor in choosing to avoid stimulus but to stick with safety
Able to explain why someone with agoraphobia can leave house with someone but not alone
- Issue as two process model says avoidance riven by anxiety

• Incomplete explanation of phobias
  Bouton → easily acquire fears for things that have been a source of danger in past - snakes / dark
  Adaptive to acquire such fears

Seligman - Biological preparedness - we are innately prepared to fear some things more then other

→ more fears are of spiders and snakes rather than like cars - due to the fact they only existed recently → so not biologically prepared to learn fear responses towards them.
Phenomenon of preparedness is problem - it shows more to acquiring phobias than conditioning

• Phobias don’t follow a trauma
  Sometimes people develop a phobia and are not aware of having had a related bad experience.
  Suggests that conditioning alone cannot explain phobias as they may only develop when vulnerability exists