behaviourist approach to phobias Flashcards
What are the 2 parts of the two process model
- Acquisition
- maintenance
what is the assumption to the behaviourist approach
We are all born neutral and all behaviours are learnt
what is the study for acquisition and what does the study show
Classical conditioning : Watson and Rayner
how we can learn to associate something of which we have no fear for
How does little albert link to phobias
Classical conditioning
Little albert case shows how a phobia can be acquired through classical conditioning.
The UCS was a loud noise which created a UCR which was fear. This was associated 6 times with the NS which was white rats that caused no response turning the NS into the CS and therefore the CR was fear of the white rats
What is stimulus generalisation?
Simlar stimulus to the feard stimulus like the white rat (fluffy things, other animals) evoked some fear response
What is the study for maintenance and what is the outcome
operant conditioning - takes place when behaviour is reinforced (shows why people continue to avoid a feared stimulus)
this is done by negative reinforcement - An individual avoids something which is unpleasant. The outcome is a positive experience
(avoid phobic stimulus = escape the anxiety)
what are the positive and negative evaluations of the behaviourist explanation to phobias
- good practical application
- alternative explanation e.g. cognitive approach
-alternative explanation e.g. biological - Diathesis stress model
Evaluate the behaviourist explanation to phobias
- good practical application
P - good practical application
E - The 2 process model can provide convincing explanations of why people have phobias
E.g. - Many people who have phobias can remember a traumatic event where the phobias was acquired
L - This is a strength as it allows us to understand how to treat the disorder
e.g. systematic desensitisation and flooding
Evaluate the behaviourist explanation to phobias
P- alternative explanations (cognitive)
E- For example the behaviourist approach does not take into account the cognitive factors
E.g. - the cognitive approach suggests phobias may develop as a consequence of irrational thinking e.g. I might get in a lift and suffocate
L - this is a limitation because other treatments such as Cognitive behavioural therapy may be used alongside or as an alternative if the phobia stemmed from cognitive factors
Evaluate the behaviourist explanation to phobias
p- alternative explanations (biological)
E- Seligman (1970) argued phobias don’t have to be learnt as humans are genetically pre-programmed to form associations between life threatening stimuli and fear
E.g. - We naturally fear things that can cause us danger in our evolutionary past (spiders, heights etc) and not modern day appliances this is called biological preparedness
L- this is a limitation because it makes it difficult to affirm the effectiveness of the 2 way process and suggests its not as simple as conditioning
Evaluate the behaviourist explanation to phobias
P - diathesis stress model
E - the diathesis stress model proposes we must inherit a genetic vulnerability for mental disorders making people more vulnerable to phobias
E.g. - phobias aren’t always learnt following a traumatic event - not everyone who has been bit by a dog is afraid of dogs
L - this is a weakness of the behaviourist approach as it suggests that conditioning alone doesn’t cause phobias and genetics should also be taken into account
What is the diathesis stress model
Diathesis - genetic vulnerability
stress - environmental tigger
interaction of multiple factors
Genetic vulnerability + environmental trigger
What are the behavioural treatments to Phobias
Flooding
systematic desensitisation
What is flooding
Flooding is the immediate exposure where the participant has no option to avoid the stimulus so the phobia is extinguished
Flooding is unpleasant and highly traumatic but is not unethical as long has patients give fully informed consent.
What can you include in the evaluation for flooding
positive and negative
strength = Cost-effective treatment for phobias
weaknesses = highly traumatic so has high attrition rates
- less effective for other types of phobias e.g. agoraphobia
- symptom substitution
How to evaluate flooding
p- cost effective treatment
Flooding is equally as effective as other treatments ad takes less time meaning it is cost-effective for healthcare providers who are underfunded and over stretched
Evaluate flooding
- highly traumatic
Hight attrition rates meaning it is a waste of time and patients don’t get to extinguish their phobia so also a waste of money
people can become traumatised and there phobia can become worse
A case where a patient became to anxious and had to be hospitalised
Evaluate flooding
w - less effective for other types of phobias
Flooding is less effective for phobias such a agoraphobia because some psychologists believe these phobias are caused by irrational thinking so more complex treatments are needed e.g. cognitive development therapy
evaluate flooding
W- symptom substitution
this means although one phobia may be successfully removed through counter conditioning another may appear in its place
e.g. removed fear of spides but now has a fear of being locked in a room
this research is mixed but heavily disputed by behaviourists
what is counter conditioning
To unlearn it
what is systematic desensitisation
Aims to remove a phobia by eradicating an undesirable behaviour (fear) and replacing it with a more desirable one (relaxation) . Works on the principle of reciprocal inhibition
What is reciprocal inhibition
the idea that one person cannot feel fear and relaxation at the same time
How do you carry out systematic desensitisation
- desensitisation hierarchy - therapist +client create a hierarchy of the fear least - most frightening
- relaxation - training in relaxation due to reciprocal inhabitation by breathing exercises then drugs if necessary
- Exposure - Gradually goes through the hierarchy but the participant must be calm and relaxed by utilising relaxation techniques at this stage due to reciprocal inhibition to progress to the next stage of the hierarchy
How would you evaluate systematic desensitisation
Effectiveness of treatment
not effective in treating all phobias
Favoured treatment in comparison to flooding
Evaluate systematic desensitisation
- Effectiveness of treatment
It was found that 75% of patients with phobias were successfully treated
Also in another study 42 patients were examined with arachnophobia and went through systematic desensitisation and was shown to be less fearful of the phobic stimulus than a control group (only learnt relaxation techniques).
Provides support that systematic desensitisation is an effective treatment long term
Evaluate systematic desensitisation
- Not effective in treating all phobias
Patients who’s phobias are not developed from personal experience (classical conditioning) e.g. snakes are not effectively treated by systematic desensitisation
some psychologists believe some phobias are evolutionary (biological approach) and not a result of learning
limitation aa it shows it is ineffective in treating phobias with an evolutionary/innate bases
Evaluate systematic desensitisation
- favoured in comparison to flooding
It is more ethical in nature and patients say they prefer it as it doesn’t cause the same levels of distress when facing the feared stimulus
low attrition rates
Relaxation techniques can be a positive and pleasant experience
