Behaviourist Approach to Phobias (Psychopathology) Flashcards
What are the symptoms of a phobia?
- Persistent fear of a specific stimulus (emotional).
- Irrational beliefs (cognitive).
- Avoidance of feared stimulus (behavioural).
Define social phobia:
Fear of social situations.
Define agoraphobia:
Fear of being trapped.
Define specific phobias:
Fear of an object or animal.
What is the two-process model?
- Acquired through classical conditioning.
- Maintained by operant conditioning.
How are phobias acquired through classical conditioning?
- Develops fear of a neutral stimulus if encountered with an unpleasant unconditional stimulus = forms an association with a neutral + unconditioned stimulus.
- The neutral stimulus becomes conditioned = develops a fear response.
How are phobias maintained by operant conditioning?
- When our behaviour is reinforced or punished.
- When avoiding a feared stimulus = negative feeling is removed.
(Negative reinforcement)
What study supports the two-process model?
Watson + Rayners ‘Little Albert’ study.
Outline Watson and Rayners ‘Little Albert’ Study:
- Presented him repeatedly with a white rat, followed by a loud noise.
1) Showed no response to white rat (neutral stimulus).
2) Through related experience = associated rat with a loud noise (unconditioned stimulus).
The rat became a conditioned stimulus = he cried in the presence of the rat - phobia was acquired through classical conditioning.
Whose study supports that phobia is acquired through classical conditioning?
Barlow + Durand.
Outline Barlow and Durand study:
- 50% of participants could recall a traumatic event causing driving phobia, meaning many had not driven since.
- The association of feared stimulus + traumatic event supports the phobia is maintained by operant conditioning.
- Avoidance of stimulus is negatively reinforced.
What is a limitation of the behaviourist approach?
Not all phobias are caused by a traumatic event + other factors may be involved.
EXAMPLE: through evolution - phobias of threats may be genetically determined.
What are the two treatments for phobias? (Behaviourist)
- Flooding
- Systematic Desensitisation
Outline flooding treatment:
- Exposing patient to fear in one go + encouraging them to remain near feared stimulus until anxiety has worn off.
- Prevents avoidance of feared stimulus.
- Association between conditioned + unconditioned stimulus is extinguished = conditioned stimulus no longer causes a conditioned response.
Outline Systematic Desensitisation:
1) Fear hierarchy: writing a list in stages from least to most feared stimulus.
2) Relaxation techniques: manages anxiety such as deep breathing + muscle relaxation.
3) Exposure: exposed to feared stimulus gradually -> making sure they are relaxed at each stage.
- Confronts person with feared stimulus which prevents avoidance behaviour -> then learns feared stimulus is harmless = association between conditioned and unconditioned stimulus is extinguished.
Which study supports flooding?
Kaplan + Tolin.
Outline Kaplan and Tolin study?
- 65% of patients had no symptoms of a specific phobia 4 years later ( after a single flooding session).
- Flooding is effective for treating specific phobias as it removes symptoms for a long time after treatment.
Which study supports systematic desntatisation?
Ost.
Outline Osts study:
- 90% of patients improved/completley recovered 4 years later.
- Effective for treating specific phobias as symptoms were improved a long time after treatment.
What are the strengths of systematic desensitisation?
- Exposes patient to the feared stimuli gradually, creating less distress.
- More ethical than flooding.
What are the limitation of systematic desensitisation?
Its less effective at treating social phobias + agoraphobias as cognitive factors are also important.
What is a limitations of flooding?
- Doesn’t always work, can strengthen the association between the conditioned and unconditioned stimulus = patient may show a stronger negative conditional response.
- Unethical as it can create lots of distress.
- Not appropriate for some patients as its too traumatic (e.g. children).
What is fear hierarchy in Systematic Desensitisation?
Writing a list in stages from least to most feared stimulus.
What is relaxation techniques in Systematic Desensitisation?
Manages anxiety such as deep breathing + muscle relaxation.
What is exposure in Systematic Desensitisation?
Exposed to feared stimulus gradually -> making sure they are relaxed at each stage.
What are the three main types of phobias?
- Specific phobia
- Social phobia
- Agoraphobia
What are the behavioural characteristics of phobias?
- Panic (e.g. crying, running away)
- Avoidance
- Endurance (e.g remains in presence of phobic stimulus)
What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?
- Anxiety (prevents relaxation/experiances of postive emotion)
- Unreasonable emotional responses (disproportionate danger)
What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?
- Selective attention to phobic stimulus
- Irrational beliefs
- Cognitive distortions (perception of phobic stimulus is distorted)
