Behaviourist Approach to Phobias (Psychopathology)

Question 1

What are the symptoms of a phobia?

Answer 1

• Persistent fear of a specific stimulus (emotional).
• Irrational beliefs (cognitive).
• Avoidance of feared stimulus (behavioural).

Question 2

Define social phobia:

Answer 2

Fear of social situations.

Question 3

Define agoraphobia:

Answer 3

Fear of being trapped.

Question 4

Define specific phobias:

Answer 4

Fear of an object or animal.

Question 5

What is the two-process model?

Answer 5

• Acquired through classical conditioning.
• Maintained by operant conditioning.

Question 6

How are phobias acquired through classical conditioning?

Answer 6

• 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.

Question 7

How are phobias maintained by operant conditioning?

Answer 7

• When our behaviour is reinforced or punished.
• When avoiding a feared stimulus = negative feeling is removed.
  (Negative reinforcement)

Question 8

What study supports the two-process model?

Answer 8

Watson + Rayners ‘Little Albert’ study.

Question 9

Outline Watson and Rayners ‘Little Albert’ Study:

Answer 9

• 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.

Question 10

Whose study supports that phobia is acquired through classical conditioning?

Answer 10

Barlow + Durand.

Question 11

Outline Barlow and Durand study:

Answer 11

• 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.

Question 12

What is a limitation of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 12

Not all phobias are caused by a traumatic event + other factors may be involved.

EXAMPLE: through evolution - phobias of threats may be genetically determined.

Question 13

What are the two treatments for phobias? (Behaviourist)

Answer 13

• Flooding
• Systematic Desensitisation

Question 14

Outline flooding treatment:

Answer 14

• 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.

Question 15

Outline Systematic Desensitisation:

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

Which study supports flooding?

Answer 16

Kaplan + Tolin.

Question 17

Outline Kaplan and Tolin study?

Answer 17

• 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.

Question 18

Which study supports systematic desntatisation?

Answer 18

Ost.

Question 19

Outline Osts study:

Answer 19

• 90% of patients improved/completley recovered 4 years later.
• Effective for treating specific phobias as symptoms were improved a long time after treatment.

Question 20

What are the strengths of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 20

• Exposes patient to the feared stimuli gradually, creating less distress.
• More ethical than flooding.

Question 21

What are the limitation of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 21

Its less effective at treating social phobias + agoraphobias as cognitive factors are also important.

Question 22

What is a limitations of flooding?

Answer 22

• 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).

Question 23

What is fear hierarchy in Systematic Desensitisation?

Answer 23

Writing a list in stages from least to most feared stimulus.

Question 24

What is relaxation techniques in Systematic Desensitisation?

Answer 24

Manages anxiety such as deep breathing + muscle relaxation.

Question 25

What is exposure in Systematic Desensitisation?

Answer 25

Exposed to feared stimulus gradually -> making sure they are relaxed at each stage.

Question 26

What are the three main types of phobias?

Answer 26

• Specific phobia
• Social phobia
• Agoraphobia

Question 27

What are the behavioural characteristics of phobias?

Answer 27

• Panic (e.g. crying, running away)
• Avoidance
• Endurance (e.g remains in presence of phobic stimulus)

Question 28

What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?

Answer 28

• Anxiety (prevents relaxation/experiances of postive emotion)
• Unreasonable emotional responses (disproportionate danger)

Question 29

What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?

Answer 29

• Selective attention to phobic stimulus
• Irrational beliefs
• Cognitive distortions (perception of phobic stimulus is distorted)