Explaining Phobias Flashcards
What kind of approach is this?
Behavioural
Classical conditioning is learning through a______
Association
In this model operant conditioning is used to m__________ the phobia
Maintain
What is the 2 process model
Is the process of how phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and then maintenaned by operant conditioning
Explain classical conditioning as a way for acquiring a phobia
Is when we learn to associate something that we had no fear of originally (neutral stimulus) to something that already brings fear (unconditioned response and stimulus) is associated with it.
This creates a conditioned response to the stimuli
WHo studied this theory
Watson Raynor (1920)
Outline Watson and Raynor (1920) study?
Tested this theory on a baby called Albert
He was 9 months old
They created a conditioned fear response to a white rat by making a loud sound when he came in contact with the rat
What was the name of the baby
Albert
What was the animal used in the study
WHite rat
One the condition had occurred what helped when he interacted with other animals
The phobia became generalised to other animals that had similar features.
Explain operant conditioning
Takes place when ur behaviour is rewarded or reinforced / punished.
Both negative & positive reinforcement. Like when an individual avoids the phobic stimulus and is rewarded by the feeling of Relief form anxiety
Strength of the explanation 4 phobias
RWA
P: Real world applications
E: in exposure therapies the explanation is useful as people befit form it when the behaviour can not be reinforced
E: TST the 2 process model is a useful explanation fro understanding and treating phobias
Weakness of the model
Limited
P: Limited ex
E: It’s geared towards explaining the behaviour not the cognitive component
E: TMT the 2 process model does not explain all the symtoms of phobias
Strength of the model
RS
P: Research evidence to support
E: Jongh (2006) who found that 73% of people have a fear of dental treatment had had a traumatic experience. I’m comparison to 21% of a console group
E: This conforms the association between the stimulus and the unconditioned repsonse in the dev of a phobia
Weakness of the model
Not accurate
P: Not all bad experiences lead to phobias
E: Snake phobias are very common but in populations where a interaction with snakes are rare. Very few people have had an interaction with a snake with E riot be negative or positive
E: TMT the association between them must not be that strong and other explanations like the evolutionary explanation would provide a complete explanation
