Explaining Phobias

Question 1

What does the behavioural approach to treating phobias emphasise on?

Answer 1

The role of learning in the aquisition of behaviour.

Question 2

Who proposed the ‘two-process model’? What year?

Answer 2

Mowrer 1960

Question 3

What does the ‘two-process model’ state?

Answer 3

Phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and then continue because of operant conditioning.

Question 4

How did Mowrer suggest a phobia is maintained?

Answer 4

By avoiding the phobia stimulus, we escape the fear and anxiety that we would have suffered if we had stayed there.

This reduction in fear negatively reinforces the avoidance behaviour and so the phobia is maintained.

Question 5

Sumarise the evaluation point ‘good explanatory power’.

Answer 5

• The 2 process model goes beyond Watson and Rayner’s concept of classical condiitoning.
• It explains how phobias can be maintained over time, which has important implications for therapies because it explains why patients need to be exposed to the feared stimulus.
• Once a patient is prevented from practising their avoidance behaviour, the behaviour ceases to be reinforced and so it declines.

Question 6

Is the evaluation point ‘good explanatory power’ a strength or a criticism?

Answer 6

Strength

Question 7

Summarise the evalution point ‘alternative explanation for avoidance behaviour.’

Answer 7

• Not all avoidance behaviour associated with phobias seems to be the result of anxiety reduction, especially in more complex phobias.
• Evidence suggests that at least some avoidance behaviour appears to be motivated more by positive feelings of safety.
• This is a problem for the 2 process model as it suggests that avoidance is motivated by anxiety reduction.

Question 8

Give an example to use to explain the evaluation point ‘alternative explanation for avoidance behaviour’.

Answer 8

Some patients with agoraphobia can leave the house with a trusted person and experience relatively little anxiety but not alone.

Question 9

Summarise the evaluation point ‘an incomplete explanation of phobias.’ Use examples.

Answer 9

• Evolutionary factors probably have an important role in phobias but the 2 factor theory does not mention this.
• E.G. we easily aquire phobias of things that have been a source of danger in our evolutionary past, like snakes - it is adaptive to acquire such fears.
• This has been called ‘biological preparedness’ - the innate predisposition to acquire certain fears.
• HOWEVER, it is rare to develop fears of things like cars and guns which are actually more dangerous.
• Therefore, it appears there is more to acquiring phobias than just conditoning, which the 2 process theory suggests.

Question 10

Is the evaluation point ‘an incomplete explanation of phobias’ a strength or a criticism?

Answer 10

Criticism

Question 11

Summarise the evaluation point ‘phobias don’t follow a trauma.’

Answer 11

• An individual may develop a phobia even if they are not aware of having had a realted bad experience.
• The 2 process model cannot explain why someone who has never even encountered a snake may develop a phobia of them.

Question 12

Summarise the evaulation point ‘cognitive aspect of phobias.’

Answer 12

• The 2 process model is good as it explains all of the behavioural characteristics of phobias.
• HOWEVER, phobias have a cognitive element, which the 2 process model does not explain.
• Therefore, the 2 process model is limited as it cannpt fully explain how phobias develop or all of the characteristics associated with phobias.