Explaining Phobias

Question 1

What approach is used to explain phobias?

Answer 1

The behavioural approach

Question 2

What is the two process model?

Answer 2

1. The onset of phobias is seen as occurring directly through classical conditioning e.g. being bitten by a dog or indirectly through social learning e.g. seeing someone else bitten by a dog
2. The maintenance of phobias is seen as occurring through operant conditioning where avoiding a feared object acts as a negative reinforcer

Question 3

What does classical conditioning explain?

Answer 3

The onset of phobias

Question 4

What is an example of classical conditioning causing the onset of a phobia?

Answer 4

The UCS of being mugged causes the UCR of fear. The UCS of being mugged then combines with the NS of night time which causes the UCR of fear. The CS of night time then causes the CR of fear

Question 5

Who created an example of developing phobias due to classical conditioning?

Answer 5

Watson and Rayners little Albert study

Question 6

What was the method of the little Albert study?

Answer 6

Albert was presented with various stimuli, including a white rat, a rabbit and some cotton wool and his responses were filmed. He showed no fear to any stimuli. A fear reaction was introduced by striking a steel bar with a hammer behind his head and he was given a white rat. As he reached to touch the rat, the bar and hammer were struck to frighten him. This procedure was repeated three times

Question 7

What were the findings and conclusion of the little Albert study?

Answer 7

When shown he rat Albert would cry and crawl away as he had developed a fear toward the white rat and other white furry objects. This shows that phobias are acquired as a direct result of environmental experiences

Question 8

What is the second approach used to explain the onset of phobias?

Answer 8

Social learning theory

Question 9

How does the social learning theory cause the onset of phobias?

Answer 9

It sees behaviour as learned by modelling through observation and imitation. Watching someone else experience a traumatic event can cause the observer to experience the fear response in the presence of the same simulus

Question 10

Who researched the social learning theory and the onset of phobias?

Answer 10

Ost and Hugdahl

Question 11

What did Ost and Hugdahl do and find?

Answer 11

They reported the case of a boy who witnessed his grandfather vomit while dying and subsequently developed a persistent vomiting phobia and even contemplated suicide when feeling nauseous

Question 12

What was used to explain the maintenance of phobias?

Answer 12

Operant conditioning

Question 13

How does operant conditioning explain the maintenance of phobias?

Answer 13

A behaviour that is being rewarding reinforces the chances of the behaviour repeated in the future

Question 14

What is an example of operant conditioning and the maintenance of phobias?

Answer 14

If a person has a phobia of the dark because they had a traumatic experience, then the person may sleep with the lights on which is negatively reinforcing as it reduces the fear response. This then increases the chances of the person sleeping with the lights on again because anxiety is not experienced. Phobias therefore become very resistant to extinction because of the sufferer constantly making reinforcing avoidance responses

Question 15

What are three strengths of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias?

Answer 15

1. Their approach is scientific as it focuses on behaviour that can be directly observed and measured as the evidence was from lab experiments
2. King et al
3. Di Gallo

Question 16

What did King et al do and find?

Answer 16

Reported that case studies showed that children tended to acquire strong phobias through traumatic experience which supports the idea of phobias through classical conditioning

Question 17

What did Di Gallo do and find?

Answer 17

Reported around 20% of people experiencing traumatic car accidents developed a phobia of travelling in cars, especially of travelling at speed, which can be explained through classical conditioning. They them tended to make avoidance responses involving staying at home rather than making car journeys to see friends which can be explained by operant conditioning

Question 18

What are three limitation of the behavioural approach explaining phobias?

Answer 18

1. It’s criticised for having a simplistic and narrow view as it ignores genetic, cognitive and emotional contributions to the development of phobias
2. Evidence comes from lab studies of non human animals so the approach may not be able to explain human learning
3. It’s entirely deterministic as it suggests that experiences that happen to us entirely co troll our behaviour and we have no free will to enable us to make our own decisions