Explaining phobias - AO1 Flashcards
What did Mowrer (1960) argue?
That phobias are learned by classical conditioning and then maintained by operant conditioning. This is the two process model
What happens in classical conditioning?
This is where the phobia is acquired.
- UCS triggers a fear response (UCR) e.g being bitten creates anxiety
- NS is associated with the UCS e.g being bitten by a dog
- NS becomes a CS producing fear (which is now the CR). The dog becomes a CS causing a CR pf anxiety/fear following the bite
What was the Little Albert study?
Watson and Rayner (1920) showed how a fear of rats could be conditioned in “Little Albert”
* Whenever Albert played with the white rat a loud noise was made close to his ear. Noise = UCS caused a fear = UCR
* Rat (NS) did not create fear until the bang and the rat had been paired together several times
* Albert showed a fear response (CR) everytime he came into contact with the rat (now a CS)
What happened to Albert after the study?
It caused him to have a fear in response to seeing other white furry objects such as a fur coat and santa claus beard
What happens in operant conditioning?
This is where the phobia is maintained and it takes place when our behaviour is reinforced or punished
What is negative reinforcement and what happens?
An individual produces behaviour that avoids something unpleasant
When a person with a phobia avoids a phobic stimulus they escape anxiety that would have been experienced
This reduction in dear negatively reinforces the avoidance behaviour and the phobia is maintained
e.g clowns
