Lesson 6: The behavioural approach to explaining phobias: Classical + operant conditioning/ Two process model

Question 1

What does the behavioural approach suggest? (AO1)

Answer 1

All behaviours (including PHOBIAS) can be learnt

Question 2

What does the TWO-PROCESS MODEL suggest?

Answer 2

1.The phobia is LEARNT through CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
2.The phobia is MAINTAINED by OPERANT CONDITIONING

Question 3

Define classical conditioning

Answer 3

Classical conditioning is learning through association

Question 4

What happens during classical conditioning?

Answer 4

A stimulus produces the same response as another stimulus because they have constantly been presented at the SAME TIME

Question 5

Outline a famous piece of research that looks into classical conditioning

Answer 5

Little Albert by WATSON and RAYNER

Question 6

Sumarise what happened in the little albert study

Answer 6

1. Every time albert reached for the white rat it was accompanied by a loud banging sound
2. This caused little albert to cry

3.The two stimuli (white rat+ loud banging nouse) were continuously presented together

4. Watson and Rayner eventual conditioned Little albert to be afraid of the white rat + other white fluffy objects (generalisation)

Question 7

What was the white rat in the study

Answer 7

NEUTRAL stimulus

Question 8

What was the loud banging noise in the study

Answer 8

UNCONDITIONED stimulus

Question 9

What was the little alberts crying in the study

Answer 9

UNCONDITIONED response

Question 10

Over the course of the study what did the white rat become?

Answer 10

CONDITIONED stimulus

Question 11

Over the course of the study what did little albert’s fear response become?

Answer 11

CONDITIONED response

Question 12

Equation to remember Classical conditioning?

Answer 12

NEUTRAL stimulus+ UNCONDITIONED stimulus= UNCONDITIONED response

Overtime…

Neutral stimulus->CONDITIONED stimulus= CONDITIONED reponse

Question 13

What is meant by generalisation?

Answer 13

Producing a similar reaction to a similar object

Question 14

State a POSITIVE evaluation of classical conditioning (AO3)
(HINT: traumatic experiences)

Answer 14

-KING (1998) supports the idea proposed by classical conditioning
-Upon reviewing CASE STUDIES he found children DEVELOP phobias by encountering a TRAUMATIC EVENT
e.g being bit by a dog

Question 15

State a NEGATIVE evaluation of classical conditioning
(HINT: Reliability of little albert)

Answer 15

The reliability of the little albert study can be QUESTIONED
-It was only conducted ONCE and proposes many ETHICAL issues to replicate
-Psychologists question whether the same results would be produced if the study were to be REPLICATED

Question 16

State a NEGATIVE evaluation of classical conditioning
(HINT: Hydrophobia)

Answer 16

-MENZIES criticises the BEHAVIOURAL MODEL, especially the idea of CLASSICAL CONDITIONING.

-He studied individuals with HYDROPHOBIA and found ONLY 2% of individuals actually had a NEGATIVE experience with water
-98% of the sample never had a negative experience with water
-Meaning that they had not LEARNT to become frightened of water through classical conditioning

Question 17

What is SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY? (AO1)

Answer 17

Observational learning whereby a child may observe a reaction displayed by an adult model (e.g parent) and copy this behaviour

Question 18

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 18

Learning through the CONSEQUENCES of one’s behaviour

Question 19

What is meant by NEGATIVE reinforcement

Answer 19

the encouragement of certain behaviours by avoiding negative stimuli/outcome
e.g a person who is afraid of snakes may avoid them to reduce the fear they feel

Question 20

What is meant by POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

Answer 20

the process of REWARDING desirable behaviour in order to INCREASE the likelihood the behaviour will be repeated in the future

e.g by avoiding snakes they no longer feel fear, this is REWARDING. therefore the avoidance of snakes continues

Question 21

State a POSITIVE EVALUATION of the two-process model (AO3)
(hint: CLEAR EXPLANATION)

Answer 21

-Model has received praised as it involves TWO clear steps to highlight how phobias are learned and maintained
-Learnt via classical conditioning + maintained via Operant conditioned

-The process is fairly ACCURATE and avoids any complex and convoluted explanations

Question 22

State a NEGATIVE EVALUATION of the two-process model
(HINT: Other approaches)

Answer 22

-It ignores OTHER FACTORS that could cause phobias

-Behavioural model = learning and the environment
-would not take into consideration BIOLOGICAL or EVOLUTIONARY factors that could cause phobias
- Some people may have genetic vulnerabilities to developing phobias-> behavioural model IGNORES THIS

Question 23

State a NEGATIVE EVALUATION of the two-process model
(HINT: animals and young children)

Answer 23

-SLT is successful in explaining how phobias develop in animals and YOUNG CHILDREN

-HOWEVER, it is not strong in explaining how ADULTS may learn phobias

-Behavioural model is limited to explaining learning in YOUNG CHILDREN and ANIMALS