LS6 - Behavioural Approach To Explaining Phobias

Question 1

The Behavioural Model

Answer 1

Suggests that all behaviour (inc phobias) can be learnt, and people who have an abnormality can learn negative behaviours.

Question 2

Two Process Model

Answer 2

1. The phobia is learnt via classical conditioning or social learning.
2. The phobia is maintained by operant conditioning

Question 3

Classical Conditioning

Answer 3

A method of learning that involves building up an association between 2 different stimuli so that learning takes place.

Question 4

Example Of Classical Conditioning

Answer 4

Presenting a white rat and a loud banging noise to an individual and repeatedly pair these 2 stimuli together, until classical conditioning and learning takes place, The person will have an emotional response when they see both the rat and hear the noise. The white rat alone will become the conditioned stimulus and the person will have a conditioned response, meaning the association and learning has been established.

Question 5

Classical Conditioning Strength

Answer 5

There’s research support by King (1998)

Question 6

Classical Conditioning Weaknesses

Answer 6

Low Reliability.
Mans don’t develop phobias from traumatic experiences.
Criticism from Menzies.

Question 7

Research Support King (1998) (+)

Answer 7

King (1998) found that children acquire phobias by encountering traumatic experiences with the phobic object.

Question 8

Low Reliability (-)

Answer 8

The study on Little Albert was only conducted once and findings haven’t been repeated, so you don’t know if the results would still be the same and it can’t be repeated due to ethical issues.

Question 9

No Phobia From Traumatic Experience (-)

Answer 9

People don’t develop phobias from traumatic experiences e.g. car crashes, so classical conditioning doesn’t explain how all phobias develop, some mans haven’t even had a traumatic experience and they’re stressed ffs.

Question 10

Criticism From Menzies

Answer 10

Psychologist Menzies studied people that had hydrophobia and found 2% of his sample had never had a negative experience involving water, meaning that classical conditioning wasn’t to blame, which brings the question of how they got the phobia. Another statistic is 50% of people with a phobia of dogs haven’t had a traumatic experience.

Question 11

Social Learning Theory/Modelling

Answer 11

Based on observational learning whereby young children might observe a reaction that their parents/family have to a particular situation, the child will then copy this behaviour. Minneka found that when 1 monkey in a cage showed a fear response to snakes the other monkeys in the cage copied the response.

Question 12

Operant Conditioning

Answer 12

Based on learning a new response that can result in reinforcement, it helps to explain how phobias can be maintained.

Question 13

Negative Reinforcement

Answer 13

If someone is scared of snakes, they will try to avoid snakes in order to reduce the risk that they will fear fear.

Question 14

Positive Reinforcement

Answer 14

By avoiding snakes and not feeling fear, this is rewarding. Therefore the avoidance of snakes continues

Question 15

Strengths Of The 2 Model Process

Answer 15

Bandura supports Social Learning Theory.

Involves 2 Clear Steps

Question 16

Weaknesses Of The 2 Model Process

Answer 16

Doesn’t explain phobia development for adults.

It ignores other factors that could cause phobias.

Question 17

Bandura Supports Social Learning Theory (+)

Answer 17

A person acted as if they were in pain when a buzzer sounded, and participants had to watch this reaction. Later on the participants were given the chance to hear the sound of the buzzer and they showed the same response. Therefore, social learning theory does seem to be an effective method when learning to become fearful of an object.

Question 18

Involves 2 Clear Steps (+)

Answer 18

The 2 tips highlight how phobias are learned and maintained. They’re learnt by powerful classical conditioning/social learning theory and maintained through operant conditioning. The process appears as an accurate way in explaining how phobias can be learnt overall.

Question 19

Doesn’t Explain Phobia Development For Adults (-)

Answer 19

The behavioural model is limited to only explaining learning in young children and animals.

Question 20

It Ignores Other Factors That Cause Phobias (-)

Answer 20

The behavioural model focuses on learning and the environment, but ignores biological or evolutionary factors that could cause phobias. Some people might have more of a genetic vulnerability to develop phobias than others and the behavioural model would ignore this.