Mineka Paper - Learning theory perspective on Anxiety Flashcards
Why did contemporary behavioural/learning approaches for anxiety disorder fall out of favour in the 70s?
Because they could not account for the diverse origins of people’s anxieties (e.g., individual differences in developing disorders, despite similar experiences)
Classic view on the acquisition of specific phobia?
Intense classically conditioned fear: neutral stimulus is paired with a traumatic event
What was a criticism against early conditioning models and what theory poses a solution for this?
Many people don’t have the relevant history of classical conditioning: vicarious conditioning/learning (i.e., learning from observing)
What are vulnurability (or invulnerability) factors for developing anxiety disorders? (diatheses-stress perspective)
Early learning histories + temperament can = diastheses for anxiety disorders (as it makes certain ppl more susceptible to adverse/stressfull experiences)
What theory + factors posed can account for the individual differences in the development of phobias?
- Diatheses-stress perspective (interconnected with genetics)
- Prior experiences (latent inhibition-immunized to conditioning because of prior exposure to neutral stimulus-, history of control & experiential factors)
- Contextual variables during conditioning (e.g., control during event)
- Postevent variables (traumatic event after conditioning, verbal/social information about the stimulus & mental rehearsal of event)
What phenomena can be seen in fear development, that goes against early conditioning model predictions?
- Predicted that fears/phobias occured to any group of objects associated with trauma
- However, much more likely withh things like snakes, water, heights, etc., than guns, cars, etc.
- = selective associations (evolutionary bias towards certain fears)
What are special properties seen in fear-relevant stimuli that are not (or less so) seen in non-fear relevant stimuli?
Unconscious cue elicits response, resistance towards higher cogntive control (rationality)
Factors for SAD acquisition? (5)
- Traumatic experience
- Vicarious learning
- Direct reinforcement
- Verbal instruction
- Cultural rules/norms
Preparedness theory of SAD acquisition factor(s)?
- by product as evolution mechanism for dominance hierarchy
- Angry faces are more fear-relevant
- Unconscious cues also elicit conditioned response (i.e., rationale will not help)
What type of inhibition is a vulnerability for both social and specific phobies?
Behavioural inhibition
What could be a factor that can account for some people developing SAD and some not, despite similar circumstances?
(Perceptions) of uncontrollability
Panic disorder (with agorophobia) acquirement theory by Goldstein?
- Exteroceptive conditioning (conditioned stimuli impinge on sensory receptors)
- Interoceptive conditioning (“fear of fear”, conditioned stimuli are own internal responses)
Risk factors for developing panic disorders?
- genetics, mediated by personality/temperament
- Prior learning experiences (those of lack of control/helplessness)
- specific factors like chronic illness in household as a child/engaging in sick role behaviours when past panic attacks
PTSD risk factor model, explained despite similar history?
Uncontrollable
and unpredictable stress model (for animals)
Uncontrollable
and unpredictable stress model (for animals)? During trauma phase
Perceival of uncontrollable/unpredictableness of stressor(s) heightens risk of PTSD
Pretrauma risk factors for PTSD?
Repeated trauma (may increase perceived unctrollability), lack of control in general
Posttrauma risk factors PTSD?
- exposure to contexts related to trauma (irregardless of actually experiences new trauma)- aka reexperiencing symptoms
- Reinstatement (posttrauma trauma, unrelated to first)
- reevaluation
GAD risk factors?
- past trauma
- low tolerance of uncertainty
- lack of safety signals
Proposed risk factors for OCD?
- Verbal transmission (“my ma told me _”
- Verbal conditioning (“I saw this + generalization”)
- Social learning (inducing high responsibility and rigid rules, thought-action fusion,
What is thought-action fusion?
When thoughts/desired/impulses are taught to be equivalent to actions and/or that thoughts of a bad event increase the likelihood of said event
Preparedness theory and OCD?
intrusive thoughts (and compulsions) are more likely to be evolutionary relevant (e.g., dirt, danger, etc.) + high arousal in animals tends to produce cleaning, grooming, etc. behaviours, so that may also be why this behaviour is seen
What are the major vulnaribilities present in contemporary learning models?
- Genetics/temperament
- Prior conditioning and social/cultural learning history
What are the major stressors present in contemporary learning models?
- Perceptions of controlability and predictability
- Direct or vicarious conditioning
- Properties of the conditioned stimulus (relevance, temporal, etc.)
What are the major post-conditionings present in contemporary learning models?
- inflation/reevaluation of unconditioned stimulus
- presence of inhibitory CSs for safety or excitatory CSs for summation effects
What affects the quality (fear vs. panic) & intensity of expression of conditioned panic and/or anxiety
- post conditioning factors
- quality/intensity of conditioned association
