Outline and evaluate the behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Question 1

A01 (para 1)

Answer 1

• The two‐process model suggests that phobias are acquired through classical conditioning: learning by association, and are maintained through operant conditioning: negative
  reinforcement
• According to the theory of classical conditioning, humans can learn to fear an object or stimulus, such as a dog, by forming an association between the object
  and something which triggers a fear response, for example being bitten.
• In this example, the dog, which was originally a neutral stimulus, becomes associated with being bitten, which
  is an unconditioned stimulus. This pairing leads to the dog becoming a conditioned stimulus, which when encountered will elicit fear, a condition response.

Question 2

A01 (para 2)

Answer 2

• According to operant conditioning, phobias are negatively reinforced where a behaviour is strengthened, because an unpleasant consequence is removed.
• For example, if a person with a dog phobia sees one whilst out walking, they might avoid it by crossing the road.
• This reduces the person’s anxiety and so negatively reinforces their behaviour, making the person more likely to continue avoiding dogs, thus maintaining their phobia.
• The phobia can also be generalised beyond the current phobia, for example little Albert also developed phobias of cotton buds or santas beard.

Question 3

A03- Strength (Watson & Rayner)

Answer 3

• One strength of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias is that Watson and Rayner demonstrated how classical conditioning if formed through the theory of Little Albert.
• This explains how the idea of classical conditioning is involved within phobias and is the generalisation that occurs the phobic stimuli, showing the behavioural approach is a valid theory.

Question 4

A03- Strength (Application to therapy)

Answer 4

• Another strength of the behavioural approach is its application to therapy. This explains how the systematic desensitisation helps people to unlearn the phobia they have by using classical conditioning.
• It suggests how this therapy has been successful to help treat people with phobias and has been able to show the effectiveness of the behaviourist explanation.

Question 5

A03- Weakness (role of cognition)

Answer 5

• One weakness of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias is that it ignores the role of cognition (thinking).
• For example, someone suffering from claustrophobia may think that ‘i am going to be trapped in the lift and suffocate’ however this is just an irrational thought.
• This suggests that the cognitive approach has led to the development of cognitive behavioural therapy which is more successful than the behaviourist treatments.

Question 6

A03- Weakness (explanation of phobias)

Answer 6

• Another weakness of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias is that it doesn’t provide a complete explanation of phobias.
• For example, Bounton suggests that phobias is apart of the role of evolution and seligman suggests that biological preparedness and it doesn’t talk about the biological genes so this proves that this approach is not effective.