P - Phobias and the behavioral approach

Question 1

Behavioral approach to explaining phobias and its evaluation

Answer 1

Two-process model
- Firstly the phobia is learnt through classical conditioning which involves learning through association. It is typically caused by a negative experience for example if a person is bitten by a dog, they may associate all dogs with fear and pain
- Secondly, the phobia is maintained by operant conditioning, this is typically through negative reinforcement. By avoiding the dog, the person reduces their distress and discomfort, removing the unpleasant feeling of fear which makes them more likely to avoid dogs in the future
- However, this does not explain all phobias as some phobias are developed without an encounter. Many people have a phobia of snakes despite never seeing one

Question 2

Behavioral approach to treating phobias

Answer 2

• Systematic desensitization; designed to reduce phobic anxiety by gradual exposure to phobic stimulus; this is counterconditioning, the phobic stimulus is paired with a relaxing stimulus until it triggers relaxation not anxiety. The relaxation stimulus is typically relaxation techniques taught by a therapist
• Flooding; designed to reduce phobic anxiety in one session through immediate exposure to phobic stimulus, relies on the fact that it is physically impossible to maintain a state of heightened anxiety for a long period of time; Occurs in a secure environment which the patient cannot escape so they cannot practice avoidance behavior, eventually the patient will learn that the phobic stimulus is harmless. No relaxation technique taught. More cost and time effective.

Question 3

Evaluation of the behavioral approaches to treating phobias

Answer 3

Flooding:
- Patient will need to be prepared to feel very frightened with high anxiety levels which deters people from trying technique as it can be traumatic
- Patient must be able to give consent; children with a phobia cannot participate
- Could potentially reinforce avoidance although this is unlikely as therapist would use a non-threatening version of stimulus

Both:
- Less effective for phobias of evolutionary origins, such as a fear of heights because these phobias are not learned through personal experience and may not respond to conditioning-based treatments
- Less effective for complex phobias such as social phobias as the phobia may not be resolved by exposure alone and often need cognitive therapy