Phobias

Question 1

How does classical conditioning lead to the acquisition of a phobia?

Answer 1

Involves learning to associate one stimulus (NS) with another stimulus (UCS).

Through association the NS becomes the CS, producing the CR of fear.

UCS examples:
-loud noises
-painful bites and scratches

Secondary conditioning can occur so the phobia could extend to other situations/objects

Question 2

How does classical conditioning lead to the maintenance of a phobia?

Answer 2

The phobia may be maintained if the UCS is repeatedly paired with the NS.

The phobia may not become extinct if the person avoids the phobic object, as they do not learn to associate relaxation with the phobic object.

If the person see the phobic object and nothing bad happens the eventually the phobia will become extinct.

Question 3

How does operant conditioning lead to the aquisition of a phobia?

Answer 3

A person may experience an object or situation that has negative consequences.

When they next meet that object/situation, they may take steps to avoid the negative consequences.

This means they start to learn to avoid the object to avoid the negative consequences.

This may be reinforced through attention when they show anxiety.

Question 4

How does operant conditioning lead to the maintenance of a phobia?

Answer 4

Overtime, if a person receives the negative consequences every time they encounter the object/situation then this will maintain the phobia, this is positive punishment.

They may completely avoid the object/situation in the future. This is negative reinforcement, so it maintains the phobia.

Question 5

How does social learning theory lead to the acquisition of a phobia?

Answer 5

An individual observes a role model displaying a fear response to an object.

They retain information about how the role model responded and information about the stimulus they were sacred of.

When they encounter the stimulus themselves, they will imitate the fear response shown by the role model.

They may be vicariously reinforced if they see the model being shown attention.

Question 6

How does social learning theory lead to the maintenance of a phobia?

Answer 6

If the individual receives attention when they imitate the fear response, then this provides motivation to continue to show that response in the future.

If the role model is constantly reinforced for showing fear, then this will act as additional motivation to maintain the fear through vicarious reinforcement.

Question 7

Give 2 strengths of classical conditioning leading to phobias

Answer 7

Watson and Rayner - Paired a loud noise (hammer banging metal) with a white rat. After a few pairings, Albert (a baby under 1yr old) became scared of white rats.

Lautch - 34 patients were all scared of dentists, and all had experienced conditioning events and traumatic experiences

Question 8

Give 2 weaknesses of classical conditioning leading to phobias

Answer 8

Phobias acquired in real life are very resistant to extinction, whilst phobias learnt in a lab do become extinct more easily.

Phobias acquired in the lab need several pairings, whilst phobias acquired naturally often only need one pairing.

Question 9

Give 2 strengths of operant conditioning leading to phobias

Answer 9

Allyon - studied an 8 year old with school phobia using a motivation system and having rewards withdrawn at school/home led to the ppts returning to school and continuing even when rewards were withdrawn.

Ollendick - strategies based on operant conditioning are effective in the short term in curing phobias

Question 10

Give 2 weaknesses of operant conditioning leading to phobias

Question 11

Give 2 strengths of Social learning theory leading to phobias

Answer 11

Cook and Mineka - monkeys watched a video of other monkey’s reacting with fear to snakes. When the observer had a chance to get food, they wouldn’t if it involved approaching a snake or a toy snake

A case study found that a boy who witnessed his grandfather vomit whilst dying acquired a phobia of vomiting and as an adult would contemplate suicide when he felt sick and feared he would vomit.

Question 12

Give 2 weaknesses of social learning theory leading to phobias

Question 13

What is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 13

An exposure therapy based on the idea that you can’t be anxious and relaxed at the same time

Based on classical conditioning

Learn to associate the phobic object with the response of relaxation instead (reciprocal inhibition)

Therapist and client agree on a common goal and the treatment then goes through a series of stages to achieve this goal.

Question 14

What are the 4 stages of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 14

1. Functional analysis
2. Developing a hierarchy of fear
3. Relaxation training
4. Gradual Exposure

Question 15

What happens during functional analysis (systematic desensitisation)?

Answer 15

The therapist and client discuss what cause anxiety, the nature of the anxiety and how it presents itself.

Question 16

What happens during Developing a hierarchy of fear (systematic desensitisation)?

Answer 16

The therapist and client create a hierarchy of fear in which they decide the situation that made the client least anxious to the most anxious.

Input of client is important as it needs to have stages they’re willing to do.

Question 17

What happens during relaxation training (systematic desensitisation)?

Answer 17

The client is taught relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or visualising a calm place.

If necessary hypothesis or drugs may be used, but only if no relaxation techniques work.

Question 18

What happens during gradual exposure (systematic desensitisation)?

Answer 18

Client is exposed to lowest level of hierarchy and practices their relaxation techniques. They don’t move on till they are totally relaxed at that level.

Pulse rate or breathing can be measured to ensure calmness.

They work through the stages until they cure their phobia.

It is important that this stage goes at the client’s pace.

Question 19

Give 2 strengths for systematic desensitisation

Answer 19

Capafons found fear of flying was reduced by a programme of systematic desensitisation

It is considered more ethical than treatments such as flooding as it does not distress the client as much, though there is some distress involved. However, the client knows what the treatment involves.

Question 20

Give 2 weaknesses of systematic desensistisation

Answer 20

Research has shown it isn’t effective for generalised phobias such as agoraphobia, but is effective for specific phobias

Psychoanalysts would argue that its treating the behaviour and not the cause of the phobia, so it could return or other mental health issues

Question 21

What is flooding?

Answer 21

Exposure therapy based on classical conditioning

Based on assumption that biologically a person can only experience the fear response for a certain amount of time before it reduces and disappears.

Question 22

Describe the process of flooding

Answer 22

Placing the client in their most feared situation and keeping them in the situation until they have become calm.

The client associates being calm with their phobic situation rather than fear.

They have to be kept in the situation until the process is finished otherwise their phobia would be reinforced.

Client has to go through health checks to ensure that they are healthy enough to cope with the therapy.

Implosion involves the client imagining the most stressful situation rather than actually being in it.

Question 23

Give 2 strengths for flooding

Answer 23

Wolpe - forced an adolescent girl with fear of cars into the back of a car and drove around continuously for 4 hours. Her fear reached hysterical heights but then receded and by the journey had completely disappeared.

Flooding is a lot quicker than other therapies, including SD, as it involves rapid exposure rather than gradual exposure. Less expensive and time consuming.

Question 24

Give 2 weaknesses of flooding

Answer 24

Mott et al - found that using implosion therapy on veterans with PTSD was harmful as focussing on the trauma refreshed it.

Flooding is very stressful for the patient as they experience high anxiety and cannot leave until the anxiety is reduced, no matter how much they say they want to. However, they do consent.