phobias Flashcards
What is a common behavioral response when a person with a phobia is confronted with their feared object or situation?
A common behavioral response is avoidance or an anxiety-based response. The person may actively avoid the feared object or situation, which can disrupt their ability to work or socialize.
What are some physical reactions a person might exhibit when encountering a phobic stimulus?
The individual may freeze or even faint due to the situation or object.
How do emotional characteristics manifest in someone with a phobia?
Emotional characteristics include irrational, persistent, and excessive fear with high levels of anxiety. This may lead to panic attacks when presented with the object or situation.
What are the cognitive characteristics of a person with a phobia?
Cognitive characteristics involve irrational thought processes and resistance to rational perspectives. The individual may recognize that their fear is unreasonable or excessive, distinguishing them from mental disorders like schizophrenia.
How do behaviorists explain the development of phobias?
Behaviorists explain that phobias are learned through the environment via classical and operant conditioning. Behavior is learned through stimulus and response, and maintained through reinforcement, both positive and negative.
How are phobias acquired according to classical conditioning?
Phobias are acquired through classical conditioning by forming an association between a neutral stimulus (NS) and an unconditioned stimulus (UCS). The NS, initially producing no response, becomes associated with the UCS, which produces an unconditioned response (UCR). Eventually, the NS becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS) that elicits a conditioned response (CR), similar to the UCR.
Can you give an example of classical conditioning leading to a phobia?
For example, if a balloon (NS) pops with a loud noise (UCS), causing fear (UCR), the balloon becomes associated with the loud noise. Over time, the balloon (now CS) alone can produce fear (CR).
How are phobias maintained according to operant conditioning?
Phobias are maintained through negative reinforcement. Avoiding the feared stimuli reduces distress and anxiety, which is a rewarding experience. This reinforcement makes the avoidance behavior likely to be repeated.
What does the Little Albert case study demonstrate about phobias?
The Little Albert case study provides support for the two-process model. It shows that a neutral stimulus (a white rat) paired with an unconditioned stimulus (a loud noise) can become a conditioned stimulus that elicits fear. This supports the idea that phobias can be acquired through classical conditioning.
What is a limitation of using case studies like Little Albert’s to generalize about phobias?
Case studies are based on unique individual experiences, which can limit their generalizability to the wider population. This can weaken the explanation of phobias based solely on such evidence.
How has the behaviorist explanation of phobias been applied in treatment, and how does this support behaviourist explanations
The behaviorist explanation has led to treatments like systematic desensitization, which involves gradually exposing the patient to the phobic stimulus while teaching relaxation techniques. This treatment, based on classical conditioning principles, has high success rates and supports the idea that phobias can be learned and unlearned.
What biological factor does the behaviorist approach to phobias ignore?
The behaviorist approach ignores biological factors, such as genetic predisposition. Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event develops a phobia, which suggests that there are biological influences like genetic variations that may increase the likelihood of developing phobias.
What is “biological preparedness” and how does it relate to phobias?
Biological preparedness is the concept that humans are genetically predisposed to learn associations between certain stimuli and danger due to evolutionary history. This suggests that some phobias, like fear of heights or the dark, may be more easily acquired due to these genetic predispositions.
What does the neglect of biological factors mean for the behaviourist approach
As a result, it can be argued that the behaviourist explanation alone cannot account for explaining all aspects of phobias
What factors, other than biology does the behaviourist approach ignore? How does this limit the behaviourist approach?
The behaviorist explanation is considered limited because it ignores cognitive processes. Phobias often involve irrational thoughts and cognitive distortions, such as catastrophizing, which are not accounted for by purely behaviorist principles.
