Phobias

Question 1

What is a phobia?

Answer 1

“overwhelming and debilitating fear of a object, place, situation, feeling or animal.” NHS

Question 2

In terms of classical conditioning

Answer 2

pairing and associating of a neutral stimulus with a fear response. E.g. little albert pairing white rat with UCR of loud bang.

Question 3

In terms of operant conditioning

Answer 3

explain the maintenance of phobias like avoidanc3e behaviours. If you stay away from the thing you fear then you feel better (negative reinforcement)

Question 4

In terms of social learning theory

Answer 4

Children learn and copy behaviour from their parents or others. E.g. witnessing mum being afraid of a spider leads to imitation. (ARRM, vicarious reinforcement)

Question 5

Systematic Desensitisation treatment

Answer 5

Based on classical conditioning- trying to create a new association that the phobia is ok. This is accomplished by slowly exposing the patient to similar things and relaxing whilst in their presence. Eventually the learnt relationship will become extinct.

Functional analysis: identify the nature of anxiety and triggers (e.g. spider)
Develop an anxiety hierarchy: create a list of the things most scary in order (e.g. picture, toy, video)
Relaxation training: relax using methods that suit them best
Gradual exposure: work through the hierarchy whilst practicing the relaxation.

Question 6

Flooding treatment

Answer 6

Physically being exposed to the feared object/situation for a prolonged period of time with no means of escape. Eventually the patient will see their phobia as less scary.

Question 7

How does Systematic Desensitisation use classical conditioning?

Answer 7

Based on classical conditioning- trying to create a new association that the phobia is ok. This is accomplished by slowly exposing the patient to similar things and relaxing whilst in their presence. Eventually the learnt relationship will become extinct.

Question 8

How does flooding use classical conditioning?

Answer 8

Based on classical conditioning- trying to create a new association that the phobia is ok. This is accomplished by quickly exposing the patient to similar things and leaving them for long enough for their anxiety to come down. Eventually the learnt relationship will become extinct.

Question 9

+ and - of systematic desensitisation

Answer 9

Can only treat certain disorders. Situations or objects have to be clearly identifiable for the therapy to work so SD would be inappropriate for someone with general anxiety disorder.
More effective treating evolutionary/ survival phobias.
SD successful treatment method: studies have found that 75% people respond to therapy.
Quick and effective.
Low ethics in comparison to Flooding.

Question 10

+ and - of flooding

Answer 10

Much faster than other therapy methods.
Runs the risk of strengthening the fear response if they don’t calm down during exposure.
Social control- is it right for therapists to take control of their patient’s decisions?
Unethical= high stress