Phobias (behvrst app) PSYCHOPATHOLOGY Flashcards
what is a phobia
An irrational fear of an object or situtation
who developed the two process model of phobias, in which year?
Mowrer in 1974
What is the 2 process model of phobias
stage 1: Fear is learned through classical conditioning
stage 2: Fear is maintained by operant conditioning
How does classical conditioning cause a phobia?
Phobic object (neutral stimulus) + Traumatic event (Unconditioned stimulus) = Fear (unconditioned response)
Phobic object (Conditioned stimulus) = Fear (conditioned response)
How does operant conditioning maintain phobias
-when person avoids the phobia/phobic object, they are being negatively reinforced
as thy are avoiding something unpleasant
what does the behaviourist theory argue upon phobias overall
phobias are learned through conditioning
what are the 2 main therapies for phobias
- systematic desensitisation
- Flooding
who developed systematic desensitisation , in what year
Wolpe 1958
principles of systematic desensitisation
(steps on other FC)
-uses principles of classical conditioning
-A new response is learned (counterconditioning)
-gradual process
-step by step
-Works on principle that it is impossible to be afraid and relaxed at same time
One emotion prevents the other (reciprocal Inhibition)
(steps on other FC)
steps of systematic desensitisation
1)Patient is taught how to relax their muscles completely (a relaxed state incompatible with anxiety)
2)Therapist and patient together construct a desensitization hierarchy - a series of imagines scenes, each one causing a little more anxiety than the previous
E.g fear of dogs
low anxiety = Video of a dog
Mid anxiety = Observe a dog from 5m
High anxiety = stroking a dog
3) Once the patient has mastered the step in the hierarchy, they are ready to move on to the next
4) Patient eventually masters the feared situation that caused them to seek help
overall, systematic desensitization is:
the gradual exposure to the phobic object, enabling the patient to deal with it step by step
Flooding - Behavioural therapy A01
-C.C
-new association
-Immediate exposure, not gradual
-e.g: arachnophobia: spider on hand
- avoidance behaviour not possible
-done until exhaustion
-Quickly learn that the phobic object is harmless
-conditioned stimulus (e.g: dog) -> without UCS (getting bitten)-> no response
-Association/phobia -> Extinct
Clinical Cognitive characteristics of Phobias
Irrational thinking,
Resistance of rational arguments,
recognise fear is excessive or unreasonable
Selective attention to phobic stimulus
Clinical Behavioural characteristics of Phobias
Avoidance ,
panic ( freeze or faint,
fight or flight,)
Endurance e.g: extreme fear of flying but sit in plane
Clinical Emotional characteristics of Phobias
marked, persistent, excessive and unreasonable fear, anxiety + panic
