Phobias Explanations: Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
What is the Behaviourist Approach to phobias?
The Behaviourist Approach suggests that phobias are learned through association, often following a traumatic event.
What is the Two Process Model in relation to phobias?
The Two Process Model explains phobia development through classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
What role does classical conditioning play in phobia initiation?
Classical conditioning involves learning through association, where a traumatic event leads to the development of a phobia.
What is an example of phobia development through classical conditioning?
A person may develop a fear of dogs after being bitten by one.
In this case, the UCS is being bitten, the NS is the dog, which creates a UCR of fear, leading to the CS (dog) and CR (fear).
What is stimulus generalisation?
When the fear response is generalised to other stimuli.
Example: Little Albert became scared of white rabbits and Santa’s beard due to them having similar features as the white rat.
What is operant conditioning in relation to phobias?
It is the maintenance of a phobia through avoidance behaviors.
Escaping from the phobic stimulus reduces fear, increasing avoidance and maintaining the phobia.
What is negative reinforcement in the context of phobias?
It is the process where taking away an undesirable stimulus (phobia) increases a behavior (avoidance), thus maintaining the phobia.
What is a key strength of exposure therapies for phobias?
Exposure therapies are effective because they prevent avoidance, which leads to a decline in avoidance behavior and helps individuals become less fearful.
What evidence supports the link between phobias and bad experiences?
Sue found that individuals often recall a specific incident when their phobia appeared, such as being bitten by a dog or experiencing a panic attack in a social event.
What did De Jongh et al find regarding dental phobia?
De Jongh et al found that 73% of dental phobics had experienced a traumatic event, compared to only 21% in the control group with low dental anxiety.
What cognitive elements do behaviorists struggle to explain in relation to phobias?
Behaviorists cannot explain how irrational thinking, such as the thought ‘I could become trapped and suffocate’, contributes to the development of phobias.
