PP- Behavioural approach to explaining phobias Flashcards
What is the two process model?
1) The phobia is learnt via classical conditioning or social learning.
2) The phobia is maintained by operant conditioning.
- developed by mowrer (1960)
What is classical conditioning?
- learning through association between two different stimuli
- neutral stimulus associated with something that triggers fear (unconditioned stimulus) then becomes phobic object
- An example could be:
1) White rat (neutral stimulus) presented to a person.
2) Loud banging noise (unconditioned stimulus) is presented which makes the person cry or have an emotional response.
3) We then repeatedly pair the two stimuli together many times and present both stimuli together until classical conditioning and learning take place. The person will have an emotional response when they hear the loud noise and see the rat.
4) We can then present the white rat alone (conditioned stimulus) and the person will have an emotional response (conditional response). Learning has taken place via classical conditioning and an association has been established .
How old was Little Albert?
9 Months
How did Watson and Rayner induce a fear response in “Little Albert”? What did they do?
- Initially, Albert was keen to play with the rat.
- Watson and Raynor paired the stimuli (white rat & loud banging noise) together 6 times.
- The loud noise startled Albert and made him cry.
- Eventually, Albert cried every time he saw the rat.
- He also became afraid of other white fluffy objects.
What was the white rat initially? What does it become after?
- The white rat is initially the neutral stimulus but after conditioning it becomes the conditioned stimulus.
- It produces fear as a conditioned response.
stimulus generalisation
The tendency to transfer a response from one stimulus to another that is quite similar.
What does the term “recondition” mean?
To eliminate the fear reaction.
How could “Little Albert” have been reconditioned?
The white rat should’ve been paired with something pleasant instead.
What is operant conditioning?
- learning behaviour/ maintaining behaviour through consequences (in form of negative/ positive reinforcement or punishment)
- reinforcements increases frequency of behaviour. This reduction in fear reinforces avoidance behaviour and so phobia is maintained
- Negative reinforcement: For instance if someone is scared of snakes, they will try to avoid snakes in order to reduce the risk that they will fear.
- Positive reinforcement: By avoiding snakes and not feeling fear, this is rewarding. Therefore the avoidance of snake continues.
What are the strengths of the two process model?
1) real -world application in exposure therapies (such as systematic desensitisation and flooding ) , two process model has value as it identifies means of treating phobias
2) Research support : For example, research by Watson and Rayner who created a phobia in a 9-month old baby called “Little Albert”. At the start of the study Albert showed no unusual anxiety. The experimenters then presented Albert with a white rat, at the same time they made a loud noise by banging iron bars close to Little Albert’s ears. Eventually Albert became frightened of the rat even in the absence of the noise.
- This shows that phobias are acquired through classical conditioning. The rat then become a CS that produced a CR of fear
- Therefore, this adds validity to the two process model as an explanation of phobias.
3) classical conditioning supported by animal studies like Pavlov dog + skinner rat
4) King et al 1998 reviewed case studies and found children acquired phobias by encountering traumatic experiences (bitten by dog)
What are the weaknesses of the two process model?
1) The two process model is limited as it ignores other factors that could cause phobias. The behavioural model focuses on learning and the environment, but would not take into account biological or evolutionary factors that could cause phobias.
- Bounton (2007) points out that evolutionary factors have an important role in phobias too. For example, we easily acquire phobias of things that have been a source of danger in our evolutionary past , such as the fear of snakes as it is adaptive to have these phobias. Despite modern objects like gun and cars being dangerous, it is much rarer to develop a phobia of these.
- Seligman called this biological preparedness - the innate predisposition to acquire fears of objects that were a danger to us in our evolutionary past. This shows that our evolutionary past can be a mediating factor in addition of experiences in developing phobias
- Thus, the model could be seen as invalid as it doesn’t take in account all the factors that could could affect the acquisition of phobias
2) pavlova study uses animals may not be generalisable to humans + unethical as skinner rats kept in harsh conditions + underweight
3) cognitive approach as an alternative can be better explanation as the behavioural is reductionist and do not account for other credible factors such as faulty cognitions. The cognitive approach proposes that the phobias may develop as a result of irrational thinking.
