psychopathology - behavioural approach to explaining phobias Flashcards
explaining phobias - AO1
intro
- behavioural approach suggests phobias are a learned behaviour
- Mowrer suggests they are initially learned through classical conditioning
- maintained through operant conditioning
- known as two-process model
explaining phobias - AO1
classical conditioning
- involves learning to associate something we initially have no fear of (neutral stimulus)
- with something that already activates feared response (unconditioned stimulus)
- response triggered every time we see/think about feared object
little Albert - AO1
- initially not feared of rats
- every time rat was presented to him
- Watson and Raynor made a loud bang with iron rod
- initially rat = neutral simtulus
- noise = unconditioned stimulus
- response of fear = unconditioned response
- when rat and noise presented together
- LA learned to associate neutral stimuli and unconditioned stimuli
- rat became conditioned stimuli
- conditioned response of fear in LA
operant conditioning - AO1
- phobias tend to decline over time
- Mowrer suggests they maintained through operant conditioning
- they are being negatively reinforced by continuing to avoid phobia
- avoiding phobia reduces anxiety felt
- explains why phobias are long lasting through continued avoidance
Criticism - AO3
environmental reductionism
P - can be criticised for environmental reductionism
- complex human behaviour reduced down to simple basic units
- stimuli, response and associations between neutral stimulus and unconditioned stimulus
- maintaining phobias through reinforcements
E - neglects holistic approach which takes into account culture and social context
- e.g. phobia Taijin Kyofunso = extreme fear of displeasing others
- relative to Japan = collectivist culture
- less likely to occur in individualistic cultures
L - lowers internal validity
- does not allow us to understand behaviour in context
Criticism - AO3
environmental reductionism
P - can be criticised for environmental reductionism
- complex human behaviour reduced down to simple basic units
- stimuli, response and associations between neutral stimulus and unconditioned stimulus
- maintaining phobias through reinforcements
E - neglects holistic approach which takes into account culture and social context
- e.g. phobia Taijin Kyofunso = extreme fear of displeasing others
- relative to Japan = collectivist culture
- less likely to occur in individualistic cultures
L - lowers internal validity
- does not allow us to understand behaviour in context
Strength - AO3
practical application
P - practical applications
- systematic desensitisation treatment
- phobias learnt through C.C so can be unlearnt through C.C
E - SD involves teaching patients relaxation techniques
- learn to associate phobia with relaxation instead of fear
E - THINK FURTHER
- this approach suggests phobias maintained through O.C
- phobia extinguished so no longer being reinforced
- avoidance behaviour prevented
L - used in todays world
- important part of applied psych
Research to support - AO3
Ad De Jongh
P - research to support by Ad De Jongh
E - found that people with dental anxiety
- 73% had experienced traumatic experience
- compared to control group of people with low dental anxiety
- only 21% experienced traumatic event
E - supports that phobias developed through associations between stimuli
- stimuli = dentistry
- unconditioned response = fear
L - supports two process model
- phobias developed through stimuli, response and associations
Research to support - AO3
Ad De Jongh
P - research to support by Ad De Jongh
E - found that people with dental anxiety
- 73% had experienced traumatic experience
- compared to control group of people with low dental anxiety
- only 21% experienced traumatic event
E - supports that phobias developed through associations between stimuli
- stimuli = dentistry
- unconditioned response = fear
L - supports two process model
- phobias developed through stimuli, response and associations
Counter argument - AO3
Ad De Jongh
- however not all bad experiences lead to phobias
- low dental anxiety 21% people experienced traumatic event
- did not develop phobias
- people with snake phobias ever encountered snake before
- suggest other explanations should be considered
Alternative explanation - AO3
evolutionary explanation
P - alternative explanation
- evolutionary explanation
E - suggests we are born with certain phobias
- stimuli may have been seen as dangerous in past
- passed down generations
E - explains snake phobias
- even if person has never encountered snake before
- seen as dangerous in past
L - limits behavioural explanation
- it is not the sole explanation
