Psychopathology: behavioural approach to phobias

Question 1

What does the behavioural approach argue about phobias

Answer 1

• argues phobias are learnt -> classical conditioning and operant conditioning.

Question 2

Explain how classical conditioning is involved in phobias
(Watson and Rayner)

Answer 2

• phobias are created when the natural fear response becomes associated with a particular stimulus.
  -> E.g. Watson and Rayner conditioned phobia in Little Albert -> the phobia of white rats was linked to fluffy white objects.

Question 3

What is the 2 process model (Mowrer)

Answer 3

• classical + operant conditioning produce + maintain a phobia.
  1) phobias develop (usually specific phobias) by classical conditioning.
  2) once the phobia is developed, this is maintained through operant conditioning -> anxiety around the phobic stimulus so they avoid it.
  -> prevents anxiety -> acting as negative reinforcement.
• Operant conditioning also explains how social phobias and agoraphobia develop from a specific phobia.
  -> Anxiety/fear of a panic attack in a social situation (or open space etc), so they avoid these situations.

Question 4

explain the strengths of the 2 process model

Answer 4

• Barlow + Durand -> individuals with severe fear of driving, 50% had been involved in a car accident.
  -> through classical conditioning, the road accident (the unconditioned stimulus) turned driving into a conditioned stimulus for those with the phobia.
• Behavioural therapy -> person changes their response to the stimulus.
  -> suggests they treat the CAUSE of the problem.

Question 5

Explain the weaknesses of the 2 process model

Answer 5

• Davey found that only 7% of spider phobics recalled having a traumatic experiences with a spider.
• suggests that there could be other explanations.
  -> e.g. biological factors.

Question 6

Explain the steps in systematic desensitisation

Answer 6

1) uses counter-conditioning so the person learns to associate phobic stimulus with relaxation rather than fear.

2) Client makes a ‘fear hierarchy’ -> list of feared events, from least (e.g. picture of a spider) to most feared (holding a spider).

3) taught relaxation techniques like deep breathing.

4) Client imagines anxiety situations, starting with the least stressful.
-> encouraged to use relaxation techs.

5) this process is repeated until the patient is no longer scared -> repeated until feared event is only linked with relaxation.

6) process is repeated for each stage of ‘fear hierarchy’, until they are calm in the most feared event.

Question 7

What is the process of flooding

Answer 7

1) Exposes client to the phobic stimulus straight away.
-> can be done in real life or with visualisation.
-> E.g. Imagining standing on a skyscraper.

2) The patient is kept in this situation until the anxiety has worn off.
-> realise nothing is bad -> extinguished fear.

Question 8

Evaluate behavioural therapies

Answer 8

(+) effective for specific phobias -> Zinberg found systematic desensitisation was the most effective.
(+) can work very quickly -> Out found that anxiety was reduced in 90% of patients with a specific phobia after just one session.

(-) Ethical issues -> esp flooding -> lots of trauma.
-> if the patient withdraws from therapy before the fear is extinguished -> can end up causing more anxiety than before.
(-) only treats symptoms -> other therapies (e.g. cognitive therapy) try to tackle the cause of it.