Psychopathology : Behavioural Approach to Phobias (explaining)

Question 1

Whats the behavioural approach?

Answer 1

a theory of learning which states all behaviours are learnt through interaction with the environment through conditioning (response to environmental stimuli)

Question 2

Advs of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Answer 2

supportive evidence: Watson & Rayner (1920) used classical conditioning to create a phobia in Little Albert.

Question 3

Disadvs of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Answer 3

• doesn’t offer a complete explanation of phobias → Bourton (2007) highlights evolutionary factors could play a role in phobias (it effects of stimulus caused pain or death)
Seligman (1971) put forward biological preparedness and casts doubt on the two process model
• ignores the role of cognition → cognitivists argue phobias develop due to irrational thinking and Cognitive benaviours therapy (CBT), a treatment for phobias, is suggested to be more successful, suggesting cognition is as imporant.

Question 4

Whats classical conditioning?

Answer 4

Learning through association → e.g. Pavlov’s Dogs, Watson’s Little Albert

Question 5

Whats UCS?

Answer 5

Unconditioned stimulus (stimulus with no trained response)

Question 6

Whats UCR?

Answer 6

Unconditioned response (untrained response)

Question 7

Whats NS?

Answer 7

Neutral stimulus (no link)

Question 8

Whats CS?

Answer 8

Conditioned stimulus (now paired with UCS)

Question 9

Whats CR?

Answer 9

Conditioned response (trained response)

Question 10

Whats operant conditioning?

Answer 10

Learning through consequences

Question 11

Whats positive reinforcement?

Answer 11

When behaviour is repeated, its rewarded (something positive is gained)

Question 12

Whats negative reinforcement?

Answer 12

When behaviour is repeated, something negative is removed (nothing positive is gained, only negative lost)

Question 13

Whats punishment?

Answer 13

When an unwanted behaviour is repeated, its punished (something negative is gained)

Question 14

Mowrer’s (1960) two-process model

Answer 14

• Phobias are acquired initiated through classical conditioning (learning by association)
• Phobias are maintained/ continued through operant conditioning (learning by reinforcement)

Question 15

Advs of Mowrer’s two-process model

Answer 15

• there’s a link between bad experiments and phobias → De Jongh (2006) found 73% of dental phobias had experienced trauma involving dentistry. People with low anxiety, only 21% had experienced trauma
• has good real world application in exposure therapies → avoidance behaviour is prevented it ceases to be reinforced by the reduction of anxiety, avoidance behaviour therefore declines (the phobia is avoidance, so when avoidance is prevented, the phobia is cured).

Question 16

Watson’s Little Albert study (1920)

Answer 16

Little Albert was conditioned to associate a white rat with fear. This phobia was then generalised to other other white objects.
UCS : loud noise
UCR : fear
NS : white rat
CS : white rat
CR : fear