Psychopathology - Booklet 2 Flashcards
The behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of phobias, The behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias: classical and operant conditioning, systematic desensitisation, flooding
define a phobia
-intense, irrational fears of an object or situation
-the anxiety interferes with normal living and is often disproportionate
describe what a behavioural characteristic is
-how a person acts
describe what an emotional characteristic is
-how a person feels
describe what a cognitive characteristic is
-how a person thinks
name the behavioural characteristics of a phobia
-panic
-endurance (freezing)
-avoidance
name the emotional characteristics of a phobia
-anxiety
-fear (intense + irrational)
name the cognitive characteristics of a phobia
-irrational beliefs
-cognitive distortion- seeing things differently to others
-selective attention
describe the two process model
-we acquire a phobia through classical conditioning (association)
-we maintain a phobia through operant conditioning (negative reinforcement)
describe how classical conditioning leads to the acquisition of a phobia
before conditioning
-object is neutral stimulus
-event causing fear is unconditioned stimulus
-response is fear and is an unconditioned response
during conditioning
-neutral stimulus is paired with unconditioned stimulus
-leading to unconditioned fear response
after conditioning
-neutral stimulus becomes conditioned stimulus
-leading to conditioned fear response
describe how operant conditioning leads to maintenance of a phobia
-the person will avoid the thing they are fearful of (negative reinforcement), causing the fear to grow stronger as they don’t expose themself
-the person may receive positive reinforcement for their fearful response (eg a child getting cuddled for crying) meaning they are more likely to maintain this response
AO3 points for explanations of phobias
-behaviourist explanation does not account for evolutionary fears
-research evidence
-application to therapy
AO3 - limitation - behaviourist explanation of phobias does not account for evolutionary fears
-many have fears of the dark, heights, snakes + spiders
-even though no traumatic experiences with stimulus
-so some phobias could be adaptive and inherited genetically
-so biological preparedness plats a role alongside conditioning in the acquisition of phobias
AO3 - strength - research evidence
-watson + raynor demonstrated role of classical conditioning in little albert experiment where he was conditioned to fear white rats
-so classical conditioning is shown to be involved in acquiring phobias
-as research demonstrated how someone can learn a phobia
AO3 - strength - application to therapy
-behaviourist ideas are used to develop treatments: systematic desensitisation + flooding
-systematic desensitisation = unlearn fears by classical conditioning
-flooding = prevents avoidance (operant conditioning)
-these therapies are successfully used to treat phobias
-so these therapies support the behaviourist explanation
describe flooding
-placing the person in their highest level of fear and preventing avoidance of this situation by encouraging the person to stay in the situation until the fear decreases
-can create a new association between the feared situation/object and a new positive response
-vivo exposure
AO3 points for flooding
-cost effective
-highly traumatic
-not as effective for social phobia/agoraphobia
AO3 - strength - flooding provides a cost effective treatment
-research suggests it is comparable to other treatments eg systematic desensitisation
-however it is quicker
-so patients are treated quicker
-so it is more cost effective for health service providers and patients
AO3 - limitation - flooding is highly traumatic and causes a high level of anxiety
-person is put into highest level of fear causing severe distress/anxiety
-so there may be a high drop out rate
-and it may be considered unethical
-so may be a less valuable treatment option
AO3 - limitation - flooding is not as effective for some phobias such as social phobia and agoraphobia
-it is proven to be more effective for specific phobias of objects such as dogs, balloons etc
-so it may cause unnecessary distress for a less effective end result if used for social phobia/ agoraphobia
-so other treatments such as systematic desensitisation may be better
AO3 - counter for - limitation - flooding is not as effective for some phobias such as social phobia and agoraphobia
-this is a minority of phobias
-there is research evidence for flooding having similar results to systematic desensitisation
describe the method of systematic desensitisation
- create a fear hierarchy with least anxious situation at the bottom and most anxious at the top
- teach the person relaxation techniques so they can relieve anxiety during treatment eg breathing exercises, mindfulness
- gradual exposure working up hierarchy ensuring patient is able to remain calm before moving on to next level
AO3 points for systematic desensitisation
-not as cost effective
-less traumatic
-can be very effective
AO3 - limitation - systematic desensitisation is not as cost effective as other treatments
-longer process as involves gradual exposure and starts with the least feared situation
-so patients aren’t treated as quickly as in other treatments eg flooding
-so less cost effective for health service providers and patients
AO3 - strength - less traumatic than other treatments
-teaches relaxation techniques
-doesn’t encourage moving to a more fearful step until the person is calm at their current step
-so it is less likely that patients will drop out
-less ethical issues involved
-so may be considered a more valuable treatment than flooding
AO3 - strength - systematic desensitisation can be very effective
-barlow et al found success rates between 60-90% for specific types of phobias when patients committed to treatment and stuck to regime
-so it is effective at removing the symptoms of disorder without potentially damaging anti-anxiety drugs (which the biological approach suggests), which can cause side effects eg tiredness
