Psychopathology L6

Question 1

What is the two-process model?

Answer 1

1. The phobia is initiated through classical conditioning
2. The phobia is maintained through operant conditioning

Question 2

Classical conditioning definition

Answer 2

• It is learning through association
• A stimulus produces the same response as another stimulus because they have been constantly presented at the same time
• This could develop phobias as the stimulus the person is afraid of has been associated with another stimulus in the past

Question 3

What study supports classical conditioning & who carried it out?

Answer 3

Watson & Raynor (1920) gave an infant boy (Little Albert) a phobia of a white rat

Question 4

Describe the Watson & Raynor study where they gave an infant (Little Albert) a phobia of a white rat

Answer 4

• Before the experiment, Albert was keen to play with the rat
• A metal bar was striked behind Albert’s head every time he reached for the rat
• The loud noise startled him & made him cry
• He eventually cried every time he saw the rat
• He also became afraid of other white fluffy objects

Question 5

What is the unconditioned stimulus in Watson & Raynor’s (1920) study (Little Albert and his phobia of a rat)?

Answer 5

• An infant is born with certain reflexes (that they do not have to learn)
• The stimulus of the loud noise from the metal bar is the unconditioned stimulus

Question 6

What is the unconditioned response in Watson & Raynor’s (1920) study (Little Albert and his phobia of a rat)?

Answer 6

The reflex of fear after hearing the loud noise of the metal bar (which is the unconditioned stimulus)

Question 7

What is the neutral stimulus in Watson & Raynor’s (1920) study (Little Albert and his phobia of a rat)?

Answer 7

The white rat before & during conditioning as it doesn’t produce any reflexes yet

Question 8

What is the conditioned stimulus in Watson & Raynor’s (1920) study (Little Albert and his phobia of a rat)?

Answer 8

The white rat after conditioning

Question 9

What is the conditioned response in Watson & Raynor’s (1920) study (Little Albert and his phobia of a rat)?

Answer 9

The fear produced by the white rat after conditioning

Question 10

Operant conditioning definition

Answer 10

It is learning through the consequences of an individual’s behaviour

Question 11

Positive reinforcement definition

Answer 11

The behaviour leads to a reward

Question 12

Negative reinforcement definition

Answer 12

The behaviour stops something unpleasant

Question 13

Punishment definition

Answer 13

The behaviour leads to something unpleasant

Question 14

What is an example of negative reinforcement?

Answer 14

• The avoidance of a phobic object as it reduces fear
• Because it increases behaviour, it is a type of reinforcement
• Because it is removing/escaping from something unpleasant it is an example of NEGATIVE reinforcement

Question 15

What are 2 advantages of the two-process model?

Answer 15

• It does not label people with the stigma of being mentally ill which is good as such labels can be damaging
• Instead, the model is positive, perceiving phobias as incorrect responses that can be corrected
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• King (1998) found that children acquire phobias after having traumatic experiences with the phobic object
• e.g: children who have been bitten by a dog might develop a phobia of dogs
• This supports the idea that phobias are initiated because they are learned through classical conditioning

Question 16

What are 3 disadvantages of the two-process model?

Answer 16

• Many people who have a traumatic experience do not then go onto develop a phobia
• e.g: people in a car accident do not develop a phobia of driving/cars
• Therefore, classical conditioning does not explain how all phobias develop
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• Some people are scared of an object, even if they have not had a negative experience or encountered it before
• e.g: being scared of snakes even though you have never seen one
• One study found that 50% of people who have a phobia of a dog have never had a bad experience with a dog, so learning cannot have been a factor in causing them to develop a phobia
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• This model focuses on learning & the environment but does not take into account biological factors as some people could have a genetic vulnerability to phobias