The behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias Flashcards
What are the two types of conditioning?
- Classical
- Operant
Describe the procedure of the experiment with Little Albert
- Not afraid of the white lab rat
- Experimenters made a loud noise each time he saw the rat
- Caused him to be afraid
- Scared of the rat (association)
LITTLE ALBERT; Name the: US, UR, NS, CS, CR
- US Loud noise
- UR Fear/crying
- NS White rat
- CS White rat
- CR Fear
What does operant conditioning explain?
How the phobia is maintained
What does classical conditioning explain?
It explains how the phobia develops
Explain how operant conditioning can be applied to an individual with a phobia (4)
- Afraid of an object/situation
- Avoid it
- Anxiety drops
- (Negatively) Reinforces the avoidance behaviour
What are the behavioural treatments for phobias based on?
Classical and operant conditioning
What is systematic desensitisation?
A behavioural treatment of an individual with a phobia involving gradual exposure and counterconditioning
What is a hierarchy (of fear)?
- A list of situations that causes the patient to be afraid
- Ranked from least to most fearful
What is in vivo?
Real life; exposed to in real life
What is in vitro?
Virtual; Imagining
What is reciprocal inhibition?
Feeling of anxiety is inhibited by the feeling of being relaxed
What is counterconditioning and how does it apply to phobias?
When the new, learned response (RELAXATION) is counter to the original response (FEAR AND ANXIETY)
Give an example of a hierarchy of fear for an individual with a fear of an object or thing (e.g. spiders/feathers) (4)
- Visualising
- Watching one in a safe environment
- Being in the same room
- Handling one
Finish PEE: ‘A weakness of SD is that therapy isn’t always an appropriate method of treatment’
E= Fear of zombies, they’re not real
E=Can only use the less effective in vitro therapy
What are inherited adaptive fears?
Fears that aren’t learned and are evolutionary
Finish PEE: ‘A limitation of SD is that therapy isn’t always successful’
E= So afraid, can't face their fear E= Other, more appropriate methods e.g. drug treatment
Which of the behavioural characterstics, that an individual with a phobia would show, are prevented by flooding?
Avoidance behaviour
What type of conditioning does flooding use?
Classical conditioning
Finish PEE: ‘Flooding is a more effective method than SD’
E= If the indiv. can complete the session E= More effective and quicker than SD for people with little time
Finish PEE: ‘A limitation of flooding is that it is not always an appropriate method’
E= Too traumatic to consider, may withdraw
E=Not successful, more damaging
What is a strength of both SD and flooding? (not mentioned on any other cards)
P= Fast, less effort (than CBT) E= CBT requires insight E= Good for indiv. w/out insight into thoughts (young children)
What is a weakness of both SD and flooding? (not mentioned on any other cards)
P=Could do more damage than good
E= Withdrawal could reinforce the phobia
E= Makes it unsucessful, aim of therapy is to reduce anxiety
