the behavioural approach to explaining phobias Flashcards
what is the two step process
the behavioural approach emphasises the role of learning in the acquisition of behaviour
the key behavioural aspects of phobias are: avoidance, endurance and panic
The behavioural approach is geared towards explaining these rather than the cognitive and emotional aspects of phobias
who proposed the two process model
Hobart Mower (1960) proposed the TWO - PROCESS MODEL based on the behavioural approach to phobias are acquired (learned in the first place) by classical conditioning and then continue because of operant conditioning
how are phobias learned
it is learned through classical conditioning
Learning to associate something of which we initially have no fear (called a neutral stimulus) with something that already triggers a fear response (known as an unconditioned stimulus)
what is an example of learning a phobia through classical conditioning
JOHN WATSON and ROSALIE RAYNE (1920) created a phobia in a month old baby called LITTLE ALBERT
what happened to Little Albert
Albert showed no unusual anxiety at the start of the study
When shown a white rat he tried to play with it
However, the experimenters then set out to give Albert a phobia
whenever the rat was presented they made a loud, frightening noise by banging an iron bar close to Alert’s ear
the noise = unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
which created an unconditioned response (UCR) of fear
When rat (neural stimulus) and the unconditioned stimulus are encountered close together multiple times, the NS becomes associated with the UCS and both now produce the fear response
Albert became frightened when he saw the rat
The rat is now a learned/ conditioned (CS) stimulus that produces a conditioned response fear
can what happened to Little Albert be generalised to other situations
This conditioning is generalised to similar objects
They tested Albert by showing him other furry objects e.g. non - white rabbit, fur coat, Watson wearing a Santa Claus beard made up of cotton balls
Little Albert displayed distress at the sight of all of these
how are phobias maintained
responses acquired by classical conditioning usually tend to decline over time
Phobias are long-lasting and last due to operant conditioning
what does operant conditioning do to keep the phobias
takes place when our behaviour is reinforced (rewarded) or punished
Reinforcement tends to increase the frequency of a behaviour
This is true of both negative and positive reinforcement
In the case of negative reinforcement, an individual avoids a situation that is unpleasant
MOWER suggested that whenever we avoid a phobic stimulus we successfully escape the fear and anxiety that we would have suffered if we had remained there
This reduction in fear in fear reinforces the avoidance behaviour and so the phobia is maintained
