The Behavioural Approach to explaining Phobias (Psychopathology)

Question 1

What did Mowrer suggest?

Answer 1

There is a two process model of explaining phobias. Phobias are learned through classical conditioning and maintained by operant conditioning

Question 2

Who were Watson and Rayner?

Answer 2

Psychologists who used classical conditioning to instil a phobia into Little Albert

Question 3

Who was Little Albert?

Answer 3

An 11 month old baby who learned a fear of rats from Watson and Rayner

Question 4

How did Watson and Rayner make Little Albert learn a phobia of rats?

Answer 4

Watson struck a metal bar with a hammer behind Albert’s back, making a loud noise which upset Albert. After pairing these loud noises with rats, Albert became distressed when presented with a rat with no noise

Question 5

How does operant conditioning maintain a phobia?

Answer 5

• When a person avoids the phobic situation, the reduction in anxiety is rewarding which is negative reinforcement (removal of something unpleasant)
• This behaviour is positive reinforcement for them as it is seen as a reward so they are more likely to repeat the avoidance

Question 6

What is biological programming?

Answer 6

The idea that we may be biologically programmed to react anxiously to things that might be dangerous

Question 7

What are some advantages of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias?

Answer 7

+ DiNardo (1988) found that 60% of people with a fear of dogs had a frightening experience earlier in their life
+ Explains why people must be exposed to their fear to be rid of it. Once you stop avoiding it, you have no more reinforced behaviour

Question 8

What are some disadvantages of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias?

Answer 8

• An association between two events does not always result in a phobia. A control group in the DiNardo study without a dog phobia still had a frightening experience with a dog earlier on in life
• Can not explain all phobias e.g. how does someone learn agoraphobia