The behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Question 1

define the behavioural approach

Answer 1

a way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning
mowrer (1960) proposed the two-process model based on the behavioural approach to phobias

Question 2

define the two-process model

Answer 2

an explanation for the onset and persistence of disorders that create anxiety
the two processes are classical conditioning for onset and operant conditioning for persistence

Question 3

explain how phobias are acquired by classical conditioning

Answer 3

CC involves learning to associate something of which we initially have no fear (NS) with something that triggers a fear response (UCS)

Question 4

describe watson and rayner’s (1920) little albert study

Answer 4

CC a phobia into a 9-month-old baby ‘little albert’
albert showed no unusual anxiety at the start of the study, when shown a white rat (NS) he interacted with it
the experimenters then made a loud, frightening noise (UCS) whenever albert was presented with the rat, creating fear (UCR)
then, when the rat (NS) and the UCS are encountered close together the NS becomes associated with the UCS and both now produce the fear response
the rat is now a CS that produces a CR
this conditioning generalised to similar objects that were white and fluffy, albert displayed distress at the sight of these

Question 5

explain how phobias are maintained by operant conditioning

Answer 5

phobias are often long lasting, as a result of operant conditioning
OC takes place when our behaviour is reinforced or punished
reinforcement (both positive and negative) tends to increase the frequency of a behaviour
in the case of negative reinforcement, an individual avoids a situation that is unpleasant, leading to a desirable consequence and the repetition of the behaviour
mowrer suggested that whenever we avoid a phobic stimulus we successfully escape the fear and anxiety that we would have experienced, maintaining the phobia

Question 6

describe the real-word application of the two-process model (STRENGTH)

Answer 6

practical application in exposure therapies (systematic desensitisation)
explains why people with phobias benefit from being exposed to the phobic stimulus (avoidance maintains phobia)
when avoidance is prevented the phobia is cured
therefore, the behaviourist approach identifies a means of treating phobias

Question 7

how does the two-process model not account for the cognitive aspects of phobias (LIMITATION)

Answer 7

geared towards explaining behaviour, key behaviour is the avoidance of the phobic stimulus
however, phobias have a significant cognitive component
e.g., irrational beliefs about the phobic stimulus
therefore, the two-process model does not completely explain the symptoms of phobias

Question 8

describe the evidence for a link between phobias and traumatic experiences (STRENGTH)

Answer 8

the little albert studies illustrates how a frightening experience involving a stimulus can lead to a phobia of that stimulus
jongh et al. (2006) found that 73% of people with a fear of dental treatment had a traumatic experience involving dentistry, compared with control group
therefore, the association between a stimulus and an UCR does lead to a phobia

Question 9

why do not all phobias appear following a bad experience (counterpoint)

Answer 9

common phobias such as snake phobias occur in populations where very few people have any experience of snakes let alone traumatic ones
therefore, the association is not as strong as suggested, behavioural theories only provide a partial explanation