the behavioural approach to explaining phobias Flashcards
explain the behavioural approach.
emphasises the role in learning in the acquisition of behaviour. focusses on what behaviour we can see
who proposed the two process model and what did he suggest
Orval Hobart Mowrer (1960)
He suggested that phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and then continue because of operant conditioning
explain how phobias are acquired by classical conditioning
no fear (neutral stimulus)
something that already triggers a fear response (unconditioned stimulus)
explain the research into the two process model
John Watson and Rosaline Rayner (1920)
created a phobia in a 9 month old baby called ‘little Albert’
when starting the study he showed no unusual signs of anxiety.
when shown a white rat he tried to play with it but whenever he was presented with it the researchers made a loud, frightening, banging noise with an iron bar by Alberts ear. (unconditioned stimulus) which creates an unconditioned response)
the rat = neutral stimulus and UCS are encountered close together and in time the NS becomes associates to the UCS and both now produce the fear response
Albert responded with fear when he saw the white rat.
the rat is now a conditioned stimulus that produces a conditioned response
they then used similar objects to test it using other fury things and he showed similar distress to all of these
explain how phobias are maintained by operant conditioning
when our behaviour is reinforced or punished. Reinforcement increases the frequency of a behaviour true for both negative reinforcement or positive reinforcement
negative reinforcement- an individual avoids a situation that is unpleasant. Such behaviour results in a desirable consequence which means the behaviour will be repeated.
evaluate the two process model
real world application (strength)
- used in exposure therapies (systematic desensitisation)
cognitive aspects of phobias (limitation)
- does not account for the cognitive aspects of phobias e.g. irrational beliefs. So the two-process model does not completely explain the symptoms of phobias.
phobias and traumatic experiences (strength)
- evidence for its link between bad experiences and phobias.
- the little albert study illustrates how a frightening experience involving a stimulus can lead to a phobia of that stimulus.
- systematic study Ad De Jongh et al. (2006) found 73% of people with a fear of dental treatment had experienced a traumatic experience, mostly involving dentistry. This can be compared to a control group of people with low dental anxiety where only 21% of people had experienced a traumatic event- conforms the association to a stimulus and unconditioned response leads to a phobia being created.
