The Behaviourist Approach to Phobias

Question 1

What is the process for learning phobias through association?

Answer 1

Association –> Classical conditioning –> Acquisition of a phobia

Question 2

What is the process for learning phobias through consequences?

Answer 2

Consequences –> Operant conditioning –> Maintenance of a phobia

Question 3

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 3

Learning via association. When we pair a stimulus with a response that creates an association between the two. E.g. If a traumatic experience occurs then we become scared of the thing involved

Question 4

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 4

Learning via consequences. Refers to positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement which maintain the phobia. Going near the phobia increases anxiety and subsequently staying away decreases it which maintains the phobia.

Question 5

What is stimulus generalisation?

Answer 5

When anxiety can be generalised to all similar objects/situations

Question 6

What is higher order conditioning?

Answer 6

If a person avoids all phobic objects and associated situations this reduces anxiety through negative reinforcement. Other objects and situations are now associated with the phobic object

Question 7

What is systematic desensitisation (SD)?

Answer 7

The gradual process of counter conditioning a phobia. The aim of the technique is to use the principles of association to replace the anxiety response with a relaxation response to help remove the phobia

Question 8

What are the key features of SD?

Answer 8

• Fear hierarchy
• Relaxation training
• Graduated exposure
• Reciprocal inhibition

Question 9

What is a fear hierarchy?

Answer 9

Together the client and therapist construct a fear hierarchy. This is a list of situations in which the client would feel anxiety, arranged from the least to most anxiety inducing.

Question 10

What is relaxation training?

Answer 10

The client is taught different techniques for relaxing. These would probably include controlling breathing and muscular tension by using progressive muscle relaxation and other techniques

Question 11

What is graduated exposure?

Answer 11

Over the course of 6 to 12 sessions the client is gradually brought back into contact with their phobic object or situation. Starting at the bottom of the fear hierarchy, working upwards. Relaxation training until complete relaxation then it is time for the next level of exposure. This can be done in vivo or in vitro

Question 12

What are the two ways exposure can be done?

Answer 12

• In vivo
• In vitro

Question 13

What is in vivo exposure?

Answer 13

The client imagines exposure to the phobic stimulus

Question 14

What is in vitro exposure?

Answer 14

The client is actually exposed to the phobic stimulus

Question 15

What is reciprocal inhibition?

Answer 15

Two opposite emotions (fear and relaxation) cannot exist at the same time. Under very specific relaxation techniques you cannot be anxious so relaxation with the phobia and it is therefore counter-conditioned

Question 16

What is flooding (aka exposure therapy)?

Answer 16

Based on classical conditioning and works in a similar manner to systematic desensitisation but exposure is all at once as opposed to gradual. The aim is to expose the sufferer to the phobic object or situation for an extended period of time in a safe and controlled manner and is largely done through in vivo methods

Question 17

What are the key features of flooding?

Answer 17

1. Exposes the sufferer to the phobic object or situation for an extended period of time in a safe and controlled manner
2. Fear is a time limited physical response, the initial strong bodily arousal caused by hormones can only last so long before the body relaxes. The initial anxiety becomes exhausted and extinct
3. Prolonged intense exposure eventually creates a new association with the feared stimulus and a calm response prevents escape or avoidance