Behavioural Approach To Explaning And Treating Phobias

Question 1

How are phobias explained?

Answer 1

The Two-Process Model.

Question 2

What does the Two-Process Model consist of?

Answer 2

CC and OC.

Question 3

How are phobias acquired and maintained according to Mowrer (1947)?

Answer 3

Phobias are acquired through CC [learning through association].
This is through traumatic events (e.g. getting bitten by a dog) or social learning (e.g. seeing someone else getting bitten by a dog).

Phobias are maintained through OC [learning through consequences].
This is by avoiding the feared object/situation (negative reinforcer).

Question 4

How does classical conditioning work in phobias?

Answer 4

A fear response is associated with a neutral stimulus, which becomes a conditioned stimulus (e.g. Little Albert).

Question 5

How does operant conditioning work in phobias?

Answer 5

Behaviour is reinforced or punished to increase the frequency of a behaviour.

Question 6

What did DiNardo (1988) discover about phobias?

Answer 6

DiNardo (1988) found that as many people without dog phobias as those with dog phobias reported negative experiences with dogs.

Question 7

What are strengths of the two-process model?

Answer 7

-Real-world application, using two distinctive elements to explain how phobias are both created and maintained.
-‘Little Albert’ study supports the two-process model as they showed how a frightening experience can be conditioned.

Question 8

What are weaknesses of the two-process model?

Answer 8

-Some phobias have an evolutionary aspect or a genetic vulnerability (predisposition).
-Many people with phobias can’t identify trauma (DiNardo).

Question 9

What is used to treat phobias?

Answer 9

-Systematic desensitisation.
-Flooding.

Question 10

What is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 10

A behavioural therapy that extinguishes an undesirable behaviour (fear) with a more desirable behaviour (relaxation).

Question 11

How many stages does systematic desensitisation consist of?

Answer 11

Three.

Question 12

What are the three stages of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 12

1. Relaxation techniques.
2. Negotiation.
3. Gradual exposure.

Question 13

What is stage 1 of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 13

Relaxation techniques.
-Breathing techniques and muscle relaxation.
-The aim is to replace fear response with relaxation.

Question 14

What is stage 2 of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 14

Negotiation.
-Client makes a ‘fear hierarchy’ from the least feared situation to the most feared situation.

Question 15

What is stage 3 of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 15

Gradual exposure.
-The client works their way through the fear hierarchy.
-At each stage, they perform the relaxation techniques they have previously learnt.
-Once they feel comfortable at each level, they move onto the next stage.
-If there is too much distress at any stage, they move down to the previous stage.

Question 16

What was the aim of the study of Gilroy (2003)?

Answer 16

To test the effectiveness of SD on arachnophobia.

Question 17

What was the method of the study of Gilroy (2003)?

Answer 17

Spider questionnaire about responses to a spider (42 SD, 42 no exposure).

Question 18

What were the results of the study of Gilroy (2003)?

Answer 18

Reviewed 3 months and 33 months after treatment, SD group were less fearful than the no exposure group.

Question 19

What is flooding?

Answer 19

A therapy of unavoidable exposure, introducing one to phobias in an immediate and unavoidable manner.

Question 20

What makes flooding impactful?

Answer 20

Patients are prevented from avoiding the situation, so anxiety levels peak until it can’t sustain (therefore, the fear response is no longer produced).

Question 21

What was the aim of the study of Keane et al (1989)?

Answer 21

To test the effectiveness of flooding therapy on PTSD sufferers.

Question 22

What was the method of the study of Keane et al (1989)?

Answer 22

Vietnam veterans received 14-16 sessions of flooding therapy (24 therapy, 24 control).

Question 23

What were the results of the study of Keane et al (1989)?

Answer 23

The therapy group were recorded having less PTSD symptoms (tested before, after and 6 months after).

Question 24

What is Vivo?

Answer 24

‘In life’.
Physically being exposed to an object.

Question 25

What is Vitro?

Answer 25

‘In glass’.
Imagining the phobia.

Question 26

What are strengths of systematic desensitisation (SD)?

Answer 26

-It is quick and requires less effort than psychotherapy.
-Successful for a range of phobias, and specific phobias (e.g. Gilroy- 2003).

Question 27

What are weaknesses of system desensitisation (SD)?

Answer 27

-SD is only suitable for patients that are able to learn relaxation techniques, and utilise vitro effectively.
-SD is ineffective in treating evolutionary phobias. Patients with phobias which have not developed through experience (CC) (e.g. a fear of heights) aren’t effectively treated using systematic desensitisation.

Question 28

What are strengths of flooding?

Answer 28

-It is cost effective; compared to cognitive therapies, it is more effective and quicker.
-Flooding produces comparatively similar results to SD, but in a shorter timeframe.

Question 29

What are weaknesses of flooding?

Answer 29

-There are ethical considerations, such as psychological distress, although it is short term.
-It isn’t suitable for patients with bad physical health (e.g. Wolpe (1969) reported the case of a client whose anxiety intensified to the point of hospitalisation).
-Less effective for some types of phobias (e.g. social phobias).