Phobias

Question 1

Phobia Behavioural characteristics

Answer 1

Panic

Avoidance

Endurance

Question 2

Phobia Emotional characteristics

Answer 2

Anxiety

Question 3

Phobia Cognitive characteristics

Answer 3

Cognitive distortions

Selective attention

Question 4

Phobia explanations AO1

Answer 4

Two process model (Mowrer 1960)

Phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and maintained by operant conditioning

Watson & Rayner Little Albert study (1920)

Operant conditioning occurs when behaviour is reinforced. Every time a phobic situation is avoided anxiety levels drop. The reduced anxiety rewards us (negative reinforces) the avoidance behaviour. Reinforcement of the behaviour increases the likelihood it will be repeated, so phobic response continues.

Question 5

Summarised phobia explanation AO3

Answer 5

1. Behaviourist therapies used to develop effective drug treatments
2. Two process model ignores evolutionary explanations of phobia developments
3. Does not explain phobias we’ve had no prior negative experiences with
4. Behaviourist explanations may be considered reductionist

Question 6

Phobia explanation AO3 (effective treatments)

Answer 6

P- Behaviourist theories developed effective treatments such as SD and flooding

E- SD helps people unlearn fears using classical conditioning principles. Flooding prevent people from avoiding their phobia and stops the negative reinforcement from taking place

T- These therapies found to be successful in treating people with phobias, benefit society and economic implications…

Question 7

Phobia explanation AO3 (reductionist)

Answer 7

P- Two process model ignores evolutionary explanations of development of phobias

E- Eg Bounton (2007) points out we’ve developed phobias over time to aid survival eg dark. This fear is adaptive. Seligman takes if further and calls it biological preparedness- innate predisposition to acquire certain fears

T- Two process model isn’t a full explanation of phobia acquisition

Question 8

Phobia explanation AO3 (doesn’t explain all phobias)

Answer 8

P- Two process model doesn’t explain phobias that we have not had any prior negative experiences with

E- eg doesn’t explain fear of a snake if we’ve never had previous interactions with a snake. Impossible to condition a great response to a stimulus that’s never been encountered

T- Two process model is not a full explanation of phobia acquisition

Question 9

Phobia explanations AO3 (reductionist)

Answer 9

P- Behaviourist explanations may be considered reductionist

E- sole explanation of development of phobias is environmental experiences but this ignores the role of biological, as well as role of cognitions or thought processes in phobia development

T- means this explanation is not a holistic explanation of why people acquire phobias

Question 10

Systematic desensitisation AO1

Answer 10

Behavioural therapy based on principles of classical conditioning

Based on premise that what has been learned can be unlearned and we cannot be relaxed and afraid at the same time

Come up with a hierarchy of fearful situations, usually starting with relaxation techniques then imagining themself with the feared stimulus etc.

They work their way up the hierarchy until they associate relaxation with the feared stimulus

Question 11

SD AO3 (not always cure)

Answer 11

P- effective in reducing phobic behaviour but is not always a cure

E- some phobias may initially improve then worsen again after a few months

T- this means SD is not always a permanent solution

Question 12

SD AO3 (not always effective)

Answer 12

P- SD is not effective for all phobias

E- patients with phobias not developed through personal experiences eg heights are not effectively treated using SD. Some phobias may have an evolutionary survival benefit and are not the result of personal experience but evolution

T- limitation as it’s not offering a holistic treatment programme for all phobias

Question 13

Flooding AO1

Answer 13

Directly exposed client to the feared stimulus- allows them to see that there is no basis for their fear

Extinction- no longer a conditioned response

Not unethical but an unpleasant experience. Patient must give fully informed consent before. Not appropriate for children or elderly or those with heart conditions

Question 14

Flooding AO3 (cost effective)

Answer 14

P- flooding is cost effective

E- studies found flooding is highly effective and quicker than alternate treatments like SD. sometimes only one session is required to remove phobia

T- therefore flooding has economic implications…

Question 15

Flooding AO3 (traumatic)

Answer 15

P- not unethical but a traumatic experience

E- High dropout rate- perhaps the sessions are too traumatic for patients to continue with

T- limitation as still costs the NHS money even if the patients sometimes don’t turn up

Question 16

SD and flooding AO3

Answer 16

P- a common criticism of both is that when one phobia disappears another one takes its place

E- this is called symptom substitution. Evidence for this is inconclusive though

T- weakness as both treatments may not be a permanent solution or cure