Behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Question 1

What is the two process model?

Answer 1

Mowrer proposed that phobias acquired through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning.

Question 2

How does operant conditioning maintain phobias?

Answer 2

Negative reinforcement helps to avoid the situation that is unpleasant, meaning the behaviour will be repeated and so the phobia is maintained.

Question 3

What are the strengths of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias?

Answer 3

It has real life application to therapy

It has scientific evidence through studies like Little Albert

Question 4

What are the weaknesses of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias?

Answer 4

There are other explanations for avoidance behaviour which disprove the two process model which says avoidance reduces anxiety
Incomplete explanation as Seligman said we have biological preparedness so we have evolved to have certain fears
It doesn’t explain phobias that don’t have a trigger
It ignores cognitive aspects of phobias.