Behavioural explanations for phobias

Question 1

What is the two-process model?

Answer 1

Proposed by Mowrer (1947)

States phobias are acquired
(learnt in the first place) by:

classical conditioning (association) + maintained by operant conditioning.

Question 2

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 2

Learn to associate NS with the US which leads to UR (fear).

Produces a CS + CR

Question 3

Give an example of classical conditioning with phobias

Answer 3

Watson and Rayner (1920)

Little Albert = no anxiety at beginning

Made loud noise whenever rat was presented

UCS –> UCR

Rat now conditioned stimulus that produced conditioned response.

• case study

Question 4

What does stimulation generalisation mean?

Answer 4

Response extrapolated to anything that resembles CS.

E.g: Albert displayed all signs of distress with fur coat/ non-white rabbit.

Question 5

How does maintenance by operant conditioning work?

Answer 5

Reinforcement = repetition of behaviour.

Individual avoids unpleasant stimulus ~> reward = relief ~> behaviour repeated due to desirable consequence.

Reduction in fear reinforces avoidance behaviour so phobia = maintained.

Question 6

Strength of explanation
Application to therapy

Answer 6

Real life application

Develop treatments —>

~Systematic desensitisation (unlearn fears through classical conditioning)

~Flooding (prevents people from avoiding their phobias + stops negative reinforcement from taking place)

Avoidance behaviour is prevented.

Successful in treating people with phobias = effectiveness of behaviourist explanation.

Question 7

Weakness for explanation
Biological preparedness

Answer 7

Not complete explanation for phobias.

Bounton (2007) –> Highlights evolutionary factors play role in phobias especially if avoidance of stimulus increase chances of survival

Idea we are predisposed to some phobias = innate not learnt
–> act as survival mechanisms for ancestors

Innate predisposition called biological preparedness (Seligman 1971)

Casts doubt on 2 process model

More to phobias than learning

Question 8

Weakness for explanation
Ignores cognitive factors

Answer 8

Cognitive factors ignored –> can’t be explained by behaviourist frameworks.

Phobias may develop as a consequence of irrational thinking.

Lead to cognitive therapies such as CBT

More successful than behaviourist treatments for social phobias (Engels et al 1993).