Explanations and treatments for phobias Flashcards
(14 cards)
what is the behavioural approach
a perspective in psychology that explains mental disorders like phobias through learning processes, particularly classical and operant conditioning
what is classical conditioning
a learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response
what is operant conditioning
learning through consequences, behaviour is strengthened if followed by reinforcement and weakened if followed by punishment
what is the two-process model
a behavioural explanation of phobias proposed by Mowrer which suggests phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning
what is social learning theory
learning through observation and imitation of others, especially if the model is rewarded (vicarious reinforcement)
what is biological preparedness
the tendency to acquire certain fears more easily due to evolutionary survival value such as snakes or spiders
what is systematic desensitisation
a behavioural therapy that gradually reduces phobia anxiety through relaxation techniques and exposure to the feared stimulus in a step-by-step manner
what is an anxiety hierarchy
a list of feared situations ranked from least to most anxiety-inducing, used in systematic desensitisation
what are relaxation techniques
methods used to reduce physical symptoms of anxiety such as deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation
what is counterconditioning
replacing the fear response with a relaxation response by associating the phobic stimulus with calm feelings
what is reciprocal inhibition
the idea that two opposite emotions cannot be experienced simultaneously, used in SD to reduce anxiety
what is flooding
a behavioural therapy where the phobic individual is exposed to the most feared stimulus immediately and for a prolonged period without any gradual build up
what is extinction
the process by which the condition response is weakened when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus
what is cognitive behavioural therapy
a therapy that addresses both cognitive distortions and maladaptive behaviours. less common for phobias but relative when cognitive symptoms are involved
