explanations for phobias Flashcards
(14 cards)
what is classical conditioning?
associating a response with a neutral stimulus
what is the little Albert study?
He has no fear of rats (ns), loud bang (ucs) introduced alongside rat causing fear (ucr), rat now elicits fear (cr)
what is operant conditioning?
responding to an event due to reward / punishment
what is positive reinforcement?
behaviour leads to a desirable outcome
what is negative reinforcement?
behaviour takes away an undesirable situation
what is punishment in operant conditioning?
behaviours lead to an undesirable outcome.
how does operant conditioning cause phobias?
a fear is established, individuals avoid the fear, avoidance decreases anxiety ( reward ), avoidance is strengthened as an affective behaviour for reward.
who argued the two process model?
Mowrer (1960)
what does the two-model process argue?
that phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and maintained by operant conditioning ( negative reinforcement )
explain a weakness of the two-process model in regards to alternate explanations.
- Seligman (1970) explains that we all have a biological preparedness to rapidly associate life-threatening stimuli + fear which would’ve been an adapted trait to promote survival in our ancestors.
- Dias + Ressler (2013) found that the offspring of mice conditioned to smell cherry blossom while given electric shocks, showed increase sensitivity to the smell (epigenic inheritance)
explain a weakness of the two-process model in explaining phobias based on imitation.
Marin (2020) observed 83 parent-child pairs. mild electric shocks were given to strangers + parents alongside coloured lights which would flashes. adults associated some colours as “safe” and others as “shocks”. children observed the videos and learnt to read the colour of the shocks regardless of whether it was the parent or stranger
explain a weakness for the two-process model as an explanation for phobias regarding the diathesis stress model.
the diathesis stress model explains that some people have a genetic vulnerability to developing disorders which will only be triggered by a stressor
explain a strength of the two-process model in explaining phobias regarding research support + counter
Watson + Rayner (1920) demonstrated classical conditioning on little Albert who was conditioned to fear white rats. HOWEVER it was a case study so lacks generalisability, unethical.
explain a strength of the two-process model in explaining phobias regarding real life application.
it has help the development of therapy ( exposure therapy + systematic desensitisation ) which have helped clients unlearn phobias through counter conditioning or by stopping negative reinforcement
