Psypath: behavioral expl. of phobias AO1 + AO3 Flashcards
What is the behavioural approach?
behaviours learned through interaction w/environment through conditioning
Is a response to environmental stimuli
What is classical conditioning?
Learning through association
famous research associated w/ classical conditioning?
Pavlov’s dogs:
- presented w/ food (unconditioned stimulus), the dogs salivated (unconditioned response), Pavlov rung a bell (neutral stimulus)
- repeated when food was presented, bell became a conditioned stimulus.
- When the bell was rung w/out food present, the dogs salivated (conditioned response)- anticipated food
What is operant conditioning?
Learning through consequences
famous research w/ operant conditioning?
Skinner box:
- Pos. reinforcement: rewarded behaviour is reinforced (repeated)- rats rewarded when they performed the right task- given a treat
- Neg. reinforcement: behaviour that avoids unpleasant stimuli repeated (e.g. shock) is reinforced- rats given electric shock if did the wrong thing
- Punishment: behaviour resulting in unpleasant outcome (shock) not repeated
Mowrer’s (1960) two process model?
Phobias acquired/initiated through classical conditioning
Maintained/continued through operant conditioning
How are phobias initiated?
Acquired through learning an association- e.g. CC can explain why someone develops fear of dogs after being bitten
- Being bitten (UCS) creates fear (UCR), when dog (NS) is associated w/ being bitten, dog (now CS) produces a fear response (now CR) on its own
How are phobias maintained?
Explained through OC.
- OC takes place when behaviour is reinforced e.g. likelihood of behaviour repeated increased if outcome is rewarding
- person avoids feared object to reduce anxiety-> rewarding- e.g. of negative reinforcement: person avoids situation to escape from an unpleasant stimulus
- behaviour results in a desirable consequence- behaviour will be repeated
strength behavioral appr. -> supportive empirical case study evidence
E- Watson + Rayner used CC to create phobias in infant (Little Albert)- initiated a phobia of white rat (associated w/loud noise-UCS-) which was generalised to other white/furry items
E-supports CC expl.- Albert had no fears pre exp., exposing him to UCS + NS developed fears
L-evidence increases theory validity that phobias not learned/innate
strength 2 process model -> evidence link w/ bad experiences + phobias
E- De Jongh (2006) found 73% of dental phobics experienced trauma (mostly involving dentistry)
E- more support from the control group of ppl w/low dental anxiety: only 21% experienced a traumatic event
L- supports proposal association w/stimulus (dentistry) and an UCR (pain) can lead to a phobia
strength 2 process model -> irl application in exposure therapies (e.g. SD)
e-when avoidance behaviour is prevented, no longer reinfoced by reduction of anxiety
e-so avoidance behaviour declines- in behavioral terms, phobia is avoidance, so when avoidance=prevented, phobia=cured
limitation behavioral appr.-> not complete expl. of phobias
E- Bouton (2007)- evolutionary factors might play role in phobias, esp. if effects of particular stimuli (e.g. snakes) could caused pain/death to ancestors.
So, evolutionary psychologists say some phobias (e.g. snakes/heights) aren’t learnt, are innate, these phobias were survival mechanisms for ancestors
E- predisposition to some phobias = biological preparedness (Seligman 1971), + casts doubt on the 2 process model: suggests more to phobias than learning
L- while behavioral expl. of phobias may explain development of some phobias, doesn’t explain innate/unlearned ones
limitation behavioural expl-> ignores role of cognition (thinking)
E- cognitivists say phobias develop as result of irrational thinking, not just learning e.g. claustrophobics may think they’ll be trapped + suffocate in a lift- irrational thought considered in behaviourist explanation.
E- cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)- treatment for phobias- said to be more successful treatment than behaviorist treatments- could indicate the cognitive component of developing phobias = more important than S-R link.
L- challenges validity of the behavioral explanation + suggests the cognitive explanation of phobias may be more appropriate
behaviorism
Behaviours are learned through environmental interaction + conditioning to stimuli
CC
learning via association
