The behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Question 1

What is the behavioural approach to explaining phobias based around?

Answer 1

Mowrer’s two process model. Initiation and maintenance of phobias through conditioning.

Question 2

How are phobias initiated?

Answer 2

Classical conditioning.

Question 3

What evidence is there for classical conditioning of phobias?

Answer 3

Watson and Little Albert.
White rat (NS) - no response
Loud noise (UCS) - fear response (UCR)
Loud noise + white rat (UCS + NS) - fear response (UCR)
White rat (CS) - fear response (CR)

Question 4

What else did John Watson find in his Little Albert study?

Answer 4

Phobia generalised to similar objects/situations. Non-white rabbits, santas beard etc.

Question 5

How are phobias maintained?

Answer 5

Operant conditioning.

Question 6

Describe how operant conditioning maintains phobias.

Answer 6

Avoidance of phobia reduces fear. Increases likelihood of repeating avoidance behaviour. Negative reinforcement.

Question 7

(AO3) Explain how social learning can also lead to phobias.

Answer 7

Phobias acquired by observing a model demonstrating phobic behaviours. E.g. child watching parent panic due to spider. Supported by Bandura: participants displayed fear response to buzzer after it had been modelled as causing pain.

Question 8

(AO3) Why is the behaviourist approach an incomplete explanation?

Answer 8

Fearful experiences do not always lead to phobias. E.g. research shown dog bites do not always lead to phobias. Diathesis-stress model. Genetic vulnerability may be important. Dog bite only = phobia when genetically vulnerable.

Question 9

(AO3) Explain how the nature-nurture debate applies to this approach.

Answer 9

Behaviourism = nurture only. Biological preparedness may be important factor (nature). Genetic programming to learn association between particularly life-threatening stimuli and fear. More vulnerable genetically to specific stimuli. Explains why spiders more common phobia than toasters. Behaviourism ignores certain influences.

Question 10

(AO3) What is the main strength of the behaviourist approach to explaining phobias?

Answer 10

Leads to treatment: systematic desensitisation and flooding. Use counterconditioning to teach new association. Effectiveness around 75% = successful. Suggests explanation is mostly correct.