The Cognitive Approach to Explaining Depression Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is the Two-Process Model (Mowrer, 1960)?
It states that phobias are acquired through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning.
How is a phobia acquired through classical conditioning?
An unconditioned stimulus (e.g. bite) causes a fear response, and when paired with a neutral stimulus (e.g. dog), the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus that also triggers fear.
What was demonstrated in the Little Albert study (Watson & Rayner, 1920)?
A loud noise (UCS) paired with a white rat (NS) caused fear (UCR), turning the rat into a conditioned stimulus (CS) that produced fear (CR).
What is generalisation in the context of phobias?
Fear can extend to similar objects (e.g., Little Albert’s fear of white furry objects like a Santa Claus beard).
How is a phobia maintained through operant conditioning?
Avoiding the phobic stimulus reduces anxiety, which reinforces the behaviour through negative reinforcement.
What is an example of negative reinforcement in phobias?
A person avoiding clowns reduces fear, maintaining the phobia.
Strength: How does the Two-Process Model have real-world application?
Evidence: Exposure therapy (e.g. systematic desensitisation or flooding) breaks the avoidance pattern.
Reducing avoidance helps reduce anxiety.
Limitation: Why is the Two-Process Model considered incomplete?
Evidence: Irrational phobic beliefs can’t be explained by conditioning alone.
Cognitive explanations (e.g., Beck’s schemas) may better explain phobias.
Strength: What evidence supports phobia formation from bad experiences?
Evidence: De Jongh et al. (2006) found 73% of those with dental phobia had traumatic experiences.
Supports classical conditioning.
Limitation: Why can’t all phobias be explained by trauma?
Evidence: Some snake phobias occur without personal experience.
Suggests biological preparedness—an evolutionary predisposition.
