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Mind Map by Alicja Klak, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Alicja Klak
over 1 year ago
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5.3 Behavioural Approach to explaining Phobias
- Two-Process model
- Behavioural approach emphasises
the role of learning. This approach is
geared towards explaining the
behavioural characterstics.
- Mowrer (1960) proposed the two process model, stating
that phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and
continue due to operant conditioning.
- Behavioural approach emphasises
the role of learning. This approach is
geared towards explaining the
behavioural characterstics.
- Acquisition by classical conditioning
- Classical conditioning involves learning to
associate something of which initially is
unrelated to fear - a neutral stimulus -
with something that triggers a fear
response - unconditioned stimulus.
- Watson and Rayner (1920) 'Little Albert'
- Created a study into phobia in a 9 month old baby called 'Little
Albert'. Albert at the start of the study had no unusual anxiety and
when shown a white rat, would play with it.
- Whenever the rat was presented to Albert, the researchers
would make a loud, scary noise by banging an iron bar close
to Albert's ear. The noise (UCS) created an unconditioned
response of fear, when the rat (neutral stim.) and the UCS
were together, both begin to produce a fear response.
- He then displayed fear when he saw the rat (NS),
making the rat a conditioned stimulus which
produces a conditioned response. This caused him
to generalise similar objects, causing him to be
afraid of other white fluffy things e.g santa's beard.
- He then displayed fear when he saw the rat (NS),
making the rat a conditioned stimulus which
produces a conditioned response. This caused him
to generalise similar objects, causing him to be
afraid of other white fluffy things e.g santa's beard.
- Whenever the rat was presented to Albert, the researchers
would make a loud, scary noise by banging an iron bar close
to Albert's ear. The noise (UCS) created an unconditioned
response of fear, when the rat (neutral stim.) and the UCS
were together, both begin to produce a fear response.
- Created a study into phobia in a 9 month old baby called 'Little
Albert'. Albert at the start of the study had no unusual anxiety and
when shown a white rat, would play with it.
- Classical conditioning involves learning to
associate something of which initially is
unrelated to fear - a neutral stimulus -
with something that triggers a fear
response - unconditioned stimulus.
- Maintenance by operant conditioning
- Responses from CC tend to decline over time, this is not the case with phobias.
Mowrer explained that with operant conditioning, the behaviour is reinforce or
punished.
- This suggests that over time as you avoid the phobic stimulus,
you successfully escape the fear and anxiety which reinforces
avoidance behaviour and maintains phobia.
- This suggests that over time as you avoid the phobic stimulus,
you successfully escape the fear and anxiety which reinforces
avoidance behaviour and maintains phobia.
- Responses from CC tend to decline over time, this is not the case with phobias.
Mowrer explained that with operant conditioning, the behaviour is reinforce or
punished.
- Evaluation
- Strengths:
- Real world application. Distinctive element in the two process
model can explain how phobias are maintained, therefore can
help with reducing this behaviour and curing a phobia.
- Evidence for a link between bad experiences and
phobias, Little Albert study provides evidence which
justifies the two process model explanation for phobias.
- Real world application. Distinctive element in the two process
model can explain how phobias are maintained, therefore can
help with reducing this behaviour and curing a phobia.
- Weaknesses:
- Does not account for cognitive aspects.
We know that phobias are not simply
avoidance responses, the two process
model does not offer an explanation for
all symptoms.
- Not all phobias appear following a bad
experience. Meaning association
between phobias and trauma is not as
strong as shown here.
- Does not account for cognitive aspects.
We know that phobias are not simply
avoidance responses, the two process
model does not offer an explanation for
all symptoms.
- Strengths:
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