Behavioural approach to explaining phobias

what is the two process model? Mowrer

1. classical conditioning

2. operant conditioning

what is classical conditioning?

• how phobias start

• involves learning to associate smth of which we initially have no fear (neutral stimulus) w smth that already triggers a fear response (unconditioned stimulus)

what is an example of classical conditioning?

• Little Billy playing w spider in toilet

• mum comes + screams at spider

• B frightened at mother screaming, assoc scared feeling w spider

• from then → LB scared everytime sees spider → gets worse as older, eventually diagnosed with arachnophobia

what did Watson and Rayner do?

conditioned "Little Albert" to fear a white rat after repeatedly experiencing a loud noise as the rat was presented

what is operant conditioning?

• how phobias are maintained

• When an individ runs away from/avoids the phobic stim, the fear + anx is reduced

• This is neg reinforcem + strengthens avoidant beh

• When away from phob stim, individ feels happy + relaxed

• This is pos reinforcem + strengthens avoidant beh

• Continuing the avoidant beh maintains the phobia, just bc they are away from PS doesn’t mean fear has gone from it

what is an example of OC?

• LB sees spider

• feels scared + runs away

• scared feeling goes away (- reinf) and he feels happy again (+ reinf)

• eventually B refuses to go upstairs toilet and will only go down

• his parents need to punish him to prevent him from arachnophobia

what are the strengths of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias?

• + : rs for 2 process model - Jongh et al. dentistry traum experience

• + : supp rs HCOEV - uses sci, obj expts to gain evid

• + : PATRL - led to developm of syst desen

what is a weakness of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias?

• - : 2 process model is limited

what research supports the 2 process model? +

• Jongh et al. found 73% ppl w fear pf dentist had traum exp involv dentistry comp to group of ppl w low dental anx where 21% exp traum event

• T: incr cred of theory, supp id phob can start due to CC

how does the supp rs have HCOEV? +

• approach uses scientific, objective expts to gain evid such as Watson & Reynor

• focus on observable beh means principles can be empirically tested

• means unlikely any extra vari will have infl DV

• T: incr internal valid of rs, c&e can be set

how is the 2 process model limited? -

• not all phob appear after a bad experience

• some appear when there been no contact w PS at all (snake/shark)

• equally, plenty of ppl w traum experience don’t develop phob from it

• TPM cannot expl this but evolutionary + cog appr can

• CA: some1 just thinking a PS (snake) is bad can start a phob

• EA: some phob (snake) exist as they presented danger in our evol past so avoidance would have helped us survive

• T: TPM on own cannot expl how all phob start, needs to be comb w cog/evol appr to give a full expl

how can the 2 process model be PATRL?

• led to developm of SD, successful therapy for phob

• by grad exposing person to PS → new assoc formed → person is praised + reinf for focusing on PS instead of avoiding it

• T: incr val of TPM as treatment based on this have been successful