Explaining + treating phobias

the behaviourist approach

which approach is associated with explaining phobias?

Mowrer

which psychologist proposed the two-process model to explaining phobias?

1. Phobias are learned through classical conditioning and maintained because of operant conditioning.

2. Involves learning to associate something of which we initially have no fear with something that already triggers a response

3. The case of Little Albert

What did the two-process model (Mowrer) say?

1. How are phobias learned and maintained?

2. How is CC linked with explaining phobias?

3. When was this first studied?

1. Responses to phobias formed through CC tend to decline over time - and therefore this is why operant conditioning is important.

2. Negative reinforcement occurs in the maintenance of phobias as when a person suffering from a phobia avoids a situation and therefore their anxiety levels are reduced they will continue to avoid this situation

3. Therefore the phobia is maintained through avoidance behaviour.

What did the two-process model (Mowrer) say?

1. Why is OC important in explaining phobias?

2. How is negative reinforcement important in the maintenance of phobias?

3. Therefore, what concept described how the phobia is maintained?

1. Little Albert showed no level of anxiety towards the rat at the start of the study and initially would go to play with it

2. Whenever the rat was shown to Little Albert the researchers would create a loud bang behind the baby’s head

3. When the rat and bang were both presented at the same time Albert would become scared, till eventually, the rat by itself would be enough for Little Albert to be scared

4. Little Albert then generalised his fear to any white fur e.g. teddy bears/Santa Clause

Little Albert - the first case of examining classical conditioning in relation to phobias

1. What happened initially towards the rat?

2. What did the researchers then do?

3. What happened when the rat and ? were both presented at the same time?

4. How did this impact Little Albert’s life after the study?

1. Loud noise = fear

2. Loud noise + rat = fear

3. Rat = fear

How does classical conditioning show the case of Little Albert?

1. What was the case before conditioning?

2. During?

3. And after?

systematic desensitisation and flooding

what are the 2 ways to treat phobias?

1. gradually reduce phobic anxiety through classical conditioning 

2. argued that it is impossible to have two responses for the same stimulus, so one emotion prevents the other (reciprocal inhibition).

3. A new response to the stimulus is formed (relaxation) and this removes the previous association of anxiety (counter-conditioning)

4. It takes several sessions, but the sessions are relatively short - 45 minutes

Systematic desensitisation

1. What is the aim of this approach?

2. What does this treatment process argue?

3. Explain the process of a new response occurring.

4. How long does it take to cure a phobia using this method?

the idea that it is impossible to have two responses to the same stimulus, so one emotion prevents the other

what is reciprocal inhibition?

the learning of a newresponse

what is counterconditioning?

the anxiety hierarchy, exposure, and relaxation

what are the 3 parts of systematic desensitisation?

this is a list of situations linked to the phobia which could cause anxiety ranked from least to most frightening. This is created by both the therapist and the patient. 

what is the anxiety hierarchy?

the patient will be exposed to their phobia in a controlled setting when the patient is relaxed. They will start at the bottom of their anxiety hierarchy and continue till no anxiety is felt when experiencing their most frightening level.

what is exposure?

this may include exercise, mental imagery of relaxation or even drugs (in extreme cases).

what is relaxation?

1. One session lasts 1-2 hours and sometimes only one session is needed to cure a phobia. The patient will immediately exposed to their most frightening situation.

2. Fully informed consent is needed from patients prior to sessions so that psychologists can ensure that participants understand the extend of harm they are putting themselves into.

3. As the patient has not got the option of avoidance behaviour they quickly learn that the phobic stimulus is harmless This process is called extinction.
   

Flooding

1. How long is a session of flooding, what happens in flooding?

2. What is an important thing to consider in flooding?

3. How does flooding work?