0.3 Behavioural explanation of phobias

what is the key idea of behaviourists

phobias are learnt from the environment

believe in the two-process model

what is the two-process model

• acquired through classical conditioning

• maintained through operant conditioning and avoidance

what is the unconditioned response always

fear

what does social learning theory suggests 

vicarious conditioning also can occur in acquisition 

observing another experiencing a traumatic event could cause a phobia

example of social learning theory in acquiring a phobia

case study

emetophobia

young boy watched grandfather vomit while he died

what happens if you reinforce a phobia too much

phobia can become extinction resistant

evidence of behaviourist explanation 

little albert - classical conditioning

what did Di Gallo find - car accidents

20% of people in car accidents developed a car phobia

most where speeds were high

then showed avoidance of travelling in cars

what is an alternative theory

evolutionary theory

phobias have adapted for survival - snakes

where threatening when we were evolving - those who didn’t touch poisonous snakes survived to pass on genes