behavioural approach to explaining phobias

what is the two process model?

states that phobias are acquire by classical conditioning then continue because of operant conditioning

what is classical conditioning in relation to phobias?

learning behaviour by association of something that initially triggers no fear in us with something that already triggers a fear response

how does operant conditioning occur in relation to phobias?

• we avoid a phobic stimulus

• successfully escape the anxiety and fear we would have suffered

• this therefore reinforces the avoidance behaviour

• so phobia is maintained

what are the strength and weaknesses of behavioural explanations of phobias?

strength:

• good explanatory behaviour

weaknesses:

• there are phobias that don’t follow a traumatic event

• phobias also have cognitive aspects

• doesn’t consider role of evolution

good explanatory behaviour

• explains how phobias can be maintained

• has positive implications for therapies as explains why patients need to be exposed to the feared stimulus

• once someone is prevented from practicing avoidance behaviour, behaviour isn’t reinforced anymore so declined

• has real-world applications so increases ecological validity

there are phobias that don’t follow a traumatic response

• sometimes people develop a phobia and have not had a related bad experience

• two process model doesn’t account for where all phobias start from

• can’t be a full explanation for all phobias as may only apply to phobias that have appeared after a traumatic event

• low generalisability 

phobias also have cognitive aspects

• behavioural explanations are oriented towards explaining behaviour

• however phobias also have cognitive elements

• such as selective attention to the phobic stimulus, irrational beliefs, and cognitive distortions

• explanation can be said to be reductionist as doesn’t consider all characteristics of phobias

doesn’t consider role of evolution

• we commonly acquire phobias of things that could have been a possible source of danger in our evolutionary past, e.g. the dark

• known as biological preparedness - innate predisposition to acquire certain fears

• however it’s not as common to develop fears of things more recently made, such as card

• shows there is more to developing phobias than simple conditioning so isn’t full explanation