The Behavioural Approach to Explaining Phobias

Recap questions

1. What is a phobia?
2. What are the 3 categories of phobia according to DSM-5?
3. Name and explain some behavioural characteristics of phobias?

The Two-process model

Acquisition by Classical Conditioning

Mowrer (1960) proposed the two-process model to explain behavioural characteristics of phobias. This model suggests that phobias are acquired (learned) through classical conditioning and then maintained because of operant conditioning.

Classical conditioning means learning to associate a situation or a stimulus with which we initially had no associations/fears with something that we do fear. 

The study of little Albert (Watson & Raynor 1920) best demonstrates this, where researchers gave Albert a phobia of white rats through classical conditioning.

- Initially Albert had no fear of white rats and would play with them. 

- Other times researchers would bang a metal pipe to make a loud noise to scare Albert and make him cry

- They then would let Albert see the rat and bang the metal

- Eventually Albert would cry and feel fear from the sight of the rat alone

Albert became conditioned to fear the rat because he associated it with the loud, frightening noise that came with it. Albert also screamed when presented with a Father Christmas mask and a white fur coat - this showed that generalisation had occurred. 




Maintenance of Phobias through Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning takes place where our behaviour is reinforced, either through negative or positive reinforcement. 

In the case of phobias, if a person constantly avoids a situation, object or scenario then their phobia is reinforced through negative reinforcement. This behaviour results in a desirable outcome (avoidance of fear, terror) and means the behaviour will be repeated to avoid the unpleasant feelings. 


Evaluation

- Limitation - the Two-process model ignores cognitive factors in phobias such as irrational thinking about an object or situation

- Limitation - not everyone who experiences fear or trauma develops a phobia associated with it

 - Strength - a strength of the two-process model is the application in exposure therapies where patients can recover from phobias by slowing exposing themselves to it and over time getting over the fear.






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