Behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Question 1

What model was proposed by Hobart Mowrer (1960)?

Answer 1

Two-process model

Question 2

What is the two-process model?

Answer 2

It states that:
Phobias are acquired (learned) by classical conditioning = a stimulus becomes associated with a response.

Phobias are maintained (they continue) through operant conditioning = involves learning behaviour due to the consequences of that behaviour.

Question 3

What is the details of ‘Little Albert’

Answer 3

Before conditioning: Whenever Albert played with a white rat, a loud noise was made close to his ear. The noise (UCS) caused a fear (UCR)

During conditioning: Rat (NS) did not create fear until the bang and the rat had been paired together several times.

After conditioning: Albert showed a fear response (CR) every time he came into contact with the rat (now CS)

Generalisation: Conditioned associations can often widen beyond the specific stimuli presented. For example, Little Albert’s fear of white rats was generalised to other white furry objects, such as a Santa mask.

Question 4

What is extinction within conditioning?

Answer 4

Although a conditioned association can be incredibly strong initially, it begins to fade if not reinforced – until it disappears completely.

Question 5

How are phobias maintained

Answer 5

Operant conditioning:

When an individual avoids their phobic stimulus, they are maintaining it through negative reinforcement.

Mowrer suggested that whenever we avoid a phobia stimulus, we successfully escape the fear and anxiety we would have suffered if we remained there. This reduction in fear reinforces the avoidance behaviour, thus maintaining the phobia.

Question 6

Does the behavioral explanation of phobias have explanatory power.

Answer 6

P: A strength of the behavioural explanation for phobias is that is has explanatory power.

E: The two-process model goes beyond Watson and Rayner’s simple classical conditioning explanation of phobias. It has implications for therapy, if a patient is prevented from practising their avoidance behaviour, their phobic behaviour declines.

C: This suggests that the application to therapy is a strength of the two-process model.

Question 7

Does the behavioral explanation of phobias acknowledge the cognitive aspects?

Answer 7

P: A limitation of the behavioural explanation for phobias is that is does not acknowledge cognitive factors.

E: The two-process model explains maintenance of phobias in terms of avoidance, but we know that phobias also have a cognitive (the way in which we think) element.

C: The two-process model does not adequately address the cognitive element of phobias.

Question 8

Is the behavioral explanation of phobias complete?

Answer 8

P: A further limitation is that the behavioural explanation for the acquisition of phobias is incomplete.

E: There are some aspects of phobia behaviour that need further explaining. We easily acquire phobias of things that were a danger in our evolutionary past (fear of the dark). This is biological preparedness- we are innately
prepared to fear things more than others (Seligman 1971).

C: This is a problem for the two-process model because it shows that there is more to acquiring a phobia than simple conditioning.

Question 9

Does the behavioral explanation of phobias acknowledge environmental reductionisms?

Answer 9

P: A final limitation is that the behavioural explanation is environmentally reductionist because classical conditioning alone does not explain the development of phobias.

E: Sometimes phobias do appear following a bad experience and it can be seen how this could be the result of conditioning. However, sometimes people have a bad experience (such as being bitten by a dog) and don’t develop a phobia.

C: This suggests that conditioning alone cannot explain phobias and a more holistic explanation is required.

Question 10

What is a limitation of the behavioral approach to explaining phobias with regards to counter eveidence?

Answer 10

P: Counter research by Dinardo showed while conditioning events like dog bites were common in participants with dog phobias at 56%, that were just as common in participants with no dog phobia 66%.

E:Also, Mendes and Clark found that only 2% of children with a phobia of water could recall a negative experience of water, 56% of parents told the researchers that the phobia had been present from the Childs first encounter with water.

L: These findings suggest that the behavioural approach does not fully explain all phobias

Question 11

AO3 Behavioral approach to explain phobias

Answer 11

S: explanatory power
L: cognitive factors
L: explanation for the acquisition of phobias is incomplete.
L:environmentally reductionist (classical can’t alone explain)
L: Counter evidence