Phobia formation

?
  • Created by: 11pyoung
  • Created on: 21-04-17 11:26
View mindmap
  • Phobia formation
    • What is a phobia?
      • A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder creating fear, which as far reaching effects on a person both emotionally and socially
      • The NHS defines a phobia as 'an overwhelming and debilitating fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or animal'
      • 3 types of phobias
        • Specific phobia
          • A phobia of animals, inanimate objects or illness
        • Social phobia
          • Fear of doing something in public i.e. eating, public speaking etc
        • Agoraphobia
          • Fear of places where people assemble
    • Classical conditioning's explanation of phobias
      • A phobia is acquired because an unconditioned stimulus which brings about the unconditioned response of fear has become associated with the object/ situation the person is afraid
        • Object situation was previously a neutral stimulus but because of the learned association with the UCS it has become the conditioned stimulus which brings about the conditioned response of fear
          • These learned associations are not found in all people with phobias
        • These learned associations are not found in all people with phobias
    • Operant conditioning's explanation of phobias
      • Linked mainly with social phobias like anxiety
        • If someone worries about attending social events such as parties they will avoid or escape from them
          • In doing so their worries are reduced and they start to feel better
            • Their avoidance/escape acts as a negative reward
              • Reinforces the behaviour of avoiding or escaping from parties because he learned consequence is that they will feel better if they do so
      • If someone worries about attending social events such as parties they will avoid or escape from them
        • In doing so their worries are reduced and they start to feel better
          • Their avoidance/escape acts as a negative reward
            • Reinforces the behaviour of avoiding or escaping from parties because he learned consequence is that they will feel better if they do so
    • Social learning theory's explanation of phobias
      • Reproducing the observed behaviour of a model is key
      • If a young child observes their older sibling display a fear response to a spider and then see their sibling being comforted by their parents which represents a rewards to them. The behaviour of fear of spiders will be retained in memory and reproduced in anticipation of receiving the same reward.
        • The parents then comforting the younger sibling when they show this behaviour which acts as a motivation to repeat the behaviour thereby reinforcing it

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Psychology resources:

See all Psychology resources »See all Phobic disorders resources »