Phobias

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  • Phobias
    • Two process model - Mowrer 1947
      • Phobias can be acquired through classical conditioning and associative learning.
        • Classical conditioning
          • Process of learning through associating two stimuli together to condition a response.
            • Learn to associate something we do not fear (Neutral stimulus) EG: A lift
              • With something that triggers a response (Unconditioned stimulus) EG: Being trapped
                • After an association has been made a Lift (Now a conditioned stimulus) causes a response of fear (Conditioned response)
                  • Consequently we develop a phobia of a lift following 1 incident of being trapped in a lift.
          • Watson + Rayner 1920 Little Albert.
            • AIM
              • To investigate whether a fear response could be learned through classical conditioning in humans.
            • METHOD
              • Participant was Little Albert an 11 month year old child. Before the experiment, W+R noted Albert showed no response to various objects, in particular a white rat.
                • Stuck a metal bar with a hammer behind Albert's head causing a very loud noise which startled him. Every time he went to reach for the white rat they did that 3 times.
            • RESULTS
              • Whenever they showed Albert the white rat he began to cry
            • CONCLUSION
              • A fear response could be introduced through the process of CLASSICAL CONDITIONING.
                • Little Albert also began to GENERALISE his fear to other white fury objects.
      • Watson + Rayner 1920 Little Albert.
        • AIM
          • To investigate whether a fear response could be learned through classical conditioning in humans.
        • METHOD
          • Participant was Little Albert an 11 month year old child. Before the experiment, W+R noted Albert showed no response to various objects, in particular a white rat.
            • Stuck a metal bar with a hammer behind Albert's head causing a very loud noise which startled him. Every time he went to reach for the white rat they did that 3 times.
        • RESULTS
          • Whenever they showed Albert the white rat he began to cry
        • CONCLUSION
          • A fear response could be introduced through the process of CLASSICAL CONDITIONING.
            • Little Albert also began to GENERALISE his fear to other white fury objects.
      • Operant Conditioning
        • Phobias are maintained through Operant conditioning.
        • Phobias can be NEGATIVELY REINFORCED.
          • A behaviour is strengthened because an unplesent behaviour is removed.
            • EG: Phobia of lift is reinforced by always taking the stairs. Constantly avoiding the phobia.
            • This avoidance reduces a persons feelings of anxiety so it negatively reinforces behaviour making it more likely to repeat this behaviour in future. AVOIDANCE.
    • Evaluation of the Behavioural Approach to explaining phobias.
      • Research Support - Little Albert.
        • Cannot generalise findings of this case study to other children and adults.
      • Practical application to therapy.
        • Treatments like SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION and FLOODING.
          • SD helps people unlearn their fears by using classical and flooding uses operant by stopping the negative reinforcement.
      • Ignores role of Cognition.
        • Phobias may develop due to irrational thinking.
          • EG: Fear of being trapped is irrational 'i'm going to be trapped in this lift and suffocate' = irrational.
      • Evolution.
        • Avoidance of a stimulus EG: Snakes could have caused pain or death to our ancestors.
          • Some phobias are innate as they act as a survival instinct.
            • BIOLOGICAL PREPAREDNESS
    • Treating Phobias.
      • Systematic Desensitisation
        • Uses COUNTER CONDITIONING to unlearn the response to a situation or object by eliciting a new response-relaxation
        • Fear Hierarchy
          • Ranking the phobic situation from least to most terrifying.
        • Relaxation Therapy
          • Breathing techniques
          • Progressive muscle relaxation strategies
          • Mental imagery techniques
        • Reciprocal Inhibition
          • Exposing the patient to phobic situation whilst being relaxed.
            • Two emotional states cannot exist at once = Reciprocal inhibition.
              • Cannot be anxious and relaxed as same time so the relaxation should overtake the fear.
        • Start at bottom of Hierarchy and progress through until they complete their most phobic situation.
        • Evaluation of Systematic Desensitisation.
          • Research Evidence: McGrath 1990
            • 75% of patients were successfully treated using systematic desensitisation.
              • VIVO techniques were more effective = coming into direct contact with phobic situation instead of just imagining it.
          • NOT effective in treating all phobias.
            • Phobias not developed through CLASSICAL CONDITIONING like innate ones cannot be treated using systematic desensitisation.
      • Replacing a phobia with a new response of relaxation
        • Systematic Desensitisation
          • Uses COUNTER CONDITIONING to unlearn the response to a situation or object by eliciting a new response-relaxation
          • Fear Hierarchy
            • Ranking the phobic situation from least to most terrifying.
          • Relaxation Therapy
            • Breathing techniques
            • Progressive muscle relaxation strategies
            • Mental imagery techniques
          • Reciprocal Inhibition
            • Exposing the patient to phobic situation whilst being relaxed.
              • Two emotional states cannot exist at once = Reciprocal inhibition.
                • Cannot be anxious and relaxed as same time so the relaxation should overtake the fear.
          • Start at bottom of Hierarchy and progress through until they complete their most phobic situation.
          • Evaluation of Systematic Desensitisation.
            • Research Evidence: McGrath 1990
              • 75% of patients were successfully treated using systematic desensitisation.
                • VIVO techniques were more effective = coming into direct contact with phobic situation instead of just imagining it.
            • NOT effective in treating all phobias.
              • Phobias not developed through CLASSICAL CONDITIONING like innate ones cannot be treated using systematic desensitisation.
      • Flooding.
        • Exposes the individual to the anxiety inducing stimulus imminently.
          • A person is unable to avoid (negatively reinforce) their phobia and through continuous exposure anxiety levels gradually decrease.
            • Because you cannot avoid the stimulus EXTINCTION will soon occur since fear is a TIME-LIMITED response to a situation which eventually subsides.
              • As exhaustion begins to set in for the patient, they may begin to feel a calm and relief which creates a new positive association with the stimulus.
        • Evaluation of Flooding.
          • Cost effective.
            • Phobias are cured quickly therefore it is better for health care providers who do not have to fund longer options.
          • Highly traumatic.
            • Can cause hospitalisation - Wolpe 1969
            • Many do not complete treatment because it is too stressful.
              • Waste of time and money if not completed.
          • Symptom substitution may occur. A new phobia is replaced with old one because underlying cause may remain and resurface in a different behaviour.

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