Phobias
- Created by: emmadavidson
- Created on: 10-11-19 12:15
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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.
- After an association has been made a Lift (Now a conditioned stimulus) causes a response of fear (Conditioned response)
- With something that triggers a response (Unconditioned stimulus) EG: Being trapped
- Learn to associate something we do not fear (Neutral stimulus) EG: 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- A fear response could be introduced through the process of CLASSICAL CONDITIONING.
- AIM
- Process of learning through associating two stimuli together to condition a response.
- Classical conditioning
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- A fear response could be introduced through the process of CLASSICAL CONDITIONING.
- AIM
- 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.
- A behaviour is strengthened because an unplesent behaviour is removed.
- Phobias can be acquired through classical conditioning and associative learning.
- 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.
- Treatments like SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION and FLOODING.
- 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.
- Phobias may develop due to irrational thinking.
- 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
- Some phobias are innate as they act as a survival instinct.
- Avoidance of a stimulus EG: Snakes could have caused pain or death to our ancestors.
- Research Support - Little Albert.
- 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.
- Two emotional states cannot exist at once = Reciprocal inhibition.
- Exposing the patient to phobic situation whilst being relaxed.
- 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.
- 75% of patients were successfully treated using systematic desensitisation.
- NOT effective in treating all phobias.
- Phobias not developed through CLASSICAL CONDITIONING like innate ones cannot be treated using systematic desensitisation.
- Research Evidence: McGrath 1990
- 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.
- Two emotional states cannot exist at once = Reciprocal inhibition.
- Exposing the patient to phobic situation whilst being relaxed.
- 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.
- 75% of patients were successfully treated using systematic desensitisation.
- NOT effective in treating all phobias.
- Phobias not developed through CLASSICAL CONDITIONING like innate ones cannot be treated using systematic desensitisation.
- Research Evidence: McGrath 1990
- 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.
- Because you cannot avoid the stimulus EXTINCTION will soon occur since fear is a TIME-LIMITED response to a situation which eventually subsides.
- A person is unable to avoid (negatively reinforce) their phobia and through continuous exposure anxiety levels gradually decrease.
- 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.
- Cost effective.
- Exposes the individual to the anxiety inducing stimulus imminently.
- Systematic Desensitisation
- Two process model - Mowrer 1947
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