The Behavioural Approach to Explain/Treat Phobias
- Created by: Camay
- Created on: 29-01-19 19:50
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- The Behavioural Approach to Explaining and Treating Phobias
- Explaining AO1
- Phobias are learnt by Classical Conditioning and maintained by Operant Conditioning. This is called the Two Process Model
- Classical Conditioning: Watson and Raynor (1920) Little Albert study
- 1. The loud noise made close to his ear (UCS) caused a fear response (UCR)
- 2. The white rat (NS) did not create fear until it had been paired with the loud noise several times
- 3. Albert associated the NS with the UCS, and showed fear every time he came into contact with the rat (CS)
- Little Albert also showed fear in response to other white furry objects
- 3. Albert associated the NS with the UCS, and showed fear every time he came into contact with the rat (CS)
- 2. The white rat (NS) did not create fear until it had been paired with the loud noise several times
- 1. The loud noise made close to his ear (UCS) caused a fear response (UCR)
- Operant Conditioning: Maintenance by negative reinforcement
- We avoid coming into contact with our phobias by not going to certain places and not doing certain things
- This reduction in fear negatively reinforces the avoidance behaviour, and the behaviour is maintained
- We avoid coming into contact with our phobias by not going to certain places and not doing certain things
- Classical Conditioning: Watson and Raynor (1920) Little Albert study
- Phobias are learnt by Classical Conditioning and maintained by Operant Conditioning. This is called the Two Process Model
- Treating AO1
- Systematic Desensitisation
- 1. Anxiety Hierarchy: List of situations related to the phobia put in order from least to most frightening
- 2. Relaxation: Patient is taught to relax as deeply as possible. They are made to do breathing exercises or meditation
- 3. Exposure: Finally the person is exposed to phobia while in a relaxed state. This takes place across several sessions
- 2. Relaxation: Patient is taught to relax as deeply as possible. They are made to do breathing exercises or meditation
- 1. Anxiety Hierarchy: List of situations related to the phobia put in order from least to most frightening
- Flooding
- Exposing the patient to phobia without gradual build up. Immediate exposure to frightening situation
- Systematic Desensitisation
- Treating AO3
- (P) A strength of Systematic Desensitisation is that it is very effective
- (E-E) Gilroy found that 42 patients who had the full treatment it were less fearful that the group that just did the relaxation part
- (L) Therefore, systematic desensitisation is effective because of its method, making is an effective treatment for phobias
- (E-E) Gilroy found that 42 patients who had the full treatment it were less fearful that the group that just did the relaxation part
- (P) A limitation of Flooding is that it is unethical
- (E-E) It could be very traumatic for people to go through with their fears. It puts them under unnecessary harm
- (L) Therefore, flooding is not the best way to treat phobias as it may be doing more harm than good
- (E-E) It could be very traumatic for people to go through with their fears. It puts them under unnecessary harm
- (P) A strength of Systematic Desensitisation is that it is very effective
- Explaining AO3
- (P) A strength of the Two Process Model is that it has good explanatory power
- (E-E) The explanation of how phobias can be maintained has important implications for therapy. Explains why patient needs to be exposed to feared stimuls
- (L) Therefore, its application to therapy makes it an effective way of explaining phobias
- (E-E) The explanation of how phobias can be maintained has important implications for therapy. Explains why patient needs to be exposed to feared stimuls
- (P) A limitation of the Two Process Model is that it is an incomplete explanation of phobias
- (E) Bounton (2007) - evolution has an important role in phobias
- (E) Past generations acquired phobias of things that was dangerous. Fears are adaptive
- (L) Suggests there is more to acquiring phobias than simply conditioning, making this an incomplete explanation of phobias
- (E) Past generations acquired phobias of things that was dangerous. Fears are adaptive
- (E) Bounton (2007) - evolution has an important role in phobias
- (P) A strength of the Two Process Model is that it has good explanatory power
- Explaining AO1
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