The Behavioural Approach to Explaining Phobias Unit 1 - Psychopathology The Behavioural Approach to Explaining Phobias

The Behavioural Model All behaviour is learnt, therefore abnormal behaviour is learnt: Classical conditioning Operant Conditioning SLT / Modeling

Key Words: Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning Social Learning Theory Association Reinforcement Observation or Modelling

Principles of Classical Conditioning The Behavioural Model of Abnormality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhqumfpxuzI

Principles of Classical Conditioning The Behavioural Model of Abnormality BEFORE CONDITIONING Salivation reflex Explaining a Phobia Food = Salivation Bell = No response Pain = Fear Dentist = No response DURING CONDITIONING Food + Bell = Salivation Pain + Dentist = Fear AFTER CONDITIONING Bell = Salivation Dentist = Fear All about associating a stimulus with a response

Little Albert ‘Little Albert’ (Watson & Raynor, 1920) conditioned a fear response in an 11-month old boy to a white rat. Every time he went to touch the rat, metal bars were banged together to create loud noise. Albert associated the rat with noise and therefore fear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYGXMXGkxtc

Principles of Operant Conditioning The Behavioural Model of Abnormality 9m50secs Shaping behaviour through the consequences of actions REINFORCEMENT – makes it more likely a behaviour will be repeated (reinforcement can be positive or negative) PUNISHMENT – makes it less likely a behaviour will be repeated

Principles of Operant Conditioning The Behavioural Model of Abnormality 9m50secs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ctJqjlrHA

Phobias: Two-Process Model Mowrer (1947) A phobia is first acquired through classical conditioning Once a behaviour phobia has been acquired it is maintained through operant conditioning A behaviour that is reinforced is more likely to be repeated A phobic response is unpleasant, so escaping the object or situation causes a reduction in fear (negative reinforcement) Will is afraid of lifts, so instead he uses the stairs, which reduces anxiety = reinforces behaviour

Recap Questions Finish this sentence outlining the behavioural approach: All behaviours are… What is the key word to explain Classical Conditioning? What are the key words to explain Operant Conditioning? How does Classical Conditioning explain the development of phobias? How does Operant Conditioning explain the maintenance of phobias? What is the two-process model?

Recap Questions Finish this sentence outlining the behavioural approach: All behaviours are…LEARNED What is the key word to explain Classical Conditioning? ASSOCIATION What are the key words to explain Operant Conditioning? REINFORCEMENT/PUNISHMENT How does Classical Conditioning explain the development of phobias? E.g. fear of dentist How does Operant Conditioning explain the maintenance of phobias? What is the two-process model?

Recap Questions Classical Conditioning – An explanation for fear of the dentist: BEFORE: Neutral Stimulus (NS) = Dentist Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) = Pain Unconditioned Response (UCR) = Fear DURING: Dentist + Pain AFTER: Dentist (Conditioned Stimulus) = Fear (Conditioned Response) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYGXMXGkxtc

Recap Questions Operant Conditioning – Explanation for maintaining phobias: A fear response is unpleasant; escaping the object or situation reduces fear; avoidance behaviour is strengthened. Can you give another example?

Phobias: Two-Process Model Mowrer (1947) A phobia is first acquired through classical conditioning Once a behaviour phobia has been acquired it is maintained through operant conditioning A behaviour that is reinforced is more likely to be repeated A phobic response is unpleasant, so escaping the object or situation causes a reduction in fear (negative reinforcement) Will is afraid of lifts, so instead he uses the stairs, which reduces anxiety = reinforces behaviour

Evaluating Two-Process Model Supporting Evidence: Sue et al (1994) Individuals with a phobia often recall a specific incident to trigger fear Barlow & Durand (1995) 50% of those with driving phobia reported a traumatic experience while driving Supports acquisition part of phobia, but doesn’t help explain maintenance

Evaluating Two Process Model Not all phobias are acquired as a result of negative experiences Ost (1987) people with fear of snakes, planes, germs have not had unpleasant experience Some people have negative experiences and do not go on to develop a phobia Dinardo (1988) Ps in a control group without a phobia of dogs had a similar proportion of negative incidents with dogs as the phobic group

Social Learning Theory The Behavioural Model of Abnormality Behaviour (of a role model) is observed and then copied. Also known as imitation or modeling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHi2dxSf9hw

Social Learning Theory Most famous experiment involved a researcher called Bandura who used a ‘bobo doll’ in his experiments with children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zerCK0lRjp8

Social Learning Theory Unlike classical and operant conditioning, SLT takes into account cognitions. SLT is the bridge between learning theory and the cognitive approach. These mental factors mediate in the learning process to determine if a response is acquired. Attention Retention Reproduction Motivation

Phobias: Social Learning Theory How might SLT explain phobias? E.g. Child observes mother’s fear response to spiders Child will then ‘copy’ that fear response and develop a phobia of spiders too.

How to evaluate Approaches Strengths of the approach (Are there studies to support this explanation?) Evaluate the supporting evidence How do studies support this approach? Can you evaluate these studies – methodology, ethics, implications Limitations of the approach – Does it fail to explain aspects of behaviour? Practical / useful applications – treatments? Issues and Debates – E.g. too reductionist? Comparison with other approaches

Evaluations of Behavioural Approach

Evaluations of Behavioural Approach

Evaluations of Behavioural Approach

Evaluation Evaluation is a skill! It takes time and practice to become an effective evaluator! Developing these skills will require you to think about evaluation points and why they are important.

Treating Phobias Is it possible to treat phobias? How? Using behavioural principles, design a ‘treatment programme’ for someone who is afraid of spiders Could you treat phobias using any other approach?