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,Table of Contents
Learning theories................................................................................................................3
Phobias.........................................................................................................................................3
Classical conditioning...................................................................................................................5
Strengths.........................................................................................................................................................5
Weaknesses....................................................................................................................................................5
Pavlov (1927)..................................................................................................................................................7
Watson and Rayner (1920) – Little Albert......................................................................................................9
Operant conditioning..................................................................................................................11
The Skinner box............................................................................................................................................11
Superstitious pigeons....................................................................................................................................12
Evaluation.....................................................................................................................................................12
Social learning theories..............................................................................................................13
Indirect learning............................................................................................................................................13
Mediational processes..................................................................................................................................13
Bandura.........................................................................................................................................................15
Treatments.................................................................................................................................18
Systematic desensitisation treatment..........................................................................................................18
Flooding........................................................................................................................................................20
Contemporary study: Capafon....................................................................................................23
Evaluation.....................................................................................................................................................25
Research methods......................................................................................................................26
Sampling problems.......................................................................................................................................26
Issues and debates.....................................................................................................................27
Ethics.............................................................................................................................................................27
Practical issues with design..........................................................................................................................27
Psychology as a science................................................................................................................................27
Social sensitivity............................................................................................................................................27
Social control................................................................................................................................................28
Reductionism................................................................................................................................................28
Themes and approaches...............................................................................................................................28
Bias................................................................................................................................................................28
Hereditary or nurture...................................................................................................................................29
2
, Learning theories
The learning approach is also known as the behaviourist approach. There are 4
key principles:
1. All behaviour is learned. Abnormal behaviour is no different.
2. Behaviour is learned in response to our environment via the processes of
classical conditioning (stimulus-response association), operant
conditioning (reinforcement) and modelling (SLT).
3. What is learned can be unlearned.
4. Focus is on observable behaviour, not the mind.
The theory is that humans will respond in a certain way to certain stimuli, and if
you can control the stimulus, you can control the response. Hence the response
is conditional. This means the theory ignores “individual differences” – the idea
that different people display different behaviour for different reasons.
In fact behaviourist learning theory is the opposite of this, claiming that people
can be universally and predictably shaped by environmental factors, that no-one
has free-will or is unique.
Phobias
Phobia – irrational fear of an object or situation
Phobias are the most common type of anxiety disorder. It's estimated that
around 10 million people in the UK have a phobia.10 Feb 2016
DSM-V - marked and persistent fear of a specific object or situation. Exposure to
the phobic stimulus nearly always produces a rapid anxiety response. A fear of
the phobic object or situation is excessive and the phobic stimulus is either
avoided or responded to with great anxiety. The phobic reactions interfere
significantly with the individual’s working or social life, or he/she is very
distressed about the phobia. In order for something to count as a phobia, they
must have feared it for at least 6 months.
Social phobia - Phobia of a social situation e.g. restaurants, meetings, public
speaking
Agoraphobia - Phobia of being in situations that the person cannot easily leave,
such as in open spaces, crowds, public transport
The 2-model process – Mowrer (1947) tells us that phobias are learnt. Within the
model there are 2 stages: classical conditioning which is the initiation stage, and
operant conditioning which is the maintenance stage. The acquisition of phobias
is seen as occurring directly through classical conditioning, or indirectly through
social learning. The maintenance of phobias is seen as occurring though operant
conditioning, where avoiding or escaping from a feared object/situation acts as a
negative reinforcer.
3
ar
ni
ng
Th
1
,Table of Contents
Learning theories................................................................................................................3
Phobias.........................................................................................................................................3
Classical conditioning...................................................................................................................5
Strengths.........................................................................................................................................................5
Weaknesses....................................................................................................................................................5
Pavlov (1927)..................................................................................................................................................7
Watson and Rayner (1920) – Little Albert......................................................................................................9
Operant conditioning..................................................................................................................11
The Skinner box............................................................................................................................................11
Superstitious pigeons....................................................................................................................................12
Evaluation.....................................................................................................................................................12
Social learning theories..............................................................................................................13
Indirect learning............................................................................................................................................13
Mediational processes..................................................................................................................................13
Bandura.........................................................................................................................................................15
Treatments.................................................................................................................................18
Systematic desensitisation treatment..........................................................................................................18
Flooding........................................................................................................................................................20
Contemporary study: Capafon....................................................................................................23
Evaluation.....................................................................................................................................................25
Research methods......................................................................................................................26
Sampling problems.......................................................................................................................................26
Issues and debates.....................................................................................................................27
Ethics.............................................................................................................................................................27
Practical issues with design..........................................................................................................................27
Psychology as a science................................................................................................................................27
Social sensitivity............................................................................................................................................27
Social control................................................................................................................................................28
Reductionism................................................................................................................................................28
Themes and approaches...............................................................................................................................28
Bias................................................................................................................................................................28
Hereditary or nurture...................................................................................................................................29
2
, Learning theories
The learning approach is also known as the behaviourist approach. There are 4
key principles:
1. All behaviour is learned. Abnormal behaviour is no different.
2. Behaviour is learned in response to our environment via the processes of
classical conditioning (stimulus-response association), operant
conditioning (reinforcement) and modelling (SLT).
3. What is learned can be unlearned.
4. Focus is on observable behaviour, not the mind.
The theory is that humans will respond in a certain way to certain stimuli, and if
you can control the stimulus, you can control the response. Hence the response
is conditional. This means the theory ignores “individual differences” – the idea
that different people display different behaviour for different reasons.
In fact behaviourist learning theory is the opposite of this, claiming that people
can be universally and predictably shaped by environmental factors, that no-one
has free-will or is unique.
Phobias
Phobia – irrational fear of an object or situation
Phobias are the most common type of anxiety disorder. It's estimated that
around 10 million people in the UK have a phobia.10 Feb 2016
DSM-V - marked and persistent fear of a specific object or situation. Exposure to
the phobic stimulus nearly always produces a rapid anxiety response. A fear of
the phobic object or situation is excessive and the phobic stimulus is either
avoided or responded to with great anxiety. The phobic reactions interfere
significantly with the individual’s working or social life, or he/she is very
distressed about the phobia. In order for something to count as a phobia, they
must have feared it for at least 6 months.
Social phobia - Phobia of a social situation e.g. restaurants, meetings, public
speaking
Agoraphobia - Phobia of being in situations that the person cannot easily leave,
such as in open spaces, crowds, public transport
The 2-model process – Mowrer (1947) tells us that phobias are learnt. Within the
model there are 2 stages: classical conditioning which is the initiation stage, and
operant conditioning which is the maintenance stage. The acquisition of phobias
is seen as occurring directly through classical conditioning, or indirectly through
social learning. The maintenance of phobias is seen as occurring though operant
conditioning, where avoiding or escaping from a feared object/situation acts as a
negative reinforcer.
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