OUTLINE AND EVALUATE THE BEHAVIOURAL APPRAOCH TO EXPLANING AND TREATING
PHOBIAS
The behavioural approach explains phobias using a two – part process which uses classical
and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is the association of the neutral stimulus
with the unconditioned stimuli provoking of fear to produce a conditioned fear of the
neutral stimulus Operant conditioning is maintaining the fear by avoiding the phobic
stimulus which acts as a negative reinforcer. The behavioural approach to treating phobias
uses two processes: flooding and systematic desensitisation. Flooding is where the phobic
patient is exposed to the stimulus without gradual build up. The idea is that once the body
reaches its maximum state of anxiety, it will have no choice but to calm down and the
phobia is stopped. Systematic desensitisation is where the anxiety around the phobia is
gradually reduced and replaced with relaxation which is based on the idea of reciprocal
inhibition. There are three steps to this treatment the first being relaxation where calming
techniques are taught like meditation. Next is making an anxiety hierarchy of situations that
increase in fear. Finally, the third step is exposure where you only increase the level of fear
once they’ve calmed down.
One piece of evidence to support the two-part process is the study of little Albert. The
researcher played a loud noise that scared him every time a white rat came near him which
produced a conditioned response of a fear of white rats. This showed that phobias can be
artificially made like the model depicts. However, this study was unethical as little Albert
wasn’t protected from psychological harm and was left with a phobia meaning the findings
are difficult to use.
One piece of evidence to support flooding as a treatment is that it is quick and easy to
implement meaning its accessible to lots of people and it could be more effective than
talking therapies. However, flooding is highly traumatic as there’s no gradual change, and
many argue you don’t know what you’re agreeing to do and so you can’t give fully informed
consent.
One piece of evidence to support systematic desensitisation comes from Choy who found
that it was in fact an effective treatment for phobias meaning that the explanation is valid.
However, SD is very time consuming and expensive and so will never be a widely used
treatment as not everyone can afford the time of the trained psychologist SD requires.
PHOBIAS
The behavioural approach explains phobias using a two – part process which uses classical
and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is the association of the neutral stimulus
with the unconditioned stimuli provoking of fear to produce a conditioned fear of the
neutral stimulus Operant conditioning is maintaining the fear by avoiding the phobic
stimulus which acts as a negative reinforcer. The behavioural approach to treating phobias
uses two processes: flooding and systematic desensitisation. Flooding is where the phobic
patient is exposed to the stimulus without gradual build up. The idea is that once the body
reaches its maximum state of anxiety, it will have no choice but to calm down and the
phobia is stopped. Systematic desensitisation is where the anxiety around the phobia is
gradually reduced and replaced with relaxation which is based on the idea of reciprocal
inhibition. There are three steps to this treatment the first being relaxation where calming
techniques are taught like meditation. Next is making an anxiety hierarchy of situations that
increase in fear. Finally, the third step is exposure where you only increase the level of fear
once they’ve calmed down.
One piece of evidence to support the two-part process is the study of little Albert. The
researcher played a loud noise that scared him every time a white rat came near him which
produced a conditioned response of a fear of white rats. This showed that phobias can be
artificially made like the model depicts. However, this study was unethical as little Albert
wasn’t protected from psychological harm and was left with a phobia meaning the findings
are difficult to use.
One piece of evidence to support flooding as a treatment is that it is quick and easy to
implement meaning its accessible to lots of people and it could be more effective than
talking therapies. However, flooding is highly traumatic as there’s no gradual change, and
many argue you don’t know what you’re agreeing to do and so you can’t give fully informed
consent.
One piece of evidence to support systematic desensitisation comes from Choy who found
that it was in fact an effective treatment for phobias meaning that the explanation is valid.
However, SD is very time consuming and expensive and so will never be a widely used
treatment as not everyone can afford the time of the trained psychologist SD requires.
