Max has a phobia of the sea. On a family holiday as a child, he was carried away by the tide and
had to be rescued by a lifeguard. Now he has a family of his own, max refuses to go on beach
holidays.
Discuss the two-process model of phobias. Refer to Max’s phobia of the sea in your answer (16
marks)
The two-process model by Mowrer states phobias are acquired by classical conditioning which
is learning to associate a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus, and it is maintained
by operant conditioning which is when behaviour is reinforced negatively or positively. Max’s
phobia of the sea was created by classical conditioning, he learnt to associate the sea a neutral
stimulus with fear a conditioned stimulus as he had a negative experience in the sea of being
carried away by the tide and had to be rescued by a lifeguard. Additionally, Max’s behaviour is
reinforced through operant conditioning. Max refuses to go to the beach on holidays with his
own family, so he avoids his phobic stimulus which enables a sense of relief for Max which is
known as negative reinforcement, this then enables him to avoid the beach and maintains his
phobia of the sea.
Although this approach can't explain many complex phobias such as agoraphobia. As according
to the two processes model the purpose of avoidance behaviour is to reduce anxiety created by
the phobia through avoidance. However, in the case of agoraphobia avoidance is associated
with positive feelings of safety so many people with this phobia stay at home to avoid feeling
unsafe. Although lots of people with this phobia will leave the house with a trusted safe person
but not alone. This is a weakness of the two-process model as it cannot be used to explain all
phobias, such as complex phobias and social phobias.
However, the approach is supported by research by Watson and Raynor who found fears can be
learnt through classical conditioning. they created a phobia of a white rat in a nine-month-old
baby called little albert. The white rat was presented to him with a loud frightening noise by
banging on an iron bar close to his ear. The neutral stimulus of the rat becomes a conditioning
stimulus which produces a conditioned response of fear. Little Alberts fear generalised to similar
objects that were white and fluffy. Although this study is unethical as little albert could not
consent it allows a more thorough explanation of how phobias are learnt and maintained. This
has been applied to the real world and helped to develop therapies such as flooding and
systematic desensitisation to treat phobias.
Furthermore, another problem with the two-process model is that it may be quite reductionist,
it only takes into account behaviour and doesn’t consider the biology behind phobias or the
cognitive or emotional aspects of phobias. Seligman states that phobias have an evolutionary
factor and that we acquire phobias of things that were once a source of danger. For example,
snakes and drowning, these are predisposed phobias that we had in order to remain safe.
Although its uncommon to fear modern things such as guns and cars even though they are
typically more dangerous for people.
had to be rescued by a lifeguard. Now he has a family of his own, max refuses to go on beach
holidays.
Discuss the two-process model of phobias. Refer to Max’s phobia of the sea in your answer (16
marks)
The two-process model by Mowrer states phobias are acquired by classical conditioning which
is learning to associate a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus, and it is maintained
by operant conditioning which is when behaviour is reinforced negatively or positively. Max’s
phobia of the sea was created by classical conditioning, he learnt to associate the sea a neutral
stimulus with fear a conditioned stimulus as he had a negative experience in the sea of being
carried away by the tide and had to be rescued by a lifeguard. Additionally, Max’s behaviour is
reinforced through operant conditioning. Max refuses to go to the beach on holidays with his
own family, so he avoids his phobic stimulus which enables a sense of relief for Max which is
known as negative reinforcement, this then enables him to avoid the beach and maintains his
phobia of the sea.
Although this approach can't explain many complex phobias such as agoraphobia. As according
to the two processes model the purpose of avoidance behaviour is to reduce anxiety created by
the phobia through avoidance. However, in the case of agoraphobia avoidance is associated
with positive feelings of safety so many people with this phobia stay at home to avoid feeling
unsafe. Although lots of people with this phobia will leave the house with a trusted safe person
but not alone. This is a weakness of the two-process model as it cannot be used to explain all
phobias, such as complex phobias and social phobias.
However, the approach is supported by research by Watson and Raynor who found fears can be
learnt through classical conditioning. they created a phobia of a white rat in a nine-month-old
baby called little albert. The white rat was presented to him with a loud frightening noise by
banging on an iron bar close to his ear. The neutral stimulus of the rat becomes a conditioning
stimulus which produces a conditioned response of fear. Little Alberts fear generalised to similar
objects that were white and fluffy. Although this study is unethical as little albert could not
consent it allows a more thorough explanation of how phobias are learnt and maintained. This
has been applied to the real world and helped to develop therapies such as flooding and
systematic desensitisation to treat phobias.
Furthermore, another problem with the two-process model is that it may be quite reductionist,
it only takes into account behaviour and doesn’t consider the biology behind phobias or the
cognitive or emotional aspects of phobias. Seligman states that phobias have an evolutionary
factor and that we acquire phobias of things that were once a source of danger. For example,
snakes and drowning, these are predisposed phobias that we had in order to remain safe.
Although its uncommon to fear modern things such as guns and cars even though they are
typically more dangerous for people.
