Outline and evaluate behaviourist approach to explanation of development of
phobias.
1: Powerful explanation
A01: Two process model, phobia is maintained through operant conditioning. (avoidance)
Little Albert – support for classical conditioning in initiation of phobias
A03: However, according to social learning theory a phobia can be developed by observing others and
modelling their behaviour. Goes against the behaviourist approach (BA) as implies that phobias can
be learned through a indirect experience.
Therefore, behaviourist approach cannot account for all learning of phobias, which is a limitation.
2. Ignore cognitive factors
A01: behaviourist approach is only interested in stimulus and response process because it can be
measured. Behaviourists consider psychology as a science and take into account only observable
behaviour and not the cognition.
A03: However, cognitive factors play an importnant role in phobia development. Social and
agoraphobia can be triggered by cognition alone, hence by using the BA, it might be difficult to
explain those phobias, therefore struggle to treat them.
Thus, ignoring cognitive factors is a weakness of behavioural explanation of phobias because it leads
to cognitive factors being ignored within behaviourist treatments.
3. Diathesis-stress model (DiNardo)
A01: according to BA people born as a blank slate and behaviour including phobias is a result of
learning.
A03: Diathesis – stress model suggests that people have a genetic predisposition for a phobia,
however, they will only display the behaviour if is brought up by an environmental trigger. BA is
incomplete on its own and there might a biological explanation to why some people have phobias and
others don't.
4. Biological preparedness
A03: Seligman (1970) argued that humans learn an association between life threatening stimuli and
fear. We evolved to be afraid of the things that were dangerous in the past such as spiders and snakes.
This explains avoidance characteristics of phobia. However, only applies to stimuli from our
evolutionary past. That’s why people are less likely to develop a phobia of modern objects as such
items were not a danger in the past
Therefore, BA cannot explain all phobias and there could be an evolutionary aspect to phobias.
phobias.
1: Powerful explanation
A01: Two process model, phobia is maintained through operant conditioning. (avoidance)
Little Albert – support for classical conditioning in initiation of phobias
A03: However, according to social learning theory a phobia can be developed by observing others and
modelling their behaviour. Goes against the behaviourist approach (BA) as implies that phobias can
be learned through a indirect experience.
Therefore, behaviourist approach cannot account for all learning of phobias, which is a limitation.
2. Ignore cognitive factors
A01: behaviourist approach is only interested in stimulus and response process because it can be
measured. Behaviourists consider psychology as a science and take into account only observable
behaviour and not the cognition.
A03: However, cognitive factors play an importnant role in phobia development. Social and
agoraphobia can be triggered by cognition alone, hence by using the BA, it might be difficult to
explain those phobias, therefore struggle to treat them.
Thus, ignoring cognitive factors is a weakness of behavioural explanation of phobias because it leads
to cognitive factors being ignored within behaviourist treatments.
3. Diathesis-stress model (DiNardo)
A01: according to BA people born as a blank slate and behaviour including phobias is a result of
learning.
A03: Diathesis – stress model suggests that people have a genetic predisposition for a phobia,
however, they will only display the behaviour if is brought up by an environmental trigger. BA is
incomplete on its own and there might a biological explanation to why some people have phobias and
others don't.
4. Biological preparedness
A03: Seligman (1970) argued that humans learn an association between life threatening stimuli and
fear. We evolved to be afraid of the things that were dangerous in the past such as spiders and snakes.
This explains avoidance characteristics of phobia. However, only applies to stimuli from our
evolutionary past. That’s why people are less likely to develop a phobia of modern objects as such
items were not a danger in the past
Therefore, BA cannot explain all phobias and there could be an evolutionary aspect to phobias.
