Behaviourist explanation for phobias

What is the overall reason for developing a phobia according to behaviourists?

• Genetics

• Watching other people's reactions to phobic objects

• Learning directly via bad experiences

• Thinking problems

What are the 3 BEHAVIOURAL symptoms of phobias? (tick 3)

• Avoidance

• Endurance

• Selective attention to the fear stimulus

• panic/fear response

• irrational beliefs about the fear object

The two processes in Mowrer's '2 process model' are classical conditioning and ........................................?

According to the 2 process model, phobias are...

• acquired genetically and maintained environmentally

• processed and treated via conditioning

• acquired via operant and maintained via classical conditioning

• acquired via classical and maintained via operant conditioning

In Watson & Rayner's 'Little Albert' case study what was the 'neutral stimulus'?

• The white rat

• The loud noise

• The fear response

• Pain

What was the GENERALISED CONDITIONED RESPONSE that little Albert showed by the end of the study?

• Fear of loud noises

• Fear of fluffy things

• Fear of white rats only

• Avoidance of dogs

Whilst we acquire our phobia through classical conditioning , our phobia is .......................... via operant conditioning

Which phobic behaviour do we repeat due to negative reinforcement?

• Panic

• Endurance

• Avoidance

• Irrational beliefs

Which of these is a STRENGTH of the behaviourist explanation of phobias?

• Can be used to develop therapies to treat phobic patients

• Explains ALL phobias

• Reduces the development of phobia to one factor only (learning)

• Explains why some people develop phobia despite having no bad experience

What factors which may play a role in phobias does the behaviourist approach ignore? (pick 3!)

• Biological/genetic

• Evolutionary

• Cognitive

• Learning