Phobias

Phobias

1. Emotional: excessive fear, anxiert and pain cued by specific thing

2. Behavioural approach to explaining:

   • Two process model:
     • Classical conditioning - Phobias acquired through association of NS and UCR: NS because CS
       • Key Study: Little Albert (Watson and Rayner) developed fear of white rat through bang, which generalised white fluffy objects
     • Operant conditioning - Phobias maintained through negative reinforcement
     • Social learning - phobia behaviour modelled by others
   • - Some may report specific incident but others may not (CC) Social learning, fear response acquired through observing reaction to a buzzer (Bandura and Rosenthal)

3. Behavioural: avoidance, faint or free

4. Cognitive: not helped by rational argument, unreasonableness of behaviour recognised

5. Behavioural approach to treating:

   • Systematic de-sensitisation (SD)
     • Counterconditioning - phobic stimulus associated with new response of relaxation
     • Reciprocal inhibition - relaxation inhibits the anxiety (Wolpe)
     • Relaxation - deep breathing, focusing on peaceful scene, progressive muscle relexation
     • Desensitisation hierarchy - from least to most fearful, relaxation practised at every step
     • + 75% effective (McGrath et al) - Not all phobias work less well for ancient fears (Ohman et al)
   • Flooding
     • One long session with the most fearful stimulus
     • Continues until anxiety subsides
     • Can be in vivo or vertical reality
     • - Individual differences + may be more effective than SD and quicker (Choy et al)

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