2023-2025 Year 12 A-Level Psychology: Psychopathology: The Behavioural Explanation Of Phobias
These flashcards outline how the behaviourist approach explains phobias as learned behaviours. They describe the two-process model, which involves classical and operant conditioning, showing how fear responses are acquired through association and maintained through reinforcement.
The behaviourist approach would say that Phobias are a _____??___ behaviour?
Learned
Key Terms
The behaviourist approach would say that Phobias are a _____??___ behaviour?
Learned
What 2 things make up the two process model?
Classical and operant conditioning
Classical and Operant conditioning are also called what?
The two process model
Classical conditioning involves learning to ________________ something of which we initially have no fear of with something that already triggers a fear response.
Associate
Classical conditioning involves learning to associate something of which we initially have no fear of (_____________________) with something that already triggers a fear response (unconditioned stimulus).
a neutral stimulus
Classical conditioning involves learning to associate something of which we initially have no fear of (a neutral stimulus) with something that already triggers a fear response (_____________________).
unconditioned stimulus
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
The behaviourist approach would say that Phobias are a _____??___ behaviour? | Learned |
What 2 things make up the two process model? | Classical and operant conditioning |
Classical and Operant conditioning are also called what? | The two process model |
Classical conditioning involves learning to ________________ something of which we initially have no fear of with something that already triggers a fear response. | Associate |
Classical conditioning involves learning to associate something of which we initially have no fear of (_____________________) with something that already triggers a fear response (unconditioned stimulus). | a neutral stimulus |
Classical conditioning involves learning to associate something of which we initially have no fear of (a neutral stimulus) with something that already triggers a fear response (_____________________). | unconditioned stimulus |
What were the Psychologists called that conducted the Little Albert study? |
|
How old was little Albert? | 9 month old |
In the little Albert Study what was the Neutral Stimulus? | Rat |
In the little Albert Study what was the Conditioned Stimulus? | Rat |
In the little Albert Study what was the Unconditioned Stimulus? | Loud Bang/ Noise |
In the little Albert Study what was the Unconditioned Response? | Fear |
In the little Albert Study what was the Conditioned Response? | Fear |
In the little Albert Study what does Little Albert associate together? | The rat with fear |
What did they use in the Little Albert Study to create the loud bang | An Iron Bar |
Acquisition by classical conditioning means what? | To get something through Classical Conditioning |
Maintenance through operant conditioning means what? | To keep the phobias through Operant conditioning |
What Psychologist proposed phobias are initially learnt through classical conditioning then maintained through operant conditioning? | Mowrer |
Operant conditioning is how people maintain a phobia but how? | Through negative reinforcement eg) avoidance |
By avoiding places etc where people may see their phobic stimulus this reduces what? | Anxiety |
Operant conditioning is how we _______ a phobia | maintain |
Little alberts fear of rats also went onto similar objects.. can you name one? | fur coat, beard, santa clause mask |
Phobias can be long lasting - but what do people do that means this is the case? | Avoid the phobic stimulus |
A fear response is triggered from a person every time they _____ or _____ about the phobic stimulus | See or think |
If you don't use Watson and Raynor Little Albert as AO1 what can you use it as? | AO3 Research to support |
The behaviourist approach to explaining a phobia can be criticised for environmental reductionism. This is because it reduces the complex human behaviour of phobias down to the simple basic units of ….. | learning phobias through stimulus, response and associations between a neutral stimulus and a unconditioned stimulus, and maintaining a phobia through reinforcements. |
The behavioural approach to explaining phobias (two-process model) has practical applications but what is it? | This theory has been used to create the treatment; systematic desensitisation. |
In a reductionist PEEL what do you also have to refer to in the second E of your PEEL | That it neglects the Holistic approach |
In a reductionist PEEL - what does the link need to link back to | The Behavioural explanation (two-process model) of phobias may lack internal validity, as it does not allow us to understand the behaviour in context. |
An alternative approach to explaining phobias (other than the behavioral approach) is called what? | The evolutionary approach |