PsychopathologyPhobias

Miss Bird

AQA A Specification

AQA A Specification: Psychopathology

Definitions of abnormality, including deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately, statistical infrequency and deviation from ideal mental health.

The behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of phobias, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

The behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias; the two-process model, including classical and operant conditioning; systematic desensitisation, including relaxation and use of hierarchy; flooding.

The cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression: Beck’s negative triad and Ellis’s ABC model; cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), including challenging irrational thoughts.

The biological approach to explaining and treating OCD; genetic and neural explanations; drug therapy. 

Phobia?

An irrational fear of an object or situation.

Pair task: Answers

Ophidiophobia - snakes Arachnophobia - spiders Coulrophobia - clowns Rectaphobia - bottoms Mycophobia - mushrooms Pogonophobia - beards Hippophobia – horses Any others?

Types of phobiasSpecific phobia Phobia of a particular object or

specific situation e.g. animal types, natural environment types (e.g. heights, water), blood-injection types (e.g. blood, syringes), situational types (e.g. lifts, planes) and other types that do not fit (e.g. clowns, choking).

Types of phobiasSocial phobia Phobia of a social situation e.g.

restaurants, meetings, public speaking

Agoraphobia Phobia of being in situations that

the person cannot easily leave, such as in open spaces, crowds, public transport

CharacteristicsBehavioural Ways in which people act

Cognitive Refers to the process of thinking –

knowing, perceiving, believing

Emotional Ways in which people feel

Behavioural characteristics of phobias

Avoidance Unless intentionally trying to face their fear,

sufferers tend to go to great lengths to avoid their phobic item/situation.

This can interfere with a normal daily life in terms of routine, occupation, relationships.

Panic behaviours This is in response to the presence of the

phobic stimulus – crying, screaming, running away, freezing.

Cognitive characteristics of phobiasIrrational thinking

The fear regarding the phobic item/situation is irrational and excessive and is resistant to rational arguments

The person recognises that their fear is excessive/unreasonable (although may be absent in children).

Irrational beliefs

Illogical ways of interpreting situations

For example “I might suffocate if trapped in a lift” for an agoraphobic, or “that spider is going to kill me” or “I’m going to be an outcast if I go to that party”

Emotional characteristics of phobias

Anxiety An emotional response of anxiety and fear

that is marked and persistent, excessive. It is triggered by the presence or

anticipation of the phobic item. Anxiety is the unpleasant state of high

arousal and prevents relaxation. It is probably accompanied by a panic

attack (a feeling of panic but with biological characteristics as well).

Independent task

Read the case study of Sarah. Agoraphobic? Highlight evidence and annotate the

behavioural, cognitive and emotional characteristics of her phobia.

8 minutes.

Extension: consider the 4 definitions of abnormality for Sarah.

What are the key principles of the behavioural approach?

1. All behaviour is learned. Abnormal behaviour is no different.

2. Behaviour is learned via the processes of classical conditioning, operant conditioning and modelling (SLT).

3. What is learned can be unlearned.

4. The same principles apply to humans and non-human animals

5. Focus is on observable behaviour, not the mind.

Independent task (page 21) Complete the gap fill

consolidation task on the behavioural approach in Psychology.

The Two-Process Model Mowrer (1947)Phobias are learned.Classical conditioning –

initiation stage. Operant conditioning –

maintenance stage.

‘Little Albert’ – CC and phobias

Youtube clip - John Watson – Little Albert (2:35 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt0ucxOrPQE

Independent task

Read the case study of ‘Little Albert’ in your booklet on page 22.

Identify the UCS, UCR, NS, CS and CR and label the flowchart underneath.

‘Little Albert’Watson and Rayner (1920)

UCS UCR

Loud noise Fear response (innate reflex)

UCS + NS UCR

Loud noise + white rat Fear response

NS = CS CR

White rat = white rat = Fear response

Stimulus generalisation – once somebody has been conditioned, they will also respond to other stimuli that are similar to the CS, in this case anything white and fluffy, e.g. cotton wool and a white rabbit.

Pair task

Discuss and make notes on the following: -

How would operant conditioning explain the behavioural characteristic in phobias of avoidance?

Extension task: how might phobias be learned via SLT?

Operant conditioning to explain the maintenance of phobias The phobic response of fear and anxiety is

unpleasant. Avoiding (or escaping from) the phobic

item/situation avoids/removes this unpleasant response.

This is a positive/desirable outcome and therefore is rewarding.

Therefore the behaviour (avoiding the phobic item/situation) is repeated.

So this involves…….??? Consequently, the phobia is maintained

(continued).

Exam practice (A02)Page 23

Ever since Paul was stung by a wasp he has a fear of them. His fear of wasps is so bad that he now tends to avoid going outside to play with his friends.

Suggest how the behavioural approach might be used to explain Paul’s phobia of wasps. (4 marks)

In pairs, discuss and answer the exam question.

Class discussion.

Evaluation (A03) Page 24

Read and highlight the 4 evaluation points on page 24 for the behavioural approach to phobias.

Some sentences need finishing!

Systematic DesensitisationTreatment Based on principles of classical

conditioning. Progressive, step-by-step approach. Patients learn in stages to replace

fear response with feelings of calm/relaxation, to phobic object/situation.

Takes about a month to complete therapy.

Pair task Read the 5 stages of systematic

desensitisation on your worksheet.

Number these into the correct order.

Check with me. Write into booklets into

flowchart on page 25. 15 minutes.

Exam practicePage 26

Mia has a phobia of eating in public. She is about to go to university where she knows that she will have to eat her meals in a dining hall surrounded by other students.

Describe how a therapist might use systematic desensitisation to help Mia overcome her phobias of eating in social situations. (4 marks)

Independently, bullet point your answer to this exam question on page 26.

Evaluation of Systematic Desensitisation (A03)

Effectiveness Does the therapy work? Is it effective in treating phobias?

Appropriateness Is the therapy suitable? For everyone? Are there any associated side effects? What about ethical issues?

Group work Groups of 6. Number yourselves 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and

6. Find your evaluation point in the

classroom. Make notes on your evaluation point

on page 26. Return to original group. Peer teach your evaluation points to

each other. Total time = 25 minutes.

FloodingIndependent taskRead through page 27 on

flooding – description (A01) and evaluation (A03).

Answer the questions on the purple worksheet.

15 minutes.