Asked by Liveth Jimenez on May 07, 2024
Verified
Which of the following processes explain phobias in terms of negative reinforcement of avoidant behavior?
A) Observational learning
B) Operant conditioning
C) Social-cognitive learning
D) Social learning
Operant Conditioning
Form of learning in which behaviors lead to consequences that either reinforce or punish the organism, leading to an increased or a decreased probability of a future response.
Observational Learning
Learning that occurs when a person observes the rewards and punishments of another’s behavior and then behaves in accordance with the same rewards and punishments.
Social-cognitive Learning
A theory that posits learning occurs in a social context with a dynamic and reciprocal interaction of the person, environment, and behavior.
- Understand the role of conditioning and learning theories in the development of phobias.
Verified Answer
AA
Alyssa AndradeMay 08, 2024
Final Answer :
B
Explanation :
Phobias can be understood through the process of operant conditioning, where the individual learns to avoid the feared stimulus because doing so leads to a reduction in anxiety (negative reinforcement). For example, if someone has a phobia of spiders and they avoid them, they experience relief from anxiety, which reinforces the avoidant behavior. Over time, this reinforces the association between the feared stimulus and anxiety reduction, leading to an increasingly strong phobic response.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the role of conditioning and learning theories in the development of phobias.