Phobias and Addictions

Jennifer Bonner

University of Phoenix

Brian Hawkins

PSY 300

Phobias and Addictions

June 2, 2014

Phobias and Addictions

Classical and operant conditioning is two different learning styles. Both animals and humans alike learn through each of these learning styles. Classical conditioning affects how phobias can develop whereas operant conditioning affects how addictions occur. According to Kowalski, R. & Westen, D. (2011), classical conditioning is an environmental stimulus that leads to a learned response and operant conditioning occurs when learning to operate on the environment produces a consequence. Both learning styles may differ, but are both subject to extinction.

Phobias

According to "Phobias" (2003), a phobia is “an uncontrollable fear of a given object or situation and can develop in a variety of ways, including conditioning.” The fear can be of a particular object, situation or activity. Having a phobia is classified as an anxiety disorder where the sufferer takes measures of avoidance of the object, situation or activity and will often not face one’s fear. Phobias are learned emotional responses and occur when an original threatening situation produces fear. When this happens, the situation is then transferred to other similar situations with the original fear often being forgotten ("Phobias," 2014).

Phobias can be acquired through classical conditioning. With classical conditioning phobias are acquired by pairing a neutral stimulus with something that causes pain. These responses can become permanent. According to "Phobias" (2003), a phobia will be permanent unless the organism is subject to the extinction process. In the extinction process, one must confront the fear without the presence of the unconditioned stimulus. For example, when an individual suffers from claustrophobia, which is a fear of closed spaces. This person can avoid such things as enclosed spaces, like an elevator. To face their fear, the person would have...