Phobias and Addictions1

Phobias and Addictions

Melinda Johnson

PSY/300

September 5, 2011

Kaisa Freeman

Phobias and Addictions2

Phobias and Addictions

A substantial amount of learning exists when people make associations between the

environment and making choices according to the known consequences. According to Kowalski

and Westen learning theory (2009), the concept that learning is adaptive and shapes behavior,

forms the fundamental concepts of the behaviorist perspective. Known together as associative

learning, classical, and operant learning are two common yet different ways in which people

learn behavior.

The results of both classical and operant conditioning contribute to the individual’s

ability to thrive and function normally and acclimate to the complications of human society. Just

as classical and operant learning can help achieve functioning in society they can also cause

dysfunction. Two devastating emotional difficulties that can develop through these conditionings

are phobias and addictions.

Phobias

A phobia is a constant illogical fear of an object, situation, or activity that the person is

driven to avoid. Phobias can interfere with the ability to work, socialize, maintain a normal daily

routine and can cause such an overwhelming anxiety that people who have these phobias go

through extreme measures to avoid the situation or object associated with the phobia. These

reactions may isolate the person from society, and there can be physical debilitating symptoms

associated with the phobias such as: shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pains, a choking

sensation, sweating, dizziness, nausea, and fear of death. (APA, 2010)

The development of phobias through classical conditioning happens when one stimulus is

paired with another that changes or obscures the original reflexive response to the original

stimulus. As with the fear of animals (zoophobia) a person encounters an animal, compare the

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animal to the bell in Pavlov’s classical conditioning experiment with the dogs. The animal does

not on its own cause fear or anxiety in a person just as the bells do not cause dogs to drool,

nevertheless if the animal is paired with an irrational or fearful thought that the animal may bite

and kill, consequently the person has learned to fear the animal because of the irrational or

fearful thought that is automatically associated with the sight or even thought of animals. It is

the pairing of the object or with the thought that causes anxiety and fear just as the pairing of the

bell with food taught dogs to drool when they heard the bell. Phobias will continue to cause fear

and anxiety in a person until the disassociation of the fearful irrational thought from the object is

removed.

Extinction in Classical Conditioning

Extinction in classical conditioning is the process by which the conditioned response is

weakened when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus.

(Kowalski & Westen, 2009) In the example with zoophobia, the animal is removed or

disassociated with the fearful and irrational thoughts and eventually the phobia should be

weakened until there is no longer an association between the two. However, after extinction there

may be a spontaneous recovery where an association is revitalized usually for a short time by a

remaining association that is weak and will not stay for long and most likely not bring back the

old association.

Addiction

Addiction is defined as a primary, chronic disease, characterized by an inability to control

the use of a psychoactive substance. The term addiction also applies to compulsion not-

substance related such as gambling described as a recurring compulsion to engage in an activity

despite harmful consequences to physical, mental, and social health. (APA, 2010) The

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development of addictions through operant conditioning takes place when a person is stimulated

for example, playing the lottery (gambling) ,which is the behavior and responds to gambling by

experiencing a new “high” sensation (reinforcement) and wants more of what is being sensed

( the high). The person enjoys this altered state of being “high” or developing a very good

sensation and it causes the person to increase the regularity of doing what has enabled the person

to establish the “high”, and this causes the person to become addicted. The behavior is being

positively reinforced and according to the principles of operant conditioning behavior that is

followed by a stimulus that is pleasant, increases the frequency of that behavior. (Kowalski &

Westen, 2009) In operant conditioning, an important part of the learning process is the schedule

of the reinforcement prompted by the behavior, and this schedule or timing has a dramatic

impact on the strength of the response. The positive reinforcement associated with gambling is

continuous; therefore it creates a strong association between the behavior and the response.

Extinction in Operant Conditioning

Extinction can occur in operant conditioning similar to the process in classical

conditioning, but in operant conditioning, extinction occurs when there is a lack of the associated

consequence following the behavior. If the behavior does not produce either a favorable or an

unfavorable consequence, the behavior will eventually end and not be performed again.

(Kowalski & Westen, 2009) The expectation is that if the addict no longer experiences an “high”

state from gambling or drug use the addicts behavior is not reinforced and should eventually stop

but this is not the case the majority of the time because the addict seeks to find something else

that will take the place of that high that they cannot obtain and in a drug addict this means more

dosage of the drug or obtaining something more stronger than the drug that was used previously.

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Distinguishing Between Operant and Classical Conditioning

Operant and classical conditioning are two types of associative learning developed out of

the behaviorist perspective. Although they share common features such as extinction, prepared

learning, discrimination, generalization, and the possibility of maladaptive associations, both

involve learning associations, and neither conditioning will last if not reinforced. (Kowalski &

Westen, 2009) Each conditioning is characterized by unique differences in their way to achieve

learning.

In classical conditioning, the stimulus that produces an automatic response is replaced by

a different stimulus, in operant condition the behavior is chosen according to consequences of

the behavior and is positively or negatively reinforced to make the behavior preferred. (Kowalski

& Westen, 2009) Founded on previously learned material, operant conditioning depends on the

active choice of the learner although classical conditioning involves involuntary spontaneous

behavior, which makes operant conditioning a more active learning experience and classical

conditioning more passive in regard to conscious or semi- conscious thought processes.

Conclusion

Associative learning involves two separate and distinct ways of learning and each is

effective in different situations. Everyday people learn by association, and most of these learned

behaviors involve both types of conditioning. Both types are intertwined in a continuous learning

experience and most people cannot decipher which conditioning type they are learning and most

learning takes place without the conscious knowledge of the person. These associations can be a

source of emotional difficulties such as phobias and addictions, whereas extinction can be

achieved, the process can be difficult and become an extensive lengthy process. However,

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learning by association allows people to survive, adapt to, and steer through an ever-changing

environment.

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References

American Psychiatric Association. (2010, February 10). DSM-5 proposed revisions include new

category of addiction and related disorders. Retrieved August 31st 2011, from

http://www.psych.org/MainMenu/Newsroom/NewsReleases/DSM-5-Proposed-

Revisions-Include-New-Category-of-Addiction-and Related-disorders.aspx

Kowalski, R., & Westen, D. (2009). Psychology (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley