Several Learning Theories Explain the Development and Maintenance of Phobias

question 35

Essay

Several learning theories explain the development and maintenance of phobias. How would different learning theories explain the development and maintenance of a university student in Canada's fear of dogs?

---

Definitions:

Behavioral Aggregation

The process of combining multiple instances of behavior over time to give a more stable assessment of an individual's typical behavior.

Attitudes and Behavior

The relationship between individuals' evaluations of objects, people, or events (attitudes) and their actions (behavior).

Effort Justification

The tendency to assign greater value to outcomes that require a higher level of effort to achieve, often as a means to rationalize the expenditure of resources.

Effort Justification

A phenomenon where individuals assign greater value to outcomes they had to put effort into achieving or obtaining.