"When I was young, I met a large dog. I wasn't afraid of the dog, but as I tried to pet it, the dog snarled and jumped at me. I have been afraid of dogs ever since." A therapist who assumes that this sentence describes a phobia acquired from classical conditioning MOST likely favors which model of abnormality?
A) humanistic-existential
B) behavioral
C) cognitive
D) psychodynamic

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The therapist who assumes that the fear of dogs is acquired from classical conditioning favors the behavioral model of abnormality, which emphasizes observable behaviors and how they are learned through conditioning and reinforcement. The experience with the large dog is an example of classical conditioning, where the neutral stimulus (the dog) became associated with a negative response (fear and anxiety) after pairing it with an aversive experience (the dog snarling and jumping at the person). This is how phobias can be acquired and maintained, according to the behavioral model.

"When I Was Young, I Met a Large Dog