Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
22 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
CONTEXT: Darwin Evolutionary Theory |
-advantageous characteristics enable survival and is transmitted to the next generation -survival of our ancestors lie dominant in our brains |
|
|
Seligman 1971 |
fears are biologically prepared (genetically transmitted) which enables survival |
|
|
Seligmans research |
-2-4 electric shocks was enough to induce a phobia of spiders and snakes (photos) -larger series of shocks needed to induce fear if flowers (photos) |
|
|
behaviourists |
-believe different perspective of behaviour;we learn through Classical conditioning,operant conditioning, ST -behaviour is learnt through reward/reinforcements -behaviour is shaped by rewards/punushment/associations -this is why we avoid the creature and the more we avoid=the more reinforced it become so we fear |
|
|
little Albert -Watson |
-Watson and Raynor 1921 -induced fear of rats on little Albert by hitting a pole and then placing a rat in front of him -associated loud noise with rat -fear induced |
|
|
AIMS: |
-investigate if humans are prepared (born to) feat certain characteristics eg movements -understand the nature of animal phobias and why certain small harmless creatures may become subject of fear -prove perceptual characteristics of small harmless creatures (way it looks) should be related to ratings of feat and avoidance |
|
|
PROCEDURE: Sample |
-113 participants -from British health centre -randomly split into 2 groups |
|
|
GROUP 1 - QUESTIONAIRE 1 |
-34F and 30M -mean age of 35.5 |
|
|
GROUP 2 - QUESTIONAIRE 2 |
-25F and 24M -mean age of 35.1 |
|
|
Questionnaires |
-29 small harmless animals and insects -animals which were dangerous (such as jelly fish) p's asked if they could hurt you eg - no sting |
|
|
Q1 |
-rate how afraid -3 point scale 1=not afraid 2=quite afraid 3=very afraid -asked how near they'd go -5 point scale 1=enjoy picking it up 2=pick it up but unpleasant 3=touch/go within 6 inches 4=stand 1-6feet away 5=further than 6 ft |
|
|
Q2 |
-Had to rate 29 small animals -along 4 dimensions UGLY SLIMY SUDDENLY SPEEDINESS -3 point scale 1=not 2=quite 3=very |
|
|
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS |
-rats were most feared =2.08 most speedy =2.35 most sudden moving =2.53 most potentially harmful (questionnaire stated they were not) -sex differences; 10 species (cockroach, snake, crow, slug etc) -no sex differences - ugliness, slimness, speediness and suddenness of movement Ugliness/nearness =0.87 ugliness/fear=0.82 slimness/nearness=0.77 slimness/fear=0.67 |
|
|
CONCLUSIONS |
:) : findings support discrepancy theory -more different the animals is from human form, the more we fear it :): support hypothesis -perceptual characteristics of animals are related to fear = ugly, slimy, speedy, sudden =more feared :(: findings don't support theory that humans are prepared to fear animals which is linked to biological survival - depends on how harmful the animal is perceived |
|
|
METHODOLOGY - research method |
-questionnaire -analysed data using correlation |
|
|
questionnaire |
+; quantitative (numerical data) is obtained =easy to analyse and compare -; p's may lie - social desirability bias |
|
|
correlation context |
+; establish the nature and strength of the relationship between different variables -; cannot establish cause and effect from correlations |
|
|
:( ethical issues |
-protection from harm -stressful for p's to think and consider touching certain animals -study may highlight need to have phobias treated |
|
|
:( sample |
-All from local health centre =unrepresentative -may have been more beneficial to used p's with a genuine phobia -all British =ethnocentric |
|
|
:( validity internal |
-2 questionnaires used =how realistic |
|
|
:) external validity |
-findings can be applied to real life -ecological validity |
|
|
:( findings |
-descriptive rather than explanatory -doesn't explain why we fest stimuli which is different to human form -doesn't explain individual differences -and why there's differences between sexes |
