Which perspective emphasizes conditioning and observational learning as causes of anxiety disorders?

Which perspective emphasizes conditioning and observational learning as causes of anxiety disorders?

• A. Biological Perspective on Disorders
• B. Learning Perspective on Disorders
• C. DSM-5
• D. Dissociative Amnesia

Answer: (B)

Learning perspective on disorders emphasizes how experiences shape anxiety through conditioning and social learning. Through classical conditioning, a neutral cue can become fear-provoking after it’s paired with a frightening event, so the person starts to respond with anxiety to the cue itself. Once avoidance reduces discomfort, this behavior is reinforced, making the anxiety more persistent. Observational learning adds that people can acquire anxious responses by watching others express fear or distress, even without direct danger. So, anxiety disorders can develop from environmental experiences and learned associations, rather than from biology alone. This contrasts with the biological perspective, which focuses on genetics and brain chemistry, with the DSM-5 serving as a diagnostic framework, and with dissociative amnesia, a memory-related symptom, not a theory about what causes anxiety disorders.

Learning perspective on disorders emphasizes how experiences shape anxiety through conditioning and social learning. Through classical conditioning, a neutral cue can become fear-provoking after it’s paired with a frightening event, so the person starts to respond with anxiety to the cue itself. Once avoidance reduces discomfort, this behavior is reinforced, making the anxiety more persistent. Observational learning adds that people can acquire anxious responses by watching others express fear or distress, even without direct danger. So, anxiety disorders can develop from environmental experiences and learned associations, rather than from biology alone. This contrasts with the biological perspective, which focuses on genetics and brain chemistry, with the DSM-5 serving as a diagnostic framework, and with dissociative amnesia, a memory-related symptom, not a theory about what causes anxiety disorders.