Question

Tina is afraid of dogs. She has never had a bad experience with dogs, but her father was injured by a dog when he was a young boy. Tina’s father goes to great lengths to avoid contact with dogs. What behavioral theory best explains Tina’s fear of dogs?

Answer 1

Answer:

Social learning theory

Explanation:

As you may know, the parent figure is very important in aperson´s life: Most of the things you learn in your early life are, in a way, connected to your parents: from speaking in a certain way (accent) to having a certain taste in music or movies...Why? very simple, because they are there with you all the time, and you learn to live the way your peers live, you adapt (and most of the times not just adapt but get to like it).

What happens to Tina may be explained by social learning theory because Tina, in her unconsious mind, learned from his father that dogs were bad and, even if she hasnt had a bad experience with them, she is still afraid of them.

For example have you ever had a bad experience with a spider? probably not, yet im sure you are afraid of them, simply because society has a negative image about them... and you adapted to live in it.