Agoraphobia: A Superstitious Conditioning Perspective

Abstract

The disabling escape and avoidance behaviors of agoraphobics are known to be psychological sequelae to the onset of apparently spontaneous attacks of severe anxiety. Evidence is cited in favor of the view that such spontaneous panic attacks have a biological etiology and that the avoidance rituals and escape behavior of the agoraphobic may be accounted for in terms of superstitious conditioning. Although panic attacks subside within a few minutes, in most cases, regardless of the activities of the individual, ongoing operant behavior such as flight may be adventitiously reinforced by the removal of severe anxiety. Only a few such episodes may be required to establish superstitious avoidance. This analysis is supported by extensive clinical research indicating that an effective technique in alleviating agoraphobic behavior consists of exposing the patient for prolonged periods of time to anxiety-evoking situations while he refrains from all escape and avoidance behavior. This appears to weaken the apparent established contingency relationships between panic relief, and phobic escape and avoidance, and extinguishes such superstitious behavior.