The significance of cognitive learning over preparedness theory in the development of animal phobia

Animal phobia is the most prevalent type of specific phobia (a lifetime prevalence of 3.8%) across a span of 22 countries and affects people of all ages. Research has suggested that this phobia exists in humans due to prepared learning, caused from the development of fight or flight responses after generations of evading potentially dangerous threats. Vicarious learning is a cognitive form of learning derived from observing experiences in others and has also been known to play a role in fear development. The present paper will provide evidence on cultural beliefs, verbal information, and modeling influences, suggesting that cognitive learning plays a much larger role than preparedness in the learning of fear. It will also reason why exposure therapy continues to be the most effective treatment and propose areas for future research.