BEHAVIOURIST Therapy - Systematic Desensitisation Flashcards
What do behaviorists argue about the development of phobias?
Phobias come about through learning, not innate characteristics. People are not born with phobias but develop them due to negative experiences.
What type of conditioning is commonly involved in the development of phobias?
Classical conditioning.
What is the aim of systematic desensitization (SD)?
To extinguish a phobia by replacing the undesirable behavior (fear) with a more desirable one (relaxation).
What is the belief behind systematic desensitization?
If a person is exposed to the thing they fear, they may learn that the thing is not as scary as they thought and can eventually unlearn the phobia.
What does the assumption in SD relate to the environment?
All behavior is learned from the environment and conditioned responses can be unlearned by manipulating the environment.
What is reciprocal inhibition in SD?
It’s the idea that it’s impossible to feel two opposing emotions (like fear and relaxation) at the same time.
What does counter conditioning involve in SD?
The process of replacing fear with relaxation through controlled exposure.
What is the first step in SD treatment?
The patient is trained in deep muscle relaxation techniques.
What does a desensitization hierarchy involve?
The patient constructs a list of feared situations, starting from the least fearful, and works through them while practicing relaxation techniques.
How does the patient progress through the desensitization hierarchy?
The patient progresses at their own pace, and may move back a step if necessary.
What are the two main forms of SD?
In Vivo Desensitization and In Vitro Desensitization.
What is In Vivo Desensitization?
The client directly experiences the feared stimuli while practicing relaxation techniques.
What is In Vitro Desensitization?
The client visualizes the feared stimuli while practicing relaxation techniques.
Which form of SD is more successful?
In Vivo Desensitization is more successful than In Vitro (Menzies & Clarke, 1993).
What did Capafons et al (1998) find about SD?
Clients with a fear of flying showed less fear in a flight simulator after treatment with SD.
What was the outcome of Lang and Lazovik’s (1963) study using SD?
Fear ratings for students with snake phobias decreased after 11 sessions of SD, with improvement lasting 6 months.
What did McGrath (1990) find about SD?
75% of patients with phobias responded successfully to SD treatment.
What is a limitation of SD?
It is not appropriate for all phobias, such as fear of death, where a hierarchy cannot be created.
What is the biological preparedness theory?
We are more likely to fear things with biological significance (e.g., snakes, spiders), as they provided survival advantages.
What is the issue with SD in relation to biological preparedness?
If phobias have a biological cause, SD may only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.
What is symptom substitution?
The idea that phobias may return in a different form after treatment, as SD only addresses the symptom of fear, not the underlying cause.
What is the ethical issue with SD treatment?
It can cause stress as patients are exposed to long-held fears, which may be unpleasant.
What is the alternative to SD in treating phobias?
Flooding.
How does flooding work as a treatment for phobias?
The client is forced into an inescapable situation with the feared stimuli until the fear dissipates.
