Classical Conditioning as a Therapy to Treat Phobias

Question 1

What is the aim of classical conditioning?

Answer 1

To change behaviours by changing the associations we make. E.g associating undesirable behaviours with something unpleasant and desirable behaviours with something pleasant

Question 2

What are the 4 stages of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 2

1) Functional analysis: this is where the therapist carefully questions the client to discover the nature of the anxiety and the possible triggers to the phobia
2) Construction of anxiety hierarchy: this is where together the client and therapist derive a hierarchy of anxiety provoking situations from least (1) to most fearful (10). This provides a visual chart of the goals and progression of the client
3) Relaxation training (desensitisation): People are taught to relax their muscles, taught to imagine happy scenarios, meditate, breathing techniques and anything else which will help the client to relax
4) Gradual exposure (systematic component): The therapy begins and the client uses their newly learnt relaxation techniques to work their way up the anxiety hierarchy. The next level is only taken on when the client’s anxiety response to each situation is extinguished and successfully remains calm.

Question 3

What is reciprocal inhibition?

Answer 3

When two contrasting emotions cannot coexist. For e.g you can’t be calm and scared simultaneously

Question 4

What is the difference between in vivo and in vitro systematic desensitisation therapy?

Answer 4

• in vivo= exposure to real life object

- in vitro= imaginary exposure to object (VR)

Question 5

What is flooding?

Answer 5

When a client agrees to face their highest anxiety provoking phobia, in the hope that length of time they’re exposed to the the phobic object they learn there are no consequences to the phobic object, and the phobia is immediately extinguished.

Question 6

Identify and explain the 6 key concepts of flooding.

Answer 6

1. Reciprocal inhibition: can’t feel 2 opposing emotions at the same time. The activation of the sympathetic nervous system inhibits the parasympathetic nervous system
2. Rapid exposure: person becomes too physically exhausted for the CR to continue, causing extinction of the phobia
3. No escape: patient is prevented from making normal avoidance response therefore extinction will occur
4. Extinction: A learned response is extinguished when the CS is encountered without the UCS, so CS no longer produced CR
5. Implosion: When phobic patients don’t face the real object, but instead are bombarded with detailed descriptions of the situation for 6-9 continuous hours
6. Virtual reality: Exposure therapy, when virtual environments are created to cause extreme anxiety which is fairly effective.

Question 7

Give 3 strengths of the effectiveness of SD as a treatment.

Answer 7

1) Ethically kinder as it is a gradual process which relies on the individuals own perception of when they feel ready to increase the anxiety of their situation, making sure the intensity doesn’t get too high
2) High internal validity due to effectiveness of SD. Multiple personal 1 to 1 sessions establishes a trustworthy cause and effect relationship between the treatment and reduction of the phobia.
3) Past research supports effectiveness of treatment. Capafons successfully treated 90% of the participants from their fear of flying using this technique.

Question 8

Give 2 weaknesses of the effectiveness of SD as a treatment.

Answer 8

1) Relies on clients ability to imagine the fearful situation. Some people can’t create a vivid image using invitro methods and are not ready for in vivo methods either so SD is not always effective
2) Low generalisability as Capafons study only treated the phobia of fear of flying making it difficult to generalise this method to all types of phobias.

Question 9

Give 3 strengths of the effectiveness of flooding as a treatment for phobias

Answer 9

1) For some people with very strong phobias, it can be more successful as they are likely to struggle to keep up with the relaxation of SD
2) Used for PTSD and OCD with success in reducing the symptoms of these complex disorders
3) Research to support is Emmelamp and Rachman (1979) found that 75% of their 70 agoraphobics were still benefiting from the effects of their treatment 4 years later

Question 10

Give 3 weaknesses of the effectiveness of flooding as a treatment for phobias.

Answer 10

1) Low ethics as exposing the client to such high anxiety levels may trigger severe panic attacks
2) Produces high levels of fear which can be very traumatic and as a result many patients refuse to start or complete treatment
3) Evidence against is Rowe and Craske (1998) suggests multiple exposures should be conducted in different settings using varied stimuli to improve the durability and generalisability of treatment to real world encounters