Individual Differences - Treating Abnormality (Systematic Desensitisation)

Question 1

What do behavioural therapies aim to do?

Answer 1

Replace old, abnormal responses, with new, normal ones.

Question 2

What is systematic desensitisation primarily used to treat?

Answer 2

Phobias.

Question 3

What is it based on the idea of?

Answer 3

It is not possible for two opposite emotions to be felt at the same time.

Question 4

How is systematic desensitisation carried out?

Answer 4

• A hierarchy of fear is established, stages of least threatening to most.
• Patient taught relaxation techniques followed by gradual introduction to phobia.
• Eventually old response is replaced with new response when exposed to phobic stimuli.
• Procedure can be carried out in real life or through imagined situations if it would be too dangerous to expose people to certain situations.

Question 5

What are the positives of systematic desensitisation treatment?

Answer 5

Success rates of 60-90% with spider phobias.

Question 6

What is a problem with systematic desensitisation?

Answer 6

• Success depends on how good the imagination is. Not everybody is able to do this. Real life procedures are more effective.
• Therapy doesn’t try to address deeper psychological issues, therefore they may re-emerge as another phobia or problem.
• It can cause psychological harm and/or physiological harm, stress and anxiety.

Question 7

What is flooding?

Answer 7

An alternative to systematic desensitisation. Person is exposed to worst fear with no gradual exposure. Escape from situation is prevented, person is forced to confront phobia until anxiety decreases.

Question 8

What are the positives of flooding?

Answer 8

Quicker and cheaper to carry out.

Question 9

What is the problem with flooding?

Answer 9

Ethical issues - can be too traumatic for some people and the technique must be used with caution.