Interventions Based on Classical Conditioning Flashcards
Davidson and Parker’s (2001) meta-analysis of the research suggests that the effectiveness of EMDR is due to:
A. replacement of dysfunctional thoughts with more adaptive ones.
B. the acquisition of adequate coping skills.
C. replacement of the fear response with an incompatible response.
D. repeated exposure in imagination to the feared object or event.
Answer D is correct. Based on their meta-analysis, Davidson and Parker concluded that rapid eye movements do not add to the effectiveness of EMDR and that its effectiveness is due to repeated exposure to the feared object or event in imagination. Note, however, that a more recent meta-analysis by Lee and Cuijpers (2013) led them to conclude that eye movements do contribute to the beneficial effects of EMDR.
Research using the dismantling strategy has found that __________ is responsible for the beneficial effects of systematic desensitization.
A. reciprocal inhibition
B. response prevention
C. extinction
D. higher-order conditioning
Answer C is correct. Wolpe viewed reciprocal inhibition (counterconditioning) to be responsible for the effectiveness of systematic desensitization, but studies using the dismantling strategy have found extinction (repeated exposure to the CS without the US) to be the curative factor.
To eliminate a client’s nail-biting, a therapist instructs her to paint her nails with a foul-tasting substance. The therapist is using which of the following interventions?
A. aversion therapy
B. implosive therapy
C. reciprocal inhibition
D. covert sensitization
Answer A is correct. When using aversion therapy, a stimulus associated with the problem behavior (or the problem behavior itself) is paired with an unconditioned stimulus that naturally produces an unpleasant response that’s incompatible with that behavior. In the situation described in this question, nail-biting is the CS, while the foul-tasting substance is the US that causes nausea or other unpleasant response (the UR). As a result of pairing nail-biting with the foul-tasting substance, nail-biting will stop because it has become associated with an unpleasant response (CR).
When using implosive therapy, the client’s image of:
A. a stimulus associated with the problem behavior is paired with an image of a scene that naturally elicits relaxation.
B. a stimulus associated with the problem behavior is paired with an image of a stimulus that naturally produces an incompatible and undesirable response.
C. a feared stimulus is embellished by the therapist with psychodynamic themes.
D. a feared stimulus is embellished with a “relief scene.”
Answer C is correct. Implosive therapy is a type of exposure that’s always conducted in imagination and incorporates psychodynamic elements.
When using covert sensitization, the client’s image of:
A. a stimulus associated with the problem behavior is paired with an image of a scene that naturally elicits relaxation.
B. a stimulus associated with the problem behavior is paired with an image of a stimulus that naturally produces an incompatible and undesirable response.
C. a feared stimulus is embellished by the therapist with psychodynamic themes.
D. a feared stimulus is embellished with a “relief scene.”
Answer B is correct. Covert sensitization is a type of aversion therapy (aversive counterconditioning) that’s conducted in imagination and involves pairing presentation of the stimulus (CS) associated with the problem behavior with a stimulus (US) that naturally elicits an incompatible and undesirable response. Note that answer D is not the correct answer to this question for two reasons: First, the relief scene is introduced after counterconditioning, which is the procedure described in answer B. Second, when using covert sensitization, sessions OFTEN end by having the client imagine a relief scene. In other words, covert sensitization may or may not end with having the client imagine a relief scene.
