Psychopathology

Question 1

What is Flooding?

Answer 1

A behavioural therapy in which a phobic patient is exposed to an extreme form of phobic stimulus in order to reduce anxiety caused by that stimulus.Takes place across a small number of long therapy sessions.

Question 2

How does Flooding work?

Answer 2

-Stops the phobic stimulus very quickly
-Without the option of avoidance behaviour, patient learns-phobic stimulus=harmless.Known as extinction.
-Learned response= extinguished when the conditioned stimulus is encountered without the unconditioned stimulus.
-Conditioned stimulus = no longer produces the conditioned response.
-Some patients= achieve relaxation in pressure of phobic stimulus due to exhaustion from own fear response