Saavedra and Silverman (2002) (Button-phobia) Flashcards
What was the aim of the study?
To understand the causes of button phobia (koumpounophobia) in a child and to treat the phobia using disgust and fear responses.
What is classical conditioning?
A learning process where two stimuli (neutral and unconditioned) are linked to produce a new learned response.
What is evaluative learning?
A type of classical conditioning where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a negative emotion.
How did Hepburn and Page (1999) contribute to the study?
Page found that treating both disgust and fear helped adults with blood phobia make progress.
What research method was used in the study?
A case study involving one participant.
How was data collected in the study?
Through self-report measures, including interviews with the boy and his mother.
What was the sample used in the study?
A 9-year-old Hispanic American boy who had shown symptoms of button phobia for 4 years.
How was the phobia diagnosed?
Using the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition).
What scale was used to measure distress?
A 9-point ‘Feelings Thermometer’ scale.
What was the treatment procedure?
An exposure-based treatment program that used a disgust and fear hierarchy to measure distress levels.
What is positive reinforcement therapy?
A behavioral therapy based on operant conditioning, where the boy was rewarded for handling buttons with less fear.
How did the mother participate in positive reinforcement therapy?
She provided positive reinforcement when the boy successfully engaged with buttons.
What is imagery exposure therapy?
A therapy based on classical conditioning where the boy imagined buttons falling on him to reduce distress.
How was the disgust imagery hierarchy structured?
It ranged from 0 (large denim buttons) to 8 (small clear plastic buttons).
What were the results of positive reinforcement therapy?
The boy improved in approaching buttons but his feelings of disgust and fear increased.
What were the results of imagery exposure therapy?
His distress ratings decreased from 8 to 3 when imagining buttons falling on him.
What happened during the follow-up assessments?
After 6 and 12 months, the boy no longer met the DSM-IV criteria for a specific phobia.
What did the study conclude about emotions and phobias?
Disgust-related emotions and cognitions play a role in the development and maintenance of phobias.
What did the study conclude about imagery exposure?
It has long-term effects on reducing distress from specific phobias by addressing negative evaluations.
What were the strengths of the study?
It was highly valid, used standardized measures, and collected both qualitative and quantitative data.
What were the weaknesses of the study?
The case study was not generalizable, was subjective, and had potential researcher bias and demand characteristics.
How does the study apply to real life?
It shows that classical conditioning-based therapy can effectively treat phobias with long-term improvements.
What does the study suggest about nature vs. nurture?
Phobias are learned through negative experiences rather than being innate.
How was ethical consent handled in the study?
The boy and his mother gave informed consent, though the treatment was distressing.
