systematic desensitisation

Question 1

what is system desensitisation based on?

Answer 1

classical conditioning

Question 2

what is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 2

patients learn in stages to associate fear responses with feelings of calm using classical conditioning formula

Question 3

how do the stages go in systematic desensitisation?

Answer 3

-prior to treatment, hierarchy is created going from least feared type of contact to most feared

Question 4

what is the client given?

Answer 4

relaxation training through hypnosis/drugs/muscle control

Question 5

what happens in each stage to displace?

Answer 5

each stage-client introduced to phobic object whilst inducing a relaxation response-client moves through each stage of hierarchy replacing anxiety with relaxation

Question 6

how does the formula go?

Answer 6

relaxation technique(UCS)=relaxation(UCR)
relaxation technique(UCS)=Phobic stimuli at each level=relaxation(UCR)
phobic stimuli(CS)=relaxation(CR)

Question 7

STRENGTHS

Answer 7

• more ethical than flooding because person faces fear gradually
• Willis and Edwards-compared SD and flooding to teat mice phobics and found SD to be more effective (flooding no better than no therapy)

Question 8

WEAKNESSES

Answer 8

• more time consuming-goes through stages
• Marks-concluded that systematic desensitisation with relaxation is no more effective than graded exposure so proposed ‘exposure therapy’ as a replacement

Question 9

why isn’t it as stressful as flooding?

Answer 9

it goes up the hierarchy of fears