The Behavioural Approach Treating Phobias

Question 1

What are the 2 behaviour approaches to treating phobias?

Answer 1

1)SD Systematic Desensitisation
2)Flodding

Question 2

What is systematic Desensitisation behavioural therapy

Answer 2

Patients learn to associate the CS with Relaxation

This means: Fear/CR is counter-conditioned with a relation response

The relaxation prevents Anxiety

Question 3

What are the 3 process in systematic Desensitisation

Answer 3

1)Anxiety Hierachy
2)Relation
3)Exposure

Question 4

What is the anxiety hierarchy (processes in SD)

Answer 4

HIERACHY OF LEAST TO MOST FRIGHTENING TO SITUATIONS RELEVANT TO THEIR PHOBIA

Question 5

What is exposure process in systematic desensitisation

Answer 5

Patient being exposed to phobic stimulus whilst in a relaxed state

Question 6

Why does the Exposure process take place across several sessions?

Answer 6

The patient has to work there way up their Anxiety Hierachy

By, Facing least feared phobic stimulus to most

Question 7

What must the patient do to move up the Anxiety Hierarchy(Exposure process)

Answer 7

Remain relaxed in the presence of phobic stimulus at that level

Question 8

What are the 2 ways Expsoure can be done

Answer 8

1)Visualising through images(Kinda fake)

2) genuinely being exposed to phobic stimuls(Real)

Question 9

Limitation Of systematic Desensitisation (Behaviour approach to explaining Abnormality)

Answer 9

Not Effective in treating Evolutionary Phobias(Natural Phobias)

E.G.Fear of heights aren’t effectively treated by SD

As: some Phobias have an Evolutionary survival Benefit
As: a result of Evoulotion

Highlights a limitation of SD

Question 10

Strength of systematic Desensitisation (Behaviour approach to explaining Abnormality)

Answer 10

Supporting Evidence

E.G there is evidence that its 90% effective for phobias of Spiders

Highlights how Effective it is

Question 11

What is Flooding?

Answer 11

Exposing people to their phobic stimulus immediately

Unlike SD where its gradually exposed (with an anxiety hierachy)

Question 12

Which method of treating phobias sessions typically takes longer?
(Question isn’t which takes longer to fix)

Answer 12

Flooding sessions Take longer

As Flooding sessions often only need 1 long session to cure the phobia

Question 13

Process of flooding/how flooding works (point)

Answer 13

Through the **process of **EXTINCTION-

1)There is no option to avoid the phobia
2)so:The patient quickly learns that the phobia is harmles

Now the phobia now longer produces a fear/anxiety response

Question 14

Explain how extinction/flooding is able to treat phobias (evidence)

(The question isnt how is it exactly how the process is done but how the process acc works)

Answer 14

The conditioned response(FEAR/ANXIETY)
Is extinguished

When:the conditioned stimulus (a dog)
is encountered without the unconditioned stimulus(being bitten)

Now:the CS(dog) NO LONGER producers the Conditoned response(fear)

Question 15

An example of how extinction/flooding works

Answer 15

Phobia of Dogs
Flooding sessions

1)Immediately be put in the presence of a Dog without option of avoidance

2)until u realise the dog is harmless

Now the dog no longer producers fear/anxiety response

Question 16

Ethical safeguards of flooding

Answer 16

Flooding is an unpleasant experience
So informed consent has to be ensured prior to the session

Question 17

Point (Strength of Flooding)

Answer 17

Highly cost-effective

Question 18

Evidence and explain(Strength of Flooding 1)

Answer 18

Strength as:flooding can work in as little as 1 session as opposed to 10 sessions in SD
Making it more cost-effective

This matters because:more people can be treated at the same cost as SD

Question 19

Point (weakness of Floooding)

Answer 19

Is an unpleasant experience

Question 20

Evidence and explain (weakness of Flooding)

Answer 20

For example:Sarah et al(2015) found that participants rated flooding significantly more stressful than SD.
this raises the ethical issue for psychologists of knowing causing stress to clients.

This suggests:therapists may avoid using the treatment