Treating phobias - Flooding

Question 1

What is flooding?

Answer 1

Based on classical conditioning, exposure is all at once opposed to gradual.
The aim of flooding is to expose the sufferer to the phobic object or situation for an extended period of time in a safe and controlled manner, and is usually done through in vivo methods.

Question 2

What is the exposure of flooding?

Answer 2

Exposure is all at once opposed to gradual - expose the sufferer to the phobic object for an extended period of time in a safe and controlled manner.

Question 3

What is the key principle of flooding?

Answer 3

Key principle is that fear is a time limited physical response - the initial strong bodily arousal caused by hormones can only last so long before the body calms down. The initial anxiety response becomes exhausted and extinct.

Question 4

How does flooding eliminate the phobia?

Answer 4

Prolonged intense exposure creates a new association between the feared stimulus and response. Also prevents escape or avoidance.

Question 5

Does flooding have supporting evidence?

Answer 5

Wolpe effectively used flooding to treat a girl’s phobia of cars by forcing her into a car and driving around for four hours.

Question 6

Is flooding ethical?

Answer 6

Highly traumatic and high amounts of anxiety. Many cannot complete the treatment.
Can be dangerous for people with heart conditions, and children who the shock may affect long term.

Question 7

Is flooding cost effective?

Answer 7

No therapy sessions needed so the original cost is worthwhile.
No demands on the NHS opposed to drug treatments which could cause side effects.

Question 8

Is flooding effective?

Answer 8

Less effective at treating more complex phobias.
Social phobias involve more cognitive aspects than just the anxiety response.