Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Systematic Desensitization, Triskaidekaphobia, Aversion Therapy

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Dr.Mike

Document Summary

Psychotherapy based on principle of classical or operant conditioning. Problem is viewed as error or failure in learning. You associate a wrong thing with a wrong thing. They do not like it, so they avoid it and stay awat from it. They know they shouldn"t be afraid of bunnies. Flooding & implosion are unlikely to be used for treatment of phobia. Continuously presentedwith fearful object, until it no longer produces a response (not suitable for intense phobia) Patients must be willing to expose self to fear for prolonged intervals. Replace cr of fear with a more pleasant response. Pair the feared object (low-intensity) with the positive. Imagine more fearful situation, receives cue, if client can relax, move on. Client progress to actual experience (ie holding real snake); receives cue, the final step is called in vivo desensitization . Takes some time, but very effective, used commonly. Behaviour maintained because of reinforcement (whether positive or negative) contingency.