-once developed phobias is maintained by operant conditioning (people are anxious of phobic stimuli and avoid it. this prevents as anxiety which acts as negative reinforcement)
Outline systematic desensitisation (SD)
-Relies on cc to break the association between the phobic stimuli and fear
-designed to gradually reduce phobic anxiety by replacing the fear association individuals have of their phobic stimuli with relaxation
-this is called counterconditioning
outline the first step in SD
-building a hierarchy of anxiety arousing stimuli including the degree of fear experienced from 5 to 100
what is step 2
-train the client in relaxation techniques
what is step 3
-client works through hierarchy while using relaxation techniques
-since person cannot experience relaxation and anxiety at the same time relaxation prevents fear
-known as reciprocal inhibition
what is step 4
-whole process is repeated until they are calm and can confront most feared event in hierachy
outline flooding
-involves rapid and immediate exposure to phobicstimuli and very frightening situation
what can a patient not do in flooding
-make their usual avoidance response and anxiety peaks at such a level that cannot be maintained and eventually anxiety subsides.
