Capafons

• AIM

  • Investigate if systematic desensitisation is still an effective method of treating the phobia of flying​
  • How successful SD is in comparison to receiving no treatment
• PROCEDURE 1

  • Volunteer sample in advert to take part in a free-of-charge intervention program aimed at treating the fear of flying​
  • 41 P's 20P in experimental group and 21 in control group (matched pairs)​
  • Pre-test using interview, self report (fear scale before flight, during and w out involvement), and physiological measures​
• Procedure 2

  • Next 8 weeks, had 2 one-hour sessions of therapy broken into 3:​
  • Relaxation and imagination training (breathing exercises)​
  • Developing and working through fear hierarchy​
  • Systematic Desensitisation – exposure to fear while doing techniques​
  • Each P took 2 flights within 7 days of therapy being completed​
  • Post test – interview, self-report measures, physiological measures​
• Findings

  • EMV (fear scale) for experimental condition went from 25.6 before, to 13.25 after, compared to 26.03 to 25.81 with the control​
  • Significant difference in the fear of flying between those who received SD and those who did
• Conclusion

  • Systematic Desensitization is a successful way of treating the fear of flying. This is because:​

  Training in breathing and relaxation was thorough​

  Hierarchy was sloped carefully – no repetition​

  Imagination situations used first – very gradual
• :) Practical Applications

   airlines have benefited as they can help their passengers overcome fear of flying. T/f increase business​
• :) Mundane Realism

   task of therapy was genuine, so realistic to everyday therapy. T/f findings on SD can be generalised to a wider pop
• :( Unethical - Protection from harm

  the 21 P's in the control group weren't given therapy, but were still made to take 2 flights even though they had fears. T/f unethical as didn’t protect ppants​
• :( Demand Characteristics

  ppants had to do a pre-test and post-test, so may have guessed the true aim of the study, and changed their behaviour to favour/sabotage the findings. T/f lacks internal validity​