Classical Conditioning in the Treatment of Phobias Phobias are emotional reactions that often interfere with one’s life on a chronic basis or acutely when the person is confronted with certain situations. While everyone has fears, people afflicted with phobias will often suffer from panic attacks when faced with phobic stimuli.
Full Answer
Are phobias a product of classical conditioning?
It is believed that these phobias are a product of classical conditioning. The theory is that the sufferer must have experienced fear in the presence of the phobic stimulus in a past event. Therefore, the stimulus now holds power over that person and can produce an anxious and fearful reaction henceforth.
What is an example of classical conditioning in psychology?
In another example, when the case of little Herbert, who had developed a phobia against horses, came across Sigmund Freud, he concluded that little Herbert’s phobic fear was due to the classical conditioning learning of fear.
Does classical conditioning work on humans?
The experiment not only concluded that Classical Conditioning worked on humans, but also that phobias could be caused by conditioned learning. The experiment was done on a 9 month old infant by the name of Albert.
What is the best way to treat phobias?
Lately there has been a trend toward a more direct approach in relieving phobias. Exposure treatments, which are a form of desensitization, expose the phobic person to increasing doses of their feared stimulus. Each dose builds upon itself until the phobic stimuli is fully realized.
Which is true of classical conditioning?
d. According to classical conditioning, the organism voluntarily operates on its environment to produce a desirable result. After behavior occurs, the likelihood of the behavior occurring again is increased or decreased by the behavior's consequences.
Which of the following best describes classical conditioning?
Which of the following statements best describes classical conditioning? It is a learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an innately meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response.
Which of the following is known for his work in classical conditioning?
Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist best known in psychology for his discovery of classical conditioning.
Which of the following distinguishes operant conditioning from classical conditioning?
Classical conditioning involves associating an involuntary response and a stimulus, while operant conditioning is about associating a voluntary behavior and a consequence.
How does classical conditioning explain phobias?
The process of classical conditioning can explain how we acquire phobias. For example, we learn to associate something we do not fear, such as a dog (neutral stimulus), with something that triggers a fear response, such as being bitten (unconditioned stimulus).
What is classical conditioning quizlet?
classical conditioning. a form of learning in which a neutral stimulus comes to elicit a response after being associated with a stimulus that already elicits that response.
How does classical conditioning work?
Classical conditioning refers to learning that occurs when a neutral stimulus (e.g., a tone) becomes associated with a stimulus (e.g., food) that naturally produces a behaviour. After the association is learned, the previously neutral stimulus is sufficient to produce the behaviour.
What is classical conditioning example?
The most famous example of classical conditioning was Ivan Pavlov's experiment with dogs, who salivated in response to a bell tone. Pavlov showed that when a bell was sounded each time the dog was fed, the dog learned to associate the sound with the presentation of the food.
Which of the following is known for his work in classical conditioning quizlet?
Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist known primarily for his work in classical conditioning.
What is the difference between classical conditioning and operant conditioning quizlet?
What is the main difference between classical conditioning and operant conditioning? Classical conditioning requires learning that two events are related, whereas operant conditioning demonstrates that behavior leads to a consequence.
Which of the following statements is true of acquisition in classical conditioning?
Which of the following is true of acquisition in classical conditioning? Subjects acquire a conditioned response when a conditioned stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus.
Which of the following is a similarity between classical conditioning and operant conditioning quizlet?
Which of the following is a similarity between classical conditioning and operant conditioning? both apply to involuntary behavior.
Which type of learning style tends to have higher analytical intelligence?
A. People who have a read/write learning style tend to have higher "analytic intelligence," which in turn predicts more academic success at the college level.
Which learning style is less likely to do well in a classroom?
C. People who have kinesthetic learning styles are less likely to do well in a classroom than people with visual or auditory learning styles.
Does learning involve behavior?
A. Learning does not involve changes in behavior.
Does Albert fear rats?
Young Albert is initially not afraid of white rats, but if white rats and loud noises are presented in sequence, Albert may learn to fear rats. In this example, white rates would be the
What is a phobia?
Phobias are emotional reactions that often interfere with one’s life on a chronic basis or acutely when the person is confronted with certain situations. While everyone has fears, people afflicted with phobias will often suffer from panic attacks when faced with phobic stimuli. Potential physiological responses of a panic attack are a release ...
How to help a phobic person with anxiety?
Lately there has been a trend toward a more direct approach in relieving phobias. Exposure treatments, which are a form of desensitization, expose the phobic person to increasing doses of their feared stimulus. Each dose builds upon itself until the phobic stimuli is fully realized. This forces the phobic person to control their anxiety in successive steps. This method has shown to be very effective given the belief that extinction occurs at a faster rate after anxiety levels risen then fallen (Carver, 2008).
What is counterconditioning in psychology?
The counterconditioning idea suggests that the sufferer can be taught or “conditioned” to produce a non-fearful emotion to the phobic stimuli. Just as they were conditioned to be fearful of certain stimuli, they can be reconditioned to be fearless and unafraid instead.
What is the extinction of phobia?
The extinction idea suggests that the sufferer should be exposed to the stimulus for an either an extensive amount of time or on a repeated basis. The thought is that the more time that an individual is in contact with a phobic stimulus, the greater their anxiety and of that stimuli will dissipate. However, the problem that many with phobias encounter is that they try to avoid specific phobic stimuli. While this may prevent a phobic reaction in the short-term, it does nothing to actually treat the underlying issue.
What is systematic desensitization?
Systematic desensitization relies on achieving a state of relaxation and then visually progressing through an anxiety hierarchy. In this hierarchy, small successive steps are added until full contact with the phobia is achieved. To demonstrate systematic desensitization, I will create a sample anxiety hierarchy for someone who has a phobia of dogs.
What is the best method of reducing phobic reactions?
Several ideas exist as to the best method of reducing phobic reactions; extinction, counterconditioning, and systematic desensitization. The extinction idea suggests that the sufferer should be exposed to the stimulus for an either an extensive amount of time or on a repeated basis. The thought is that the more time that an individual is in contact ...
How to get rid of a dog phobia?
4. Approach the dog. 3. Enter the room with the dog. 2. Enter the house. 1. Enter the yard. From a state of complete relaxation, the phobia sufferer and therapist are able to visualize these steps one at a time and counter any phobic reactions which may occur.