Aim and objective By the end of this section you should be able to answer this question, which could be question 1b on the exam paper: Describe how the behaviourist approach has been applied to systematic desensitisation (12 marks)

 What is a phobia?  Use the space in the booklet to define a phobia and list some common phobias.  A phobia is an exaggerated fear of an object or situation.  The fear is irrational – the fear of the thing is greater than the risk posed by the thing itself.

1. Arachnophobia 2. Sociaphobia 3. Aviophobia 4. Agoraphobia 5. Claustrophobia 6. Acrophobia 7. Emetophobia 8. Carcinophobia 9. Brontophobia 10. Necrophobia

 How do you think phobias could be learned according to the behaviourist approach?  Which piece of research is evidence for phobias being classically conditioned?  Little Albert

 According to behaviourists, phobias are learnt just like any other behaviour.  In your booklet write down how John could have developed his phobia of dogs, how would he have become conditioned to have this phobia?:

 It was first developed by Wolpe (1958) and is commonly used in the treatment of phobias.  Phobias come about through classical conditioning, but are maintained through operant conditioning.  People avoid what they are afraid of so the association and the reward stays with them.

 AIM: This therapy aims to extinguish an undesirable behaviour fear by replacing it with a more desirable one: relaxation.  How does this link with the assumptions of behaviourism?  The behavioural approach assumes that all behaviour is learned from the environment. Therefore, we can unlearn conditioned responses by manipulating the environment.

 We can not feel fear and relaxation at the same time, as the two emotions are not compatible.  This is reciprocal inhibition.  Two opposing emotions cannot be felt at the same time

XdL-fs The client learns relaxation techniques (relaxation training) The client works out an anxiety hierarchy from the least frightening to the most frightening Stroke dog fur View a picture of dog Pet a dog See dog but it is in a cage The client works through the hierarchy being brought gradually into contact with the phobic stimulus whilst using relaxation techniques (graduated exposure) See dog but it is on a lead Be around dogs loose in the park Watch a documentary about dogs

 Read the description of the process of SD in your handout and try to find a way of remembering what they 5 stages are.

 Clip from old phobias video showing boy having SD  Clip from new Marsden doc showing same boy years later. Brain- secret history episode on emotions 14 min 50 sec in

 Read the info in booklet about these 2 types of SD and then name some phobias which you would use in vivo or in vitro. VivoVitro

 SD uses Classical Conditioning. Feared stimuli are conditioned through therapy to be associated with relaxation. This will lead to extinction of the fear response.  SD uses generalisation. It is impossible for the therapist to account for every possible fearful situation. Relaxation learned should be generalisable to other similar stimuli.

 In pairs, design an anxiety hierarchy for any of the following phobia’s  Decide on In vivo or in vitro technique?  Claustrophobia (fear of small confined spaces)  Trypanophobia (fear of medical procedures, needles)  Nyctophobia (fear of the dark)  Maskaphobia (fear of costumed characters/masks)  Acrophobia (fear of heights)  Megalophobia (fear of large objects)  Pediophobia (fear of dolls)  Pyrophobia (fear of fire)  Algophobia (fear of pain)  Ephebiphobia (fear of teenagers)

 Lang and Lazovik (1963) two groups of people with snake phobias- one had SD treatment and the other didn’t. Confronted them with snakes and the group with SD treatment showed less fear initially and in the six month follow up.  Rothbaum (2000) used in vitro SD for people who had fear of flying. Most took test flight after and most had a reduction in their phobia for over 6 months.  McGrath (1990) found that SD is successful for a wide range of anxiety disorders, with 75% of patients with phobias responding to treatment.

 This therapy links to the assumptions of the behaviourist approach by...   The aim of this therapy is...   The main features of the therapy are as follows...  The role of the therapist is to...   An example of how the therapy might work is...   Research into the effectiveness of this therapy was carried out by And they showed that 

 Create a flyer for a clinic which treats phobias with SD.  Include the following information  The aim of the therapy and how it works  The process of the therapy, linked to the Beh app  An example of the therapy in action  Research evidence which supports it’s effectiveness  It must be written so that someone with no knowledge of psychology could understand it

 FGE7QELQ FGE7QELQ  How would you help this woman?

 Read about Little Peter, one of the first people to have a phobia cured this way  Can you think of any phobias that could not be cured this way?  How might operant conditioning sustain a phobia?  Watch the following video about treatment for phobias  What strengths and weaknesses can you see with SD? Think about time and cost. How ethical is it?

 You should leave this lesson being able to answer this exam question:  Describe how the behaviourist approach has been applied to systematic desensitisation (12 marks)

 Use the information on this page to help you prepare to answer the question at the start of the next lesson.  There is a suggested structure to follow but you can devise your own. Describe how the behaviourist approach has been applied to systematic desensitisation (12m)