1. Systematic desensitisation
Learning Approach

2. What is it?
It’s based on the assumption that psychological disorders are behaviours we have learnt through classical and operant conditioning
It focuses on changing abnormal behaviour rather than thought processes or biological causes
Aims to help a person unlearn the abnormal behaviour and replace it with a more suitable one.

3. Process..
For example using treatment to overcome abnormal behaviour such as phobias, Treatment can take place over a number of sessions and can use either process of in vivo (exposure to real object) or in vitro (imaginary exposure to object). Uses four stages: 1) Functional analysis – questioning to discover anxiety/triggers for it 2) Anxiety hierarchy – both create a hierachy of anxiety provoking situations 3) Relaxation training – taught to relax using different methods 4) Gradual exposure – slowly introducing object

4. Example of systematic desensitisation being used to treat acrophobia (fear of heights) ECykyQWE

5. Evaluating the treatment..
Effective with simple phobias such as a particular species of snakes
Treatment is considered to be more ethical than others based on classical conditioning e.g. Aversion therapy
Outcomes are easy to measure as goals are clearly specified before hand
Complex and social phobias don’t work as well and have high relapse rates, e.g. Fear of being in open spaces
Treatment only focuses on observable symptoms rather than deeper psychological ones.
Some therapists argue not all steps are needed for it to be successful, only exposure in itself is enough to be effective