Chapter 14

Question 1

anxiety hierarchy

Answer 1

In exposure therapy, a rank-ordered list of anxiety-provoking stimuli to which the client will be gradually exposed

Question 2

applied behavior

Answer 2

an evidence-based behavior therapy approach to the treatment of autism spectrum disorder, based largely on contingency management

Question 3

assertiveness training

Answer 3

A form of behavior therapy based on classical conditioning in which clients improve on timid, apprehensive, or ineffectual social behaviors

Question 4

B. F. Skinner

Answer 4

argued that operant conditioning (the mechanism by which the law of effect influenced behavior) was just as great an influence on human behavior as classical conditioning

Question 5

baselines

Answer 5

In behavior therapy, pretreatment data on a problem behavior used as a basis for later comparisons

Question 6

behavior therapy

Answer 6

An approach to psychotherapy emphasizing empiricism, observable and quantifiable problems and progress, and a lack of speculation about internal mental processes

Question 7

behavioral activation

Answer 7

A form of behavior therapy for depression, the goal of which is to increase the frequency of behaviors that are positively reinforcing to the client

Question 8

behavioral consultation

Answer 8

An indirect alternative to behavior therapy whereby the therapist serves as a consultant to an individual such as a parent, teacher, or supervisor who ultimately implements the behavioral interventions with the client in the natural setting

Question 9

classical conditioning

Answer 9

Conditioning in which an unconditioned stimulus that produces an unconditioned response is paired with a conditioned stimulus such that the conditioned stimulus elicits a similar response (labeled as the conditioned response)

Question 10

conditioned response

Answer 10

In classical conditioning, the response elicited by the conditioned stimulus after the conditioned stimulus has been paired with the unconditioned stimulus

Question 11

conditioned stimulus

Answer 11

In classical conditioning, the stimulus paired with the unconditioned stimulus that ultimately elicits the conditioned response

Question 12

contingencies

Answer 12

The “if …, then … “ statements connecting actions to outcomes that organisms learn through operant conditioning

Question 13

contingency management

Answer 13

A form of behavior therapy based on operant conditioning in which the consequences following selected behaviors are changed to produce more desirable behavior counterconditioning

Question 14

counterconditioning

Answer 14

Re-pairing a conditioned stimulus with a response that is incompatible with the previously conditioned response; an essential component of systematic desensitization

Question 15

Testable hypotheses

Answer 15

theories that can be supported, refuted, modified, and retested

Question 16

Empirical data

Answer 16

Scientific collection of data at a starting baseline, mid-points, and as a final assessment of change
Behavioral therapy is the clinical application of the scientific method’s five steps

Question 17

Baselines

Answer 17

the pre-treatment frequencies or durations of behaviors

Question 18

Observable changes

Answer 18

objective, outward demonstrations of change

Question 19

Introspection

Answer 19

speculative mental processes, not directly observable and so unable to be empirically supported or refuted
Behavioral therapy emphasizes external, environmental factors over internal personality traits as contributing factors to clients’ problems

Question 20

Classical conditioning

Answer 20

a passive style of learning exemplified by Pavlov’s dog studies, with four distinct components

Question 21

Unconditioned stimulus

Answer 21

a stimulus that requires no experience or learning to evoke a response (e.g., the dog’s food)

Question 22

Unconditioned response

Answer 22

an inborn response that requires no experience or learning to associate with the stimulus (e.g., the dog salivating)

Question 23

Conditioned stimulus

Answer 23

a stimulus associated with a response through experience and learning (e.g., the sound of the bell)

Question 24

Conditioned response

Answer 24

a response adopted through experience and learning associated with a particular stimulus (e.g., the dog salivating in response to the bell)

Question 25

Generalization

Answer 25

when the conditioned response is evoked by stimuli that are similar to, but not an exact match for, the conditioned stimulus

Question 26

Discrimination

Answer 26

when the conditioned response is not evoked by such a stimulus

Question 27

Operant conditioning

Answer 27

an active style of learning when an organism “operates” on the environment, notices the consequences of the behavior, and incorporates those consequences into decisions regarding future behavior

Question 28

Exposure therapy

Answer 28

the clinical psychologist’s version of “facing your fears”, where repeated exposure to the problematic stimulus without the aversive outcome weakens or eliminates the negative association

Question 29

Anxiety hierarchy

Answer 29

a list the therapist and client create together in which anxiety-producing experiences are listed in ranked order from least to most anxiety-provoking

Question 30

subjective units of distress

Answer 30

The numeric rankings between 0-100

Question 31

Imaginal exposure

Answer 31

an exposure where the client imagines an anxiety-provoking object or situation (without real exposure)

Question 32

In vivo exposure

Answer 32

an exposure where the client experiences the anxiety-provoking object or situation in real life, and may be interoceptive (focusing exclusively on the sensations within the client’s own body rather than anything outside the client)

Question 33

Exposure and Response Prevention

Answer 33

involves guiding the client through gradual exposure to the obsessive thoughts or situations that elicit obsessive-compulsive thoughts, while simultaneously preventing the problematic response that the client typically uses to bring temporary relief

Question 34

Systematic desensitization

Answer 34

similar to exposure therapy, involves exposure to anxiety-provoking stimuli along with re-pairing or counterconditioning the feared object with a new response incompatible with anxiety

Question 35

Relaxation training

Answer 35

the client is taught progressive relaxation techniques in which various muscles are systematically tensed and relaxed, and eventually moves through an anxiety hierarchy until the feared object is paired with relaxation instead of fear

Question 36

Assertiveness training

Answer 36

a specific application of classical conditioning that targets clients’ social anxieties

Question 37

Contingency management

Answer 37

changing the consequences of behavior in order to shape the behavior itself Reinforcement and Punishment

Question 38

Reinforcement

Answer 38

any consequence that makes a behavior more likely to recur in the future

Question 39

Positive reinforcement

Answer 39

getting something good

Question 40

Negative reinforcement

Answer 40

losing something bad

Question 41

Punishment

Answer 41

any consequence that makes a behavior less likely to recur in the future

Question 42

Positive punishment

Answer 42

getting something bad

Question 43

Negative punishment

Answer 43

losing something good

Question 44

Extinction

Answer 44

the removal of an expected reinforcement that results in a decrease in the frequency of a behavior

Question 45

Extinction burst

Answer 45

immediately after the reinforcement is removed, the client’s undesirable behavior increases temporarily

Question 46

Token economy

Answer 46

a setting in which clients earn tokens for completing predetermined target behaviors A potential strength is the versatility of the system across clients, with different target behaviors to serve each client best A potential limitation involves the challenge of generalizing the behavior to other settings, which can be done by tapering off tokens, using naturally-occurring reinforcements, and similar methods

Question 47

Shaping

Answer 47

a technique in which the behavior therapist reinforces “baby steps” toward the desired behavior A key variable in a shaping program is the increment between each step to create a challenge that is not too difficult or too small to be practical

Question 48

Behavioral activation

Answer 48

a form of behavioral therapy originally designed to treat depression, based on the simple yet profound notion that in the day-to-day lives of depressed people, there is a shortage of positive reinforcement Methods include activity scheduling to include positive reinforcement at specific, planned times throughout the client’s week

Question 49

Imitation

Answer 49

the client simply observes and mimics the modeled behavior, without any observation of the effect the modeled behavior may have

Question 50

Observational learning

Answer 50

noticing contingencies that apply to others’ lives and assuming the same contingencies will apply to our lives, too

Question 51

Vicarious learning

Answer 51

the client observes not only the modeled behavior but also the model receiving consequences for that modeled behavior

Question 52

Behavioral consultation

Answer 52

an indirect, flexible method of therapy involving the client, the consultee (usually a parent, teacher, or caretaker), and the therapist/consultant, that generally progresses through five stages Initiation of the consulting relationship Problem identification Problem analysis Plan implementation Plan evaluation

Question 53

Parent training

Answer 53

a specific form of behavioral consultation in which parents seek help with problematic behaviors of their children

Question 54

Teacher training

Answer 54

similar to parent training, but the emphasis is on behaviors that take place at school, and the consultees are teachers rather than parents