How does SD link to the biology approach?
Biological approach believes that behavior is learnt from the environment.
Phobias are learnt and SD therapy unlearns the conditioned phobias by maintaining the environment.
What happens in SD therapies?
- The patient is exposed to their fear.
- Different levels of exposure to the fear through a desensitization hierarchy.
- At each level the patient will remain relaxed through relaxation techniques learnt.
- Slowly the patients fear provoking stimuli will be conditioned through SD therapy to he associated with relaxation - this will lead to the extinction of the fear response.
What are some ethical issues with SD therapy?
- Valid consent ~ patient may not be mentally fit to agree to any terms of the therapy and this could have a negative impact on the patient and cause harm.
- Don’t know how the patient will behave ~ unpleasant nature of the experience may reduce the compliance and therefore the effectiveness
What is the cause of abnormal behavior?
Maladaptive faulty learning
How are phobias developed?
Through classical and operant conditioning + negative experiences
Describe the Lang and Lazovik [1963] study.
Lang and Lazovik used SD to help students with snake phobias.
- 11 sessions
- worked through a hierarchy
- hypnosis was also used to assist the maintenance of relaxation
- the students fear rating fell from the first session and the last
- improvements were still evident 6 months later
What did McGrath [1990] find using SD?
SD is a successful therapy for a wide range of anxiety disorders, with 75% of patients with phobias responding to treatment.
Why is SD not always effective?
- It does not universally work for all types of phobias, especially ones that have not evolved due to classical conditioning. (eg heights)
- Evidence suggests that these phobias (heights) have an evolutionary survival benefit and cannot be treated.
