The behavioral approach to treating phobias AO1

AO1

what is Systematic desensitisation (SD)?

A behavioural therapy used to reduce anxiety. It involves creating a list of feared situations from least to most scary, learning relaxation techniques, and gradually facing each situation while staying relaxed.

what is flooding ?

A behavioural therapy where a person is exposed to their phobia in an intense, immediate way to reduce anxiety. It works by keeping them in the situation until the fear drops.

what is Hierarchy?

A system where things or people are placed in an order from most important to least important.

What is relaxation? 

The state of being free from tension and anxiety.

What is counterconditioning in SD?

It means learning a new, relaxed response to the phobic stimulus instead of feeling anxious.

What are the three stages of systematic desensitisation?

• Anxiety hierarchy – The client and therapist create a list of phobia situations from least to most scary.

• Relaxation – The client learns relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises or mental imagery. Drugs like Valium can also help.

• Exposure – The client is gradually exposed to the phobic stimulus while staying relaxed, moving up the hierarchy until they remain calm in the most feared situations.

Example of an anxiety hierarchy for arachnophobia?

Seeing a picture of a small spider might be low on the hierarchy; holding a tarantula might be at the top.

How does flooding reduce phobic responses?

The person cannot avoid the phobic stimulus, so they learn quickly that it is harmless. This process is called extinction. After a long exposure, fear naturally drops because the person becomes too tired to stay scared.

What is extinction in flooding?

When the conditioned stimulus (e.g., a dog) is no longer paired with the feared event (e.g., being bitten), the learned fear fades.

What are the ethical concerns with flooding?

It is very distressing. Clients must give fully informed consent because the experience can be traumatic.