Psychology2016

Psychological Therapies 597

SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION Systematic desensitization, in which a therapist guides
the client through a series of steps meant to reduce fear and anxiety, is normally used
to treat phobic disorders and consists of a three-step process. First, the client must learn
to relax through deep muscle relaxation training. Next, the client and the therapist con-
struct a list, beginning with the object or situation that causes the least fear to the client,
eventually working up to the object or situation that produces the greatest degree of fear.
Finally, under the guidance of the therapist, the client begins with the first item on the list
that causes minimal fear and looks at it, thinks about it, or actually confronts it, all while
remaining in a relaxed state. By pairing the old conditioned stimulus (the fear object)
with a new relaxation response that is incompatible* with the emotions and physical
arousal associated with fear, the person’s fear is reduced and relieved. The person then
proceeds to the next item on the list of fears (called a hierarchy of fears) until the phobia is
gone (see Table 15.1). It is even possible to use a computer-generated virtual reality tech-
nique for desensitization (Rothbaum et al., 1995).

AVERSION THERAPY Another way to use classical conditioning is to reduce the frequency
of undesirable behaviors, such as smoking or overeating, by teaching the client to pair an
aversive (unpleasant) stimulus with the stimulus that results in the undesirable response
in a process called aversion therapy. For example, someone who wants to stop smoking
might go to a therapist who uses a rapid-smoking technique, in which the client is allowed
to smoke but must take a puff on the cigarette every 5 or 6 seconds. As nicotine is a poi-
son, such rapid smoking produces nausea and dizziness, both unpleasant effects.

Using learning techniques to change undesirable behavior and increase desirable
behavior has a long history (Hughes, 1993; Lovaas, 1987; Lovaas et al., 1966). Originally
called behavior modification, the more recent adaptation of these techniques is applied behav-
ior analysis. The newer term better highlights the need for a functional analysis of the
behavior to be modified, which is then followed by the use of conditioning techniques to
modify the behavior. Watch the video Behavioral Therapy to learn more about the use of
these techniques.

systematic desensitization

behavior technique used to treat pho-

bias, in which a client is asked to make

a list of ordered fears and taught to

relax while concentrating on those

fears.

Watch the Video Behavioral Therapy

CC

*incompatible: referring to two or more things that cannot exist together or at the same time.

aversion therapy

form of behavioral therapy in which

an undesirable behavior is paired with

an aversive stimulus to reduce the fre-

quency of the behavior.