Classical Conditioning Applied to Treating Phobias - Research Paper Example

ical conditioning applied Treating Phobias Introduction A phobia is known as an abnormal fear or avoidance of adaily situation or object. Phobias are relatively common and are treatable with behavior therapy. In this case, intense fear or anxiety is triggered by a certain stimuli. This will lead to the avoidance of such situations as the patient knows that fear is irrational and, has no control. Phobic disorders are unrealistic, persistent and create intense anxiety that is attached to external stimuli. People with various phobic disorders tend to avoid situations or places that give them great discomfort. Classical conditioning can be termed as a conditioned response that can be obtained through making the pateint correlate a UCS with a specific response. It is used to make subjects fear a neutral stimulus. Phobias can be triggered by classical conditioning as a means of gradual treatment. In this scenario, a response (avoidance or fear) can be conditioned to a previous stimulus after an initiating shock. Classical conditioning is also known as Pavlovian condition. The underlying processes in this category of Pavlovian condition include: S-R vs S-S learnining, Stimulus substitution vs Preparatory –Response theory and Compensatory Response model. All these models are practically applicable when understanding the nature of certain phobias like Agoraphobia, OCD, Specific phobias and social anxiety. Pavlovian conditioning can also be used in treating these kinds of phobias and is useful in Aversion therapy. This paper seeks to explore the different subsections in classical conditioning, discuss the different forms of phobia and the recommended ways of treatment. The different subsections of classical condition; S-S (stimulus –substitution) vs S-R (Stimulus – Response) learning model was determined by Hollowat and Domjan (1993) as they evaluated the vigor of responding by reduction of the motivation factor to respond to the US. S-S theory association is learned between CS and mental representation of the US. Majority of evidence shows that the S-S theory particularly uses the Pavlovian process. Preparatory - Response theory is based on the assumption that the CR can be different or opposite to the UR. In this kind of response, the purpose of the CR is to explain topographical similarity and dissimilarity of some CS to US. The Compensatory Response model determines the after reactions to the US that are elicited by the CS. If compensatory process came before the US, there is a possibility of minimizing effects of US. This is because the CS elicits compulsory responses that will counter the effects of US. It can be correlated to Drug tolerance when some of the CSs (neutral stimuli) are able to signal that a drug is coming. Therefore, when a person sees these CSs his heart rate lowers, thus, moderating the effect of the drug once it has been ingested. Compensatory model is also used in drug withdrawal with repeated exposure to the drug in the specific context that enables the b- process to increase in strength and duration. A phobia is regarded as an irrational fear, which produces conscious avoidance of the object, or situation that is feared. The affected person notices that the reaction is excessive. Social Anxiety can be a normal and an abnormal response. Some amount of anxiety is termed as normal when it is associated with optimum levels of functioning. However, this is abnormal when anxiety begins to interfere with social or occupational functioning. The anxiety response patterns include fear, panic and anxiety disorder. This can be associated with a very important law called the Yerkes Dodson Law. The different types of specific phobias include; hydrophobia, pathophobia, fire, pain and claustrophobia. This is mainly caused by genetic and temperamental causal factors and psychological causal factors. Agoraphobia is known as the anxiety of being trapped in places where there is no escape. It is more common than a panic disorder. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is known as repetitive unwanted ideas that are irrational and often lead to ritualized behavior that help to diminish anxiety caused by obsessions. The casual factors can be biological, whereby there are abnormalities of the brain function or caused by post traumatic stress disorder. The symptoms include sleep disturbance, startle response and anger problems. Collectively, these disorders are common forms of psychiatric illness, mood disorder and side effects of substance abuse. Phobias have been treated effectively by using behavioral therapy. Behaviorists incorporated classical conditioning asserts that the response of phobic fear is a spontaneous effect that is attained from stimuli that is not dangerous. Fear of a dangerous stimulus, like a wild dog, has also been generalized as a non poisonous one. If a pateint were to be exposed to the non dangerous stimulus over a certain period continuously, without any harm experienced, the phobic response will diminish with time. It is assumed that the patient does not experience the dangerous stimuli during the same amount of time. This means that the patient has to come across a tamed dog for a long period of time to enable the phobia to slowly extinguish. Since this is not likely to occur naturally, behavioral therapy establishes a kind of phobic treatment that involves the phobic stimulus as an imperative part of the therapy process in a controlled and safe setting. This is known as exposure treatment that was developed by Foa and Kozak (1986). It was given the name, exposure treatment because the patient was exposed to the phobic stimulus during the therapeutic response. The simplest type of exposure treatment is called flooding. In this case, the person is immersed in the fear reflex until the fear diminishes and fades away. However, there are some phobic reactions that may be strong and flooding is done through one’s imagination of the phobic stimulus, as opposed to the physical sense of the phobic stimuli. There are patients who cannot handle any type of flooding. The other plausible alternative of classical condition that can be used is called counter- conditioning. In this type, the pateint is trained to alternate a relaxation response for the fear response while in the presence of the phobic stimuli. With the knowledge that relaxation is incompatible with having anxiety or fear, it is able to counter the fear response. The counter condition method is used in a systematic way by gradually introducing the feared stimulus in a bit-by-bit fashion known as systemic desensitization. This was a method that was used by Joseph Wolpe (1958). This method involves three steps namely; training of the patient to physically relax, establishment of an anxiety hierarchy of the phobic stimuli involves and counter conditioning relaxation to oppose each feared stimulus. One has to start with the least anxiety proving stimuli as you gradually move up to the most provoking stimuli as stated by the patient in his anxiety hierarchy. To ensure that the patient is truly relaxed a biofeedback instrument is used to gauge the extent of relaxation before he is introduced to the next anxiety provoking stimuli. It measures variables like pulse rate, electro dermal response and respiration rate. In conclusion, a phobia is known as an abnormal fear or avoidance of a daily situation. Phobias are relatively common and are treatable with the right behavioral therapy. Classical condition can be termed as a conditioned response that can be obtained through making the patient correlate a UCS with a specific response. There are various models in classical conditioning that can be applied to treat different forms of phobias. The different types of specific phobias include hydrophobia, pathophobia, fire, pain and claustrophobia. This is mainly caused by genetic and temperamental causal factors and psychological causal factors. Collectively, these disorders are common forms of psychiatric illness, mood disorder and side effects of substance abuse. Treatment of these phobias can include exposure therapy, antidepressants, facing situation systematically, social skills training and cognitive- behavioral treatments. Psychologists believe the most successful way of treating different kinds of phobia is through behavioral therapy. In this case, the patient is slowly initiated to the phobia in a gradual way. This controlled method will eventually cause extinction of the conditioned response to occur. Works cited Powell, Symbaluk: Intro to Learning & Behavior Honney 2009. Print Dadds, Mark R., Dana H. Bovbjerg and Redd. "Imagery in human classical conditioning." American Psychological Association (1997): 89-103. Link is : http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/bul/122/1/89/ Kim, John, Jeen-Su Lim and Mukesh Bhargava. "The Role of Affect in Attitude Formation:A Classical Conditioning Approach." SAGE Jounals (1998): 143-152. Link is : http://jam.sagepub.com/content/26/2/143.short Read More