Treatments for Phobias Based on Theories of Learning - Flooding Flashcards
What is flooding also known as?
Also known as exposure therapy or implosion therapy
How does flooding work?
Works by exposing the patient directly (in vivo) to their phobia in a safe and controlled environment
At first during flooding how does the patient feel?
They have high levels of anxiety; their stress response elevates with adrenalin increasing and heart rate and blood pressure rising
Where does flooding take place?
In a safe, controlled environment to prevent the option of fleeing the situation which would reinforce their phobia further
What does flooding not involve?
Doesn’t involve teaching the patient any kind of relaxation technique before proceeding with therapy
Believed this will mask their fear and they won’t deal with it effectively
What is the supporting evidence/strengths of flooding?
Wolpe (1970)
Lars-Goran Ost
Prepares sufferers
What are the weaknesses of flooding?
Underlying issues
Social control
Anxiety
Why is Wolpe supporting evidence for flooding?
Showed that flooding is effective.
Took a girl who feared cars and drove her round for 4 hours. At firs the girls was hysterical but when she calmed down, she realised she was no longer in danger and her phobia was gone
Why is Lars-Goran Ost supporting evidence for flooding?
Used exposure therapy and found that for specific phobias 90% of patients vastly improved/recovered after just 2 hours of therapy
Low attrition rate compared to SD
Why is preparing suffers for occasions a strength of flooding?
Exposure therapy and flooding present the sufferer with unavoidable exposure and this often happens in real life.
Its argued this therapy better prepares its sufferers for occasions when they may be confronted unexpectedly with the object they fear
Why is underlying issues a weakness of flooding?
Flooding doesn’t address underlying issues behind the phobia such as where it originated, it only deals with removing the symptoms of anxiety
Why is social control a weakness of flooding?
Exposing people to such high levels of anxiety is thought to be less ethical compared to SD where the patient is in control of the situation
With flooding, restrictions are placed on the patients movements by the therapist meaning that power is being used
Why is anxiety a weakness of flooding?
Some people may not be able to tolerate high levels of anxiety induced by the therapy and are therefore at risk of exiting the therapy before they are calm and relaxed
This is likely to strengthen rather than weaken the phobia
