classical conditioning Flashcards
Describe the process of systematic desensitisation.
Systematic desensitisation is a treatment for anxieties and phobias developed by Dr. Joseph Wolpe, involving gradual exposure to the feared stimulus while practicing relaxation techniques.
Counterconditioning
Counterconditioning is the process of establishing a new response that competes with a previously learned response, often used in systematic desensitisation.
The conditioning of hunger in relation to environmental cues like the kitchen and sight of food.
conditioning of hunger can occur when environmental cues like the kitchen and sight of food become associated with the taste and smell of food, leading to an increase in hunger and motivation to obtain food.
What are some unconditioned responses exhibited when people are exposed to food?
When people are exposed to food, they exhibit unconditioned responses such as secretion of saliva, gastric juices, pancreatic enzymes, and insulin, which prepares the body to digest, metabolize, and store ingested food.
Define drug tolerance and explain how changing the context of drug administration can impact it.
Drug tolerance occurs when repeated use of a drug reduces its effectiveness, requiring larger quantities for the same effect. Changing the context of drug administration can lead to reduced tolerance, as seen with alcohol and caffeine.
How does classical conditioning provide an account of drug tolerance?
Classical conditioning can explain drug tolerance by showing that repeated use of a drug can impact its effectiveness, leading to larger quantities being required for the same effect (Siegal, 1979)
Describe the relationship between fear, pain, and drug use according to Shepard Sigel’s research.
Shepard Sigel’s research shows that fear and pain, while related, are not the same. This has implications for drug use, as conditioned morphine with a neutral stimulus can lead to increased sensitivity to pain.
Describe the potential impact of a novel environment on drug overdoses.
Drug overdoses can occur when individuals take their usual amount of drug in a novel environment, as the novel context may lead to a reduced tolerance to the drug’s effects.
Describe the premise behind behaviour therapy.
Behaviour therapy is action-based and focuses on the behavior itself as the problem, aiming to increase desirable behaviors and minimize unwanted behaviors.
classical conditioning and drug use relationship
Classical conditioning gives an account of withdrawal symptoms which can lead to drug addiction, as conditioned stimuli/environmental cues can produce withdrawal symptoms when presented without the presence of the drug.
What are the components of systematic desensitization?
the components include relaxation training, conditioning a word to induce relaxation, and counterconditioning, where the patient imagines the feared stimulus while relaxing and gradually progresses through the hierarchy of fears.
What are the advantages of Classical Conditioning based therapies?
Advantages of Classical Conditioning based therapies include short duration of therapy (6-8 weeks), cost-effectiveness, applicability to various disorders like OCD, addictions, phobias, and anxiety, and strong follow-up outcomes in longitudinal studies and clinical settings.
Define Aversion Therapy and provide examples of its use.
Aversion Therapy is a form of therapy that pairs unwanted behaviors with aversive stimuli, and examples of its use include treating alcoholism and other drug addictions, such as using the “Antabuse” drug with alcoholics to make the body acutely sensitive to alcohol.
How does Aversion Therapy differ from Systematic Desensitisation?
Aversion Therapy is in some ways the opposite of Systematic Desensitisation, as it pairs unwanted behaviors with aversive stimuli, while Systematic Desensitisation aims to reduce fear and anxiety by gradually exposing the individual to the feared object or scenario.
Describe the two types of Aversion Therapy.
The two types of Aversion Therapy are overt sensitisation, where an external stimulus produces aversion, and covert sensitisation, where internal imaginings produce aversion.
