Contempory study: Capafon et al (1998)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

Assess the effectiveness of SD in reducing fear of flying

Question 2

Procedure:

What group design was used

Answer 2

Independant group design

Question 3

Procedure:

What was the difference between the experimental group and the control group

Answer 3

control group - tested at 2 different points in time for fear of flying (no treatment)

experimental group - tested fear of flying before and after treatment

Question 4

Procedure:

What was the IV

Answer 4

treatment or no treatment

Question 5

Procedure:

What was the DV

Answer 5

Levels of fear of flying

Question 6

Procedure:

How was ‘fear of flying’ measured

Answer 6

Using the Fear of Flying Scale

• also measuring muscle tension and heart rate in response to video tape of flying

Question 7

Procedure:

How were partcipants paired?

Answer 7

… by sex, age and anxiety levels.

Question 8

Procedure:

Means age for each group

Answer 8

Control - 34.05

Experimental - 29.65

Question 9

Procedure:

How many sessions did the experimental group have

Answer 9

12-15 one hour sessions (twice per week)

Question 10

Findings:

FIndings in control group

Answer 10

No significant difference in anxiety levels from the first and second test

Question 11

Findings:

findings in experimental group

Answer 11

90% reduction of symptoms

significant reduction in physiological measures except body temperature

Question 12

Conclusion

Answer 12

‘Results indicate that SD is a highly effective treatment for fear of flying, with a success rate of 90%)

Question 13

Strength of the controls

Answer 13

It uses a variety of valid and reliable measures of anxiety

Question 14

Strength of the controls:

Evidence of reliable and valid measures of anxiety

Answer 14

Fear of Flying Scale had better than +.85 test-retest scores as shown in sosa et al.

Question 15

Strength of the controls:

what does this mean for the results

Answer 15

Valid anxiety measures makes us as sure as possible that true anxiety levels were shown

Question 16

Weakness of the study:

Answer 16

Anxiety levels after the study were measured shortly after

Question 17

Weakness of the study:

Why is measuring shortly after treatment a weakness

Answer 17

The long term implications of the study are unknown, so we don’t kno whow long the effects of the treatment lasted

Question 18

Weakness of the study:

What does this mean for results

Answer 18

results may give us false impressions on the effectiveness of systematic desensitisation on fear of flying

Question 19

Weakness of the study:

what is a competing arguement towards this weakness

Answer 19

Other studies after this one have shown the effectiveness in the long term for fear of flying

Question 20

Weakness of the study:

example of a study that supports the competing arguement

Answer 20

Botella et al found treatment effects maintained even a year after treatment

Question 21

Weakness of ecological validity:

Answer 21

Lacks ecological validity because participants never actually experiences being on a plane

Question 22

Weakness of ecological validity:

Evidence of them not being in a natural environment

Answer 22

They watched videos of flying and experienced simulations of being in an airport

Question 23

Weakness of ecological validity:

What does this mean for the results

Answer 23

May not reflect reflect true display of anxiety towards flying so SD may not have worked to the best way possible.