Learning Approach 3 - Saavedra & Silverman

Question 1

When was the study?

Answer 1

2002

Question 2

What is the aim?

Answer 2

To examine the role of classical conditioning in relation to fear and avoidance of a particular stimulus.

Question 3

Who was a pioneer in classical conditioning?

Answer 3

Pavlov

Question 4

What are the five parts of classical conditioning?

Answer 4

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
Unconditioned response (UCR)
Neutral stimulus (NS)
Conditioned stimulus (CS)
Conditioned response (CR)

Question 5

What is expectancy learning?

Answer 5

Previously neutral/non-threatening objects or events become associated with a potentially threatening outcome.

Question 6

What is evaluative learning?

Answer 6

A person forms an association between a previous neutral stimulus and a negative emotion.

Question 7

What did Hepburn & Paige (1999) show?

Answer 7

Treating patient’s disgust as well as their fear helps them make progress.

Question 8

What did De Jong et al. (1997) show?

Answer 8

Feelings of disgust lessened as fear lessened.

Question 9

What is Positive Reinforcement?

Answer 9

Adding something good.

Question 10

What is Negative Reinforcement?

Answer 10

Removing something bad.

Question 11

What is Positive Punishment?

Answer 11

Adding something bad.

Question 12

What is Negative Punishment?

Answer 12

Removing something good.

Question 13

What is a fear of buttons called?

Answer 13

Koumpounophobia

Question 14

What type of study is this?

Answer 14

Case study

Question 15

What was the sample?

Answer 15

A 9 year old Hispanic-American boy.

Question 16

What is the ‘feelings thermometer’?

Answer 16

A 9 point disgust scale.

Question 17

Where did the boy previously seek treatment from?

Answer 17

The child anxiety & phobia program at Florida International University, Miami.

Question 18

When did the boy start experiencing symptoms?

Answer 18

Approx. 4 years prior to the study.

Question 19

Was there informed consent from the boy and his mother?

Answer 19

Yes

Question 20

How old was the boy when his phobia started?

Answer 20

5

Question 21

How did the phobia begin?

Answer 21

When he was 5, his class was doing an art project and he ran out of buttons. He went to get more, but he knocked over the large bowl of buttons in front of his class and teacher. The buttons fell all over him.

Question 22

How did the phobia interfere with his daily life at the time of the study?

Answer 22

He couldn’t dress himself
He was preoccupied with avoiding touching buttons or clothes that had buttons.

Question 23

What sort of buttons was the boy most afraid of (8 on distress rating)?

Answer 23

Small clear plastic buttons

Question 24

What sort of buttons was the boy least afraid of (2 on distress rating)?

Answer 24

Large denim jean buttons

Question 25

What were the two interventions used in the study?

Answer 25

Contingency management Imagery exposure

Question 26

What was contingency management?

Answer 26

Behavior focused approach that rewarded the boy for showing less fear and handling the buttons.

Question 27

How long were the gradual exposure treatment sessions?

Answer 27

20-30 minutes

Question 28

What was imagery exposure?

Answer 28

Visualizing the buttons.

Question 29

What did the boy previously believe about buttons?

Answer 29

Touching them was disgusting and they smelled unpleasant.

Question 30

What was the boy asked to do in imagery exposure?

Answer 30

Imagine buttons falling on him and consider how they looked, felt, and smelled.

Question 31

What was incorporated with the disgust-related exposures?

Answer 31

Cognitive self-control strategies.

Question 32

Which intervention worked?

Answer 32

Imagery exposure

Question 33

What was the outcome of the contingency management?

Answer 33

The boy was able to approach buttons more positively, but his disgust, fear, and anxiety levels increased.

Question 34

Were there follow-ups?

Answer 34

Yes. 6 and 12 months after his treatment finished.

Question 35

What did the boy report at the follow-ups?

Answer 35

Minimal distress about buttons No longer had a phobia No longer affected his normal functioning Could wear small, clear, plastic buttons on his school uniform

Question 36

What is a conclusion from the study?

Answer 36

Emotions and cognitions related to disgust are important when learning new responses to phobic stimuli.

Question 37

What is the GRAVE?

Answer 37

LMHHH

Question 38

What are 5 strengths?

Answer 38

High validity Different types of data collection Overall treatment was a success Standardised Protected the boy's privacy

Question 39

What are 5 weaknesses?

Answer 39

Small sample Low generalisability Risk of bias Risk of demand characteristics Ethics with children