Saavedra and Silverman (button phobia)

Question 1

What is the aim of this study?

Answer 1

1. Examine the role of classical conditioning in relation to fear and avoidance of a particular stimulus.
2. Researchers wanted to see if using exposure therapy could reduce the disgust and distress associated with a specific phobia of buttons.

Question 2

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 2

Learning through association in both humans and animals. A learning process in which a new stimulus that initially has no effect (NS; neutral stimulus) is being associated with another stimulus that produces a response (UCS; unconditioned stimulus). This UCS produced a UCR or a unconditioned response which is an instinctive response When repeated, the NS becomes a CS or a conditional stimulus and produces a CR or conditional response.

Question 3

What is a phobia?

Answer 3

it is an irrational persistent fear of an object or even which poses little danger but creates anxiety and avoidance in the sufferer.

Question 4

Background

Answer 4

1. Ivan Pavlov’s investigation in observing dogs salivating. The salivating is an unconditioned response to being presented with food (UCS). The dogs started anticipating the researchers in the lab before feeding times. Pavlov presented the food with a neutral stimuli which was a bell.. This was done over several trials and essentially the dog started salivating when he heard the bell
2. Some psychologists think that abnormal behavior like phobias can also be learned and unlearned just like any other behavior.
3. sub types of classical conditioning including expectancy learning. Evaluative learning is another type in which individuals form an association between an NS and a negative emotion but this is a negative evaluation such as disgust rather than fear

Question 5

What is evaluative learning?

Answer 5

a form of classical conditioning where a complex though processes and emotions could lead an individual to perceive or evaluate a previously neutral stimulus negatively. Attitudes acquired through evaluative learning is usually harder to change than superficial associations.

Question 6

Hepburn and Page (1999)

Answer 6

Hepburn and Page was a study in 1999 relating to blood phobia in which they suggested that treating patient’s disgust and their fear would help them make progress

Question 7

Research method and design

Answer 7

This was a cast study as it evolved around one participant whose life and treatment was studied in depth.
Data was collected by using Self-report measures. The boy and his mother were interviewed by the researchers about his phobia and his subsequent behavior. The results of the treatment were measured using a nine-point scale of disgust also known as the ‘Feelings thermometer’

Question 8

What was the sample of this case study?

Answer 8

A 9-year-old Hispanic American boy. With his mother, he sought support from the Child Anxiety and Phobia program at Florida International University in Miami.
He met the criteria for a specific phobia of Buttons and was experiencing symptoms for around four years prior to the start of the study.