Classical Conditioning, Stimulus Generalization and Phobias

Discrimination and generalization occur in both classical and operant conditioning. Both

the cause and the treatment of phobias very often involve classical conditioning and

operant conditioning. Some information regarding phobias that may be found on the

Web is indicated below, and you certainly will be able to find more sources specific to

your own interests. Read more about the relationship of classical conditioning in forming

phobias and how stimulus generalization may help maintain phobias at the sites shown

below and any others that you can find.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/phobias/DS00272

http://www.communitycounselingservices.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=38478&c

n=1

www.phobialist.com/treat.html

http://www.psychologyinspain.com/content/full/1998/2frame.htm

Write an essay of at least 800 words addressing each of the points indicated

below. List all of the URLs you use to write your essay.

Questions to answer:

1. Describe a phobia that either you or a close friend suffers from.

2. Using classical conditioning terminology, explain how you think this phobia could

have been learned. If you do not know exactly how the phobia was learned, it is ok to

speculate. Be sure to identify the US, UR, CS, and CR.

3. How would stimulus generalization maintain this phobia?

4. Based on your reading, explain how you might go about setting up a program of

desensitization therapy for the phobia you described.

5. How effective do these behavioral therapies seem to be for the treatment of certain

psychological conditions? What types of psychological conditions would be highly

responsive to systematic desensitization, etc.? Are there certain types of human

psychological conditions that would not be handled well with therapies based on

classical conditioning?

6. Imagine yourself as the therapist conducting systematic desensitization. How

comfortable would you be as the therapist doing these types of therapy? Imagine

yourself as a client. Would you be comfortable working in this way to overcome a

phobia?

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