Questions and Answers
The case of 'Little Albert' fearing a white rat demonstrates that _____.
phobias can arise through classical conditioning
Extinction therapy or 'exposure therapy' for _________ often involves having the patient repeatedly imagine and describe the feared situations, under the guidance of a therapist.
posttraumatic stress disorder
Studies using MRI and twins have suggested that _____
people with a smaller hippocampus are predisposed to developing PTSD
PTSD appears to be _____.
Signup and view all the answers
In _____ therapy, successive approximations of the CS are presented while the patient learns to remain relaxed; eventually, even the CS itself does not elicit a fear response.
Signup and view all the answers
The psychological syndrome that can develop after a person is exposed to a horrific event is called _____.
Signup and view all the answers
In addition to decreased hippocampal volume, other factors that appear to make individuals vulnerable to PTSD may include which of the following?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is true regarding phobias?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the therapeutic technique in which successive approximations of a feared stimulus are presented while a patient learns to stay relaxed?
Signup and view all the answers
A classical conditioning explanation for PTSD suggests that the _____.
Signup and view all the answers
A classical conditioning explanation for PTSD suggests that PTSD patients _____.
Signup and view all the answers
Drugs that interfere with epinephrine appear to _____.
Signup and view all the answers
An excessive and irrational fear of an object, place, or situation is called _____.
Signup and view all the answers
People with posttraumatic stress disorder _____.
Signup and view all the answers
One difference between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and phobias is that _____
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Classical Conditioning and Phobias
- The case of "Little Albert" highlights how phobias can develop through classical conditioning, demonstrating learned fear responses.
- A phobia is defined as an excessive and irrational fear of a specific object, place, or situation.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- PTSD is a psychological syndrome that can emerge following exposure to traumatic events, leading to significant distress and impairment.
- Individual vulnerability to PTSD may be influenced by genetic factors, personality traits, and psychological responses, such as neuroticism and heightened startle responses.
- Research indicates that individuals with a smaller hippocampal volume are more likely to develop PTSD.
- PTSD patients typically take longer to extinguish conditioned responses (CR) to stimuli associated with the traumatic event.
Therapeutic Approaches
- Extinction therapy, also known as exposure therapy, involves patients repeatedly visualizing and articulating feared situations, often guided by a therapist.
- Systematic desensitization is a therapeutic technique where patients learn to remain relaxed while gradually exposed to successive approximations of a feared stimulus, eventually reducing their fear response.
- Drugs that interfere with epinephrine may lower the risk of developing PTSD following traumatic experiences.
Unique Features of PTSD
- Unlike phobias, PTSD can trigger fear responses to a broad range of stimuli, rather than a specific trigger, making its symptoms more generalized.
- It is possible for an individual to develop a phobia without direct interaction with the object or situation they fear, demonstrating the power of conditioning and learned behaviors.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge on psychological conditioning and therapies with these flashcards from PSY 2270 Quiz 12. Explore concepts like phobias, extinction therapy, and the Little Albert experiment. Challenge yourself to understand how these principles apply to mental health treatment.
