Classical Conditioning Phobia

Phobia is defined as an overwhelming and irrational fear for an animal, thing or place; also it is described as a mechanism of defence before the torment that provokes the internal conflicts. The individual that develops a phobia has perceived a sense of danger in certain objects or situations. People with phobias do everything possible to avoid a perceived danger, which is much higher in their minds than in real life. It is believed that the model of classical conditioning has served to explain how people developed a phobic response. The classical conditioning theory was studied by Pavlov’s, which lead to win a Nobel Prize in 1904. This theory is produced by two stimuli, the conditioned and unconditioned stimulus, which are paired together …show more content…
Davey (2007) mentions the two-process model, a variant of classical conditioning. This hypothesis suggests that when the conditioned response is acquired, it is learned to avoid the phobic stimulus in order to reduce fear by preventing the extinction of classical conditioning. Leading to a variety of exposing treatments called “exposure treatments” which its treatment was the pioneer and is still used today due to its effectiveness (explained below). Even though newer and modern psychologists and scientists have been shaping his idea, Grös and Antony, (2006) said that the specific phobias are the most common and are simple to treat, this phobias often respond to a one-session treatment. It is specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder IV, which states that an individual must recognize their fear is unreasonable and avoids situations and stimuli with high anxiety. It addresses four main types of specific phobia; animal, natural environment, blood-injection-injury, and …show more content…
Exposure therapies involved an individual and the process to eliminate their phobia by experiencing the phobic stimulus itself. It is one of the most successful treatments and it is implemented in different ways; flooding, it indicates to imagine contact with the phobic stimulus it can be treat by in vivo or in vitro. Counterconditioning involves classical conditioning theory where it helps to develop a positive alternative response, instead of a negative, endeavoring to terminate phobic fear. It is suggested that it is the most efficient way to eliminate a conditioned response. Systematic desensitization, a similar treatment, also relates, to classical conditioning theory. It is most used in the behaviour based treatment methods; the procedure is involving a fear hierarchy where the client begins at the first level of phobic stimulus and increasing the levels of fear until the fear is gone, leading to a relaxed