The behavioural approach to treating phobias: flooding
Flooding treats phobias by exposing a person directly to their most feared stimulus all at once. The person stays in that situation until their anxiety naturally drops away.
Real World
A person with cynophobia (fear of dogs) might be placed in a room with a large, friendly dog for two hours. Initially their anxiety spikes, but because no harm occurs, the fear response gradually extinguishes through prolonged exposure.
Exam Focus
Explain extinction clearly — the CS is presented without the UCS, so the CR fades. This mechanism is essential for full marks.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
How well did you know this?