Essay Example on Systematic Desensitization: Wolpe & Colleague's Phobia Study

Reading 34 of from Chapter 1 of Forty Studies That Changed Psychology: Explorations Into the History of Psychological Research (Hock, 2013) focuses on the study by Joseph Wolpe and his colleague of their phobia in a process that would be faster than a psychodynamic kind of research as the belief of behaviourism is that each behaviour is learned, and therefore can be unlearned. The study involved the perfection and application of systematic desensitization to decrease and remove the phobic disorder of an individual. In the initial phase of systematic desensitization, the clients are introduced to a deep relaxation approach by tensing up and entirely relaxing their muscles (Hock, 2013). The clients were not permitted to move to the next phase until they were capable of reaching this state on their own. Next, the client was required to make an anxiety hierarchy. In this phase, the client ranked circumstances that generate a mild amount of anxiety to the one that causes the most anxiety. During the third and final phase, Wolpe assists his client in imagining herself in a circumstance that would make him anxious, though, whereas still in the relaxed state. Every moment, the individual would make it through a portion of the hierarchy when not concerned, and they would be capable of advancing to the next level in the hierarchy. Wolpe does this with his clients until they get through the most anxiety-producing circumstance when relaxed. The process of systematic desensitization is often conducted until the phobia can no longer be available. Hook articulated that the number of sessions was nearly 12. However, some clients consume more time, and this relies on the number of phobias that exist within them and the extent of anxiety. Also, the reason why systematic desensitization appears to work well can be explained by reciprocal inhibition. The latter states that when two responses inhibit one another, they might exist at any given time. When an individual pears something pleasant that would not cause fear, the anxiety would not be produced. Ultimately, the study seemed to be successful.

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In the classic study, Wolpe hypothesized that to get rid of phobia; the fear should be paired with anything that is relaxing in nature. Through this process, the fear reaction to a stimulus would ultimately disappear after sufficient therapeutic sessions.

The results of the study supported the hypothesis of Wolpe. It is demonstrated by the fact that 91% of the thirty-five clients of Wolpe were successfully treated. Wolpe observed that some of the outcomes and others were documented by the client (Hock, 2013). When he followed up with the twenty-five, they claimed to be liberated of their fear. After four years, they were still free from symptoms. The following research was done as a result of the success of Wolper in perfecting the systematic desensitization. More research has confirmed that the method by Wolpe works well. In one instance, there was an experiment performed using a phobia of public speaking whereby the subjects were classified into groups. Systematic desensitization was performed on one of these groups as a therapy technique. The results of the experiments indicated that the individuals who experienced this process were more probable to have decreased anxiety compared to the other kinds of therapy.

In the contemporary study, Gazendam & Kindt (2012) explore how being concerns impact the associative fear learning. It is documented that worrying is seen in anxiety disorders, and it is a probable determinant to the strengthening of the building blocks of fear memory after learning. Notably, repetitive thinking regarding fear conditioning experience might lengthen the earlier fear responses and bolster the linkage between the representation of the mind, which results in rising fear (Gazendam & Kindt, 2012). This can be illuminated by the latest advances in neuroscience, demonstrating that 'offline' responses might change the present memory.

Gazendam & Kindt (2012) hypothesized that worrying impacts the negative associative fear. The negative beliefs might increase the magnitude of the threat of the amassed fear of memory. This rising threat intensity of the fear linkage might strengthen the subsequent fear responding and the association of the phobia itself. Also, worry facilitates an abstract mode of generating yields of episodic details and a less concrete epitome of the experience. The loss of of the fear acquisition memory will increase fear.

The results support the hypothesis of the study of Gazendam & Kindt (2012). The results showed that worrying after the acquisition of fear can improve the consequent conditioned fear for both the safe and conditioned stimulus and can damage extinction at the cognitive conditioned response level. The long moments of rehearsing the disastrous remarks on the individual repercussions of a noxious event led to improved fear-oriented startle to the previously terrifying stimulus (Gazendam & Kindt, 2012).

The classic study of Wolpe (Hock, 2013) and the modern study of Gazendam & Kindt (2012) can be compared based on the similarities that they share. In addition, the differences between the studies on various aspects will be discussed. The key distinction between the two experiments is that the contemporary study stressed that worrying impacts the associative fear learning. On the other hand, classic research emphasized that counterconditioning is instrumental in treating phobic anxiety. Wolpe expounded that anxiety seemed too developed and that it was a byproduct of learning. In the meantime, the research sample in the modern study differed because it focused on the impact of worrisome thoughts on associative fear learning. However, the outcomes that the research methodology of both studies produced can be linked to the motive of surviving fear. The classic study received criticism from a learning standpoint because it stated that the phobia of an individual might bring inconvenience to an individual. Both studies have attributes that allow them to make a significant contribution to the field of psychology.

Biopsychology highlights a branch of psychology that deals with assessing the impact of brain and body on behaviour and mental process grounded on the functional and biological aspect. Fear conditioning is highlighted in this branch and discusses the way that humans pair an aversive stimulus with a neutral pretext or stimulus, and this leads to the expression of a fear response based on the stimulus. The brain understands the details that will then regulate their control over the behaviour of the body. The explorations centering on the enhancement of fear condition can be carried out on fear conditioning. The appropriate participants for the examination will be individuals that have a poor response to anxiety. This form of study would explain the inference for fear could be exercises, surgeries, and medications which could be impacted to the biopsychology. This mind capability to fear response can be learned, and it is essential in the daily life of living things and it is instrumental for survival.

References

Hock, R. R., 1948-. (2013). Forty studies that changed psychology: Relaxing your Fears Away (7th ed. ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J. ; London: Pearson. Retrieved from https://library-molloy-edu.molloy.idm.oclc.org/jetfind/Record/168699

Gazendam, F. J., & Kindt, M. (2012). Worrying affects associative fear learning: a startle fear conditioning study. PLoS One, 7(4).