Applications of learning theory:

Psychological Interventions/treatment

Choose a fear/phobia either in general or that you have (if you feel comfortable) , and develop your own
anxiety hierarchy, starting with the least threatening situation to most threatening. You may discuss with
people around you if you wish. 

Least threat Most threat

Exposure therapy
Behaviour therapy is a treatment of choice for phobias, alcoholism, bed wetting, truancy, taste version etc.

This often involves exposure therapy – often intense and over the top – see the https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=wE5F-FjbTRk video as examples. (Agoraphobia)

 The goal is to show the person that the situation will not have the expected fearful consequences.

 It might help to expose the person intensively to the feared situation.

 If panic attacks are involved, the person should be taught ways to control the panic attack, such as
through deep breathing, or relaxation.

** read the reading on exposure therapy in our resources and watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDiCfMNgtFg

Systematic Desensitization
Effective treatment for phobias in which clients are taught relaxation techniques and then asked to imagine or
approach feared situations gradually.
**Watch the case study on treating acrophobia with systematic desensitization https://youtu.be/omYECykyQWE

Three Steps: EXAMPLE: Phobia of spiders (arachnophobia)

1) Establish a Fear Hierarchy Least to most scary- photo of spider, tiny

spider at other end of Adelaide oval, spider in
cage, holding a teranchella.
Relaxation Technique:
2) Utilise Relaxation Techniques Inhale through your nose. When you inhale, your
stomach should expand.
Hold your breath for 3 seconds
Exhale through your mouth

Patient asked to imagine least fearful situation,

close eyes and use relaxation techniques-
3) Be introduced to the move up hierarchy until phobia is gone.
fear in small steps

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behaviour therapy is sometimes called 'cognitive therapy'.
It involves learning from a therapist to overcome the distorted, negative thinking patterns that can lead to maladaptive
behaviours.
Depression: depressed people have negative views of their world, themselves and their future.
Cognitive behaviour therapists can treat depression by getting a depressed person to do more things that give them
pleasure, helping them to solve problems in their life, and learning better social skills.
An advantage of cognitive behaviour therapy is that it helps people learn skills that may prevent them from becoming
depressed in the future. Cognitive behaviour therapy may not be suitable for severely depressed people because they
may be too depressed to learn the new thinking skills.

Jackie had a very intense phobia of birds, which has now generalised to feathers. This phobia severely
restricted Jackie in her everyday functioning. She was determined to beat her phobia, and the below
YouTube clips shows the process of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in changing Jackie's distorted
thoughts on feathers. Professor Paul leads the CBT session with Jackie in part 2. 

Part 1 (begin watching at 2:27) - https://youtu.be/BzNSYw7xwpU

Part 4 – The CBT Session - https://youtu.be/lMZ5o2uruXY

EXAM QUESTION 2015 ( ANSWERS ON GOOGLE CLASSROOM- after you have given them a go)

Some of Jo’s friends are planning to flu to an island resort for a holiday next year. Jo has been invited to join them, but
is afraid of flying.
Explain how systematic desensitisation can be used to help Jo overcome the fear of flying.

Gigi needs to ride a bus to school every morning. Recently on the way to school Gigi’s bus was in a car accident. Now
whenever Gigi is on a bus she becomes anxious and fearful. This phobia is affecting her attendance at school.
Describe one psychological intervention Gigi could use to overcome her phobia of buses.