- Describe the processes of acquisition, extinction, and spontaneous recovery
- Describe the processes of generalization and discrimination
As we saw, phobias can easily be created through the process of classical conditioning. The good news is that classical conditioning, and the process of extinction, can also be used to reduce the fear responses related to phobias or anxiety caused by traumatic experiences.
Exposure Therapy
But remember, extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus. This means we can promote extinction by exposing Laila to her conditioned stimulus (the intersection) without the unconditioned stimulus (car accident).
Instead, we’ll gradually pair the conditioned stimulus (the intersection) with relaxation techniques under the guidance and supervision of a trained professional. For example, we may first start with looking at pictures of similar intersections, imaging the intersection, and finally visiting the intersection, all while adding relaxation and noting the lack of car accidents. This is the first step of a therapeutic technique called exposure therapy, and it can be very effective when conducted in a supportive environment.
This is what that extinction process looks like:
Intersection (CS) + Relaxation – Accident (US) -> Fear (CR)
Intersection (CS) + Relaxation – Accident (US) -> Less fear (CR)
Intersection (CS) + Relaxation – Accident (US) -> Even less fear (CR)
Intersection (CS) + Relaxation – Accident (US) -> Extinction of fear
Intersection (NS) -> No response