Treating Phobias with Classical Conditioning Techniques

Introduction

There are a wide range of ideas and concepts in psychology that have been widely explored over the years, most of which have practical implications and applications in real-life settings. Thanks to psychology, we now have a better understanding of not only ourselves but also of other people — particularly with regard to what informs certain behaviors and decisions. This paper focuses on phobias, a topic worth exploring because phobias remain one of the most misunderstood and least-examined anxiety disorders. In addition to defining phobias and their presenting features, this paper examines how classical conditioning can be used in the treatment of this anxiety disorder.

Understanding Phobias

From the outset, it is worth noting that, as the American Psychological Association (APA, 2022) points out, a phobia is one type of anxiety disorder. Other identified anxiety disorders include, but are not limited to, separation anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). As an anxiety disorder, phobia does not have a single universally assigned definition; various definitions have been proposed in the literature. According to Brazier (2020), a phobia can be conceptualized as "a type of anxiety disorder that causes an individual to experience extreme, irrational fear about a situation, living creature, place, or object." This is the definition adopted throughout this paper. It follows that phobia can assume a wide variety of forms, including extreme fear of certain animals such as spiders, extreme fear of enclosed spaces, extreme fear of sharp objects, and extreme fear of heights or water.

For a person to be diagnosed with a phobia, they must exhibit a number of symptoms. Wodele (2019) notes that a panic attack is the most disabling and most common symptom. A panic attack may include profuse sweating, shaking and trembling, elevated blood pressure, stomach upset, dry mouth, shortness of breath, and a racing heart. These symptoms can occur following contact with the object or situation that triggers the irrational fear. The fear is considered irrational because, while a typical individual might fear an animal that poses a genuine threat — such as a snake or spider — a person suffering from a phobia is likely to exhibit intense fear even at the sight of a mere picture of the said animal. Furthermore, as the APA (2022) notes, persons with certain phobias may also exhibit extreme fear of essentially harmless items, situations, or animals. An example would be a person who demonstrates excessive fear of common household objects such as a broom, lampshade, or flower vase.

According to Brazier (2020), phobias can be learned or acquired. More specifically, the author notes that phobias "can be caused by a stressful experience, a frightening event, or a parent or household member with a phobia that a child can learn" (Brazier, 2020). The relevance of treating phobias cannot be overstated, given their potential adverse effect on an individual's quality of life. In Wodele's (2019) words, "people with phobias often realize their fear is irrational, but they're unable to do anything about it... such fears can interfere with work, school, and personal relationships." Treatment options that have proven effective include the use of certain medications (such as antidepressants and beta blockers) and behavioral therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy — or a combination of both (Brazier, 2020).

Classical Conditioning: An Overview

Classical conditioning has been applied in various practical settings, including pet training, advertising, and the resolution of mental health issues. In basic terms, classical conditioning can be described as a theory proposing that learning also occurs through association (Beard, 2021). Beard (2021) notes that this phenomenon was first identified by Ivan Pavlov, a Russian psychologist. More specifically, classical conditioning "refers to learning that occurs when a neutral stimulus (e.g., a tone) becomes associated with a stimulus (e.g., food) that naturally produces a behavior... after the association is learned, the previously neutral stimulus is sufficient to produce the behavior" (Introduction to Psychology e-text, p. 275).

What this means is that the learning of a new behavior can occur when a neutral stimulus is somehow connected with a positive stimulus. In Pavlov's classic experiment, the positive stimulus was food and the neutral stimulus was the sound of a bell. Over time, the sound of the bell alone produced the expectation of food. The conditioned response in this case is the learned behavior, while the unconditioned response refers to naturally occurring processes — such as the tendency to salivate upon smelling food. It should also be noted that there is an evolutionary benefit to conditioning, as organisms are thereby equipped to prepare for a range of events, whether positive or negative (Introduction to Psychology e-text).

Conclusion

While some phobias are essentially harmless, other forms can be debilitating — impairing an individual's ability to perform basic tasks — and result in a reduced quality of life for both the affected individual and those close to them. For this reason, it is important to explore the various treatment alternatives available for phobias. This paper demonstrates that phobias can indeed be treated through the application of counterconditioning approaches grounded in classical conditioning theory.

References

American Psychological Association – APA (2022). What are anxiety disorders? https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders

Brazier, Y. (2020). Everything you need to know about phobias. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249347#types

Beard, T. (2021). What is classical conditioning? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-classical-conditioning

Elmer, J. (2020). Classical conditioning and how it relates to Pavlov's dog. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/classical-conditioning#examples

Langbehn, V. (2019). Psychology for beginners: Introduction to the basics of psychology. Personal Growth Hackers.

Wodele, A. (2019). Phobias. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/phobia-simple-specific

Introduction to Psychology [e-text].