Question 1

Usually lasting only a session or two, _____ is more directive than traditional client-centered therapy.

Accepted Answer

Motivational interviewing is a brief therapy that typically lasts only a few sessions and is more directive than traditional client-centered therapy. It focuses on resolving ambivalence and increasing motivation for change, often used in the treatment of addiction and substance abuse. Contingency management is also a brief and directive therapy but is primarily used for behavioral issues. Self-help group therapy and interpersonal therapy are not typically brief or highly directive.

Question 2

Which techniques did Mary Cover Jones use in her successful treatment of a three-year-old boy named Peter who had a phobia of rabbits?

Accepted Answer

Mary Cover Jones used observational learning and counterconditioning techniques in the successful treatment of Peter's phobia of rabbits. Jones gradually exposed Peter to a rabbit while he ate his favorite food, and eventually, he was able to interact with the rabbit without fear. This process is an example of counterconditioning, where a new, positive association is formed with the previously feared object. By observing another child interacting positively with the rabbit, Peter was also able to learn through observational learning. Jones also used gradual exposure and relaxation techniques to help Peter overcome his fear.

Question 3

As part of the treatment strategy that Mary Cover Jones used, she had three-year-old Peter:

Accepted Answer

Mary Cover Jones used observational learning as part of the treatment strategy, which involved having Peter observe other children holding and petting a tame rabbit. This helped him overcome his irrational fear of rabbits by showing him that others could interact with the object without experiencing harm or distress. The other options (A and B) are not relevant or appropriate treatments for a fear of rabbits. Option C might have exacerbated Peter's fear by exposing him to the anxious reactions of other children.

Question 4

In treating a three-year-old child named Peter, Mary Cover Jones:

Accepted Answer

Mary Cover Jones used classical conditioning to condition a new response (relaxation) that was incompatible with Peter's previously learned response of fear in the presence of a tame rabbit. She presented the rabbit while Peter was eating food that he enjoyed, gradually moving the rabbit closer to him, until he was able to pet the rabbit without fear. This technique is known as counterconditioning.

Question 5

In her landmark study of a three-year-old child named Peter, Mary Cover Jones demonstrated that:

Accepted Answer

Mary Cover Jones utilized classical conditioning techniques to remove Peter's fear of white rabbits. She paired the presence of the rabbit with pleasant stimuli (food and being allowed to play with toys) until Peter no longer exhibited fear in the presence of the rabbit. This study was groundbreaking in demonstrating that phobias could be overcome using behavioral techniques.

Question 6

Mahasti's therapist encourages her to engage in "change talk." Whenever Mahasti expresses reluctance, her therapist acknowledges Mahasti's mixed feelings and redirects her emphasis toward change. Mahasti's therapist is using a technique called:

Accepted Answer

In motivational interviewing, the therapist encourages the client to express their ambivalence and explore their reasons for change, while also highlighting the benefits of change. The therapist using change talk is a key technique in motivational interviewing, and involves redirecting the client's focus toward the positive aspects of change and helping them to build momentum toward making changes. Contingency management focuses on reinforcing desired behaviors through rewards or incentives, self-help group therapy involves individuals supporting each other in a group setting, and interpersonal therapy aims to improve interpersonal relationships and communication.

Question 7

Developed by South African psychiatrist Joseph Wolpe in the 1950s, _____ involves learning a new conditioned response (relaxation) that is incompatible with or inhibits the old conditioned response (fear and anxiety).

Accepted Answer

The technique described is systematic desensitization, which was developed by Joseph Wolpe in the 1950s. Contingency management is a behavior modification technique, eye movement desensitization reprocessing is a therapy for trauma, and rational-emotive therapy is a cognitive-behavioral therapy for emotional and behavioral issues.

Question 8

Mary Cover Jones is regarded by many psychologists:

Accepted Answer

Mary Cover Jones is considered the person who pioneered the use of behavioral techniques in therapy. She is famous for her work on systematic desensitization, a technique that uses classical conditioning to eliminate phobias and anxieties. Her work laid the foundation for modern behavioral therapies.

Question 9

Systematic desensitization is based on the same premise as:

Accepted Answer

Systematic desensitization is a type of counterconditioning, which is a process of replacing negative or anxious responses with positive or relaxed ones. Aversive conditioning (A) uses punishment to decrease the likelihood of certain behaviors, while the token economy (B) and contingency management (C) are methods of promoting and rewarding positive behaviors.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT one of the basic steps in systematic desensitization?

Accepted Answer

Tokens or points being awarded or withheld is not a basic step in systematic desensitization. It is more commonly used in token economy programs, which are based on operant conditioning principles. The basic steps in systematic desensitization are A, B, and C as described in the other options.

Question 11

The basic assumption of behavior therapy is that:

Accepted Answer

Behavior therapy operates under the assumption that both adaptive and maladaptive behaviors are learned and therefore can be unlearned or replaced with more functional behaviors. It focuses on changing problematic behaviors rather than insight into thoughts or emotions (which is a focus of other therapies). Choice A is more closely associated with cognitive therapy, while Choice C refers to a systemic or family therapy perspective. Choice D is associated with person-centered therapy.

Question 12

Pamela's psychologist is using systematic desensitization to help Pamela overcome intense anxiety about thunderstorms and threatening weather. As part of the process, Pamela creates an anxiety hierarchy that includes:

Accepted Answer

The anxiety hierarchy in systematic desensitization is a list of specific scenes or situations related to the fear or phobia, arranged from least anxiety-provoking to most anxiety-provoking. This allows for a gradual exposure to the feared stimuli and helps to reduce anxiety over time. Answers A, B, and D do not accurately describe the anxiety hierarchy in systematic desensitization.

Question 13

In the technique called _____, the client expresses self-motivating statements, and the therapist responds with empathic understanding and reflective listening, helping the client explore his or her own values and motivations for change. When the client expresses reluctance, the therapist acknowledges the mixed feelings and redirects the emphasis toward change.

Accepted Answer

The described technique is motivational interviewing, where the therapist aims to elicit and strengthen the client's own motivation and commitment to change. Contingency management involves using tangible rewards to reinforce positive behaviors. Self-help group therapy involves a group of individuals with similar issues providing support and guidance to each other. Interpersonal therapy is a time-limited treatment that focuses on addressing interpersonal issues that contribute to the individual's psychological symptoms.

Question 14

The process of learning a new conditioned response that is incompatible with a previously learned response is called _____ and is based on the principles of _____.

Accepted Answer

Counterconditioning is the process of learning a new conditioned response that is incompatible with a previously learned response. It is based on the principles of classical conditioning. Aversive conditioning involves pairing an unpleasant stimulus with a behavior to decrease the likelihood of that behavior. Extinction is the gradual decrease in the strength or frequency of a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is presented repeatedly without the unconditioned stimulus. Virtual reality conditioning involves using a computer-generated simulation to create a realistic environment for conditioning.

Question 15

In contrast to insight-oriented therapies, behavior therapy focuses on:

Accepted Answer

Behavior therapy focuses on changing specific behaviors that are causing problems rather than exploring the deeper unconscious motivations behind them. The goal of behavior therapy is to help individuals unlearn maladaptive behaviors and replace them with more adaptive behaviors through techniques such as operant conditioning, classical conditioning, and observation and modeling.

Question 16

When Meredith was 12 years old, she had to endure a very painful dental procedure. Ever since, she has had an intense fear of going to the dentist. Which of the following techniques is most likely to help her overcome her fear of going to the dentist?

Accepted Answer

Systematic desensitization is a technique used in cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat phobias by gradually exposing the patient to the feared stimulus in a controlled and safe environment, while teaching them relaxation techniques to manage their anxiety. In this case, Meredith could be gradually exposed to the dental environment through visualization or in vivo exposure while practicing relaxation techniques until she becomes desensitized to her fear of going to the dentist.

Question 17

When Gary found out that his new job required some air travel, he sought the help of a clinical psychologist to deal with his intense fear of flying. The clinical psychologist suggested using a procedure called systematic desensitization. As the first step in the process of systematic desensitization, the clinical psychologist:

Accepted Answer

The first step in systematic desensitization is to train the person in a relaxation technique, such as progressive relaxation. This helps the person learn to manage the physical symptoms of anxiety that arise when thinking about flying or being on an airplane. Once the person has mastered the relaxation technique, they can move on to the next steps of the process.

Question 18

In the 1920s, the famous case of Little Albert demonstrated that:

Accepted Answer

Little Albert was a baby who was classically conditioned to be afraid of a white rat. This demonstrated that strong negative emotional reactions, such as fear, could be classically conditioned.

Question 19

One potential problem with insight-oriented therapies, such as psychoanalysis and client-centered therapy, is that:

Accepted Answer

Insight-oriented therapies focus on helping individuals gain insight and understanding into their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. However, gaining insight alone may not necessarily lead to behavioral change. Without addressing specific problematic behaviors and developing strategies for change, individuals may continue to struggle with maladaptive patterns.

Question 20

Vivian's psychologist is using systematic desensitization to help Vivian overcome her phobia of driving over bridges. As one of the first steps in the process of systematic desensitization, Vivian's psychologist is most likely to:

Accepted Answer

The first step in systematic desensitization is typically creating an anxiety hierarchy, which involves identifying specific situations related to the phobia and ranking them based on the level of anxiety they produce. This ranking helps the individual and therapist determine an appropriate order for exposure to each situation during the treatment process.

Quiz 14: Therapies