Question

Carlito is afraid of dogs. he practices positive visualization whenever he sees a dog. carlito's visualizations function as:

Answer 1

Carlito's technique of positive visualization is similar to counterconditioning, a concept where a person learns a new, positive response to a feared stimulus, aiming to reduce or eliminate the original fear response.

Step-by-step explanation:

Carlito's use of positive visualization as a coping mechanism for his fear of dogs is related to a concept known in the psychological sciences, and it harkens back to research by a man named Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov's work demonstrated the power of what he called classical conditioning, which is when a subject involuntarily or unconsciously responds to a stimulus based on repeated associations with a different stimulus. However, in the case of Carlito, the technique he is using is more akin to a different psychological concept called counterconditioning.

In essence, Carlito's visualizations serve as a form of counterconditioning, which is a therapy technique that involves learning a new response to a stimulus that usually elicits an uncomfortable response. By employing positive visualization, Carlito is attempting to associate the sight of dogs, which usually triggers fear in him, with a positive mental state. This process can gradually reduce the fear response.

Answer 2

Carlito's visualizations function as a distraction from the issue at hand, which is the dog he is afraid of. By practicing imagining positive images instead of the dog he is afraid of, Carlito will eventually eliminate his fear of dogs.