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Which concept from behavioral psychology could be applied to reduce his fear?

a) Counter-conditioning
b) Systematic desensitization
c) Habituation
d) Flooding

1 Answer

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Final answer:

To reduce fear in behavioral psychology, systematic desensitization is used. Little Albert's experiment showcased stimulus generalization. Habituation is getting used to a stimulus over time, leading to a decrease in the conditioned response, known as extinction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept from behavioral psychology that could be applied to reduce fear is b) Systematic desensitization. This process involves gradually exposing a person to their fear in a controlled and graduated way, often paired with relaxation techniques. It's effective for reducing phobias and anxiety.

In Watson and Rayner's experiments with Little Albert, the child was conditioned to fear a white rat, demonstrating d) stimulus generalization, where a response to one stimulus is elicited by similar stimuli. Habituation refers to the process of becoming used to a stimulus after repeated exposure. This is observed in animals when a repeated stimulus is no longer responded to with an initial reaction, such as alarm calls from prairie dogs to human footsteps.

Lastly, in classical conditioning terms, when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is presented without the unconditioned stimulus (UCS), the conditioned response (CR) eventually stops. This process is known as extinction.

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