Question

A patient with a fear of spiders is put in a room with many spiders, and immediately a live tarantula is placed on his hand for as long as necessary until the dissipation of his anxiety. This behavioral technique is called:

A. Graded exposure
B. Aversion therapy
C. Flooding
D. Assertiveness training
E. Modeling

Answer 1

The correct answer is C. Flooding. Flooding is a behavioral technique used in exposure therapy to help patients confront their fears directly and reduce anxiety through habituation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is C. Flooding.

Flooding is a behavioral technique used in exposure therapy. It involves exposing the patient to their feared object or situation in a very intense and prolonged manner, without allowing them to escape or avoid it. The goal of flooding is to help the patient confront their fear directly and eventually reduce their anxiety through habituation.

For example, in the scenario described in the question, the patient with a fear of spiders is placed in a room with many spiders and a live tarantula is placed on their hand for as long as necessary until their anxiety dissipates. By repeatedly exposing the patient to the tarantula without any negative consequences, their fear response can gradually subside.