Question
Psychology Question on Therapeutic Approaches
When an alcoholic is given a mild electric shock and asked to smell the alcohol repeatedly to form an association between the two, this form of treatment is known as:
Negative Reinforcement
Aversive Conditioning
Systematic Desensitization
Differential Reinforcement
Aversive Conditioning
Solution
The treatment described involves Aversive Conditioning, a behavioral technique used to reduce unwanted behaviors by associating them with unpleasant stimuli.
- In this case, the alcoholic is exposed to the smell of alcohol while receiving a mild electric shock, creating a negative association with alcohol consumption. - This method aims to deter the individual from wanting to consume alcohol by pairing it with an aversive stimulus (the shock).
Other options: - Negative Reinforcement: Involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase a desired behavior, which does not apply here. - Systematic Desensitization: A technique used to reduce anxiety by gradually exposing individuals to the feared object or context, which is not the goal in this scenario. - Differential Reinforcement: Involves reinforcing a desired behavior while withholding reinforcement for unwanted behaviors, which is not the method described.