systematic desensitization

a form of behavior therapy in which counterconditioning is used to reduce anxiety associated with a particular stimulus. It involves the following stages: (a) The client is trained in deep-muscle relaxation; (b) various anxiety-provoking situations related to a particular problem, such as fear of death or a specific phobia, are listed in order from weakest to strongest; and (c) each of these situations is presented in imagination or in reality, beginning with the weakest, while the client practices muscle relaxation. Since the muscle relaxation is incompatible with the anxiety, the client gradually responds less to the anxiety-provoking situations. See also covert desensitization; in vivo desensitization; reciprocal inhibition. [introduced by Joseph Wolpe]

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Psychology term of the day

December 19th 2024

matching law

in operant conditioning, a law that describes the distribution of responses when numerous task options are available. It states that the proportion of responses allocated to an alternative will match the proportion of reinforcement obtained from that alternative. For example, if a pigeon receives two thirds of its food allocation from Alternative A and one third from Alternative B, it will make two thirds of its responses (and give two thirds of its time) to Alternative A. If the pigeon makes fewer than two thirds of its responses to Alternative A—that is, has less sensitivity to reinforcement than the law predicts—then undermatching has occurred. If, however, the pigeon makes more than two thirds—that is, has greater sensitivity to reinforcement than the law predicts—then overmatching has occurred. See also generalized matching law.