Create A Scenario Depicting A Person With A Phobia

Create a scenario depicting a person who has a phobia and develop hierarchical...

Systematic Desensitization has been used in therapeutic settings for many years to eliminate phobias. A hierarchy process which takes place represents phobia themes relating to a basic theme through thematic and spatial-temporal. It is a hierarchical process detailing the phobia being experienced with intensity also being identified. After reading through the chapters as well as watching any You Tube clips that may also help further illustrate this process, create a scenario depicting a person who has a phobia. You create the scenario with any type of phobia you prefer.

Explain what the phobia is and then create a thematic hierarchy and a spatial-temporal hierarchy. Your explanation of the scenario and the entire process is in paragraph format while the scenes are put into a chart. Each hierarchy should have at least 5-6 levels. Putting it in chart format will be the best. Identify the level and then identify the scene for the thematic and then do the same for the spatial-temporal.

Your overall explanation is either above or below both charts. Be sure to identify each chart with the title of Thematic Hierarchy with (5-6 levels), Spatial-Temporal Hierarchy with (5-6 levels). Level Scene 1 Explain level 1 scene 2 Explain level 2 scene 3 Explain level 3 scene

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Systematic desensitization is a well-established therapeutic technique aimed at reducing specific phobias by gradually exposing individuals to the feared object or situation in a controlled manner. To illustrate this process, let's consider a person who suffers from acrophobia, an intense fear of heights. This person, whom we will refer to as Alex, experiences significant anxiety when encountering situations involving elevations, such as standing on balconies or viewing high floors of buildings.

Initially, Alex's fear is most intense when looking down from a tall balcony. The first stage in the hierarchical process involves recognizing the core of the phobia—the fear of falling from great heights. To develop the hierarchical structure, we analyze Alex's fear in terms of thematic and spatial-temporal levels. The thematic hierarchy progresses from general to specific fears linked to heights, starting with the general fear of being high up, then the fear of looking down from high places, and finally the fear of actively being on a high balcony or ledge. The spatial-temporal hierarchy considers the context and sequence of exposure, beginning with imagining being in a high place, viewing tall buildings from a distance, then standing on a low balcony, and ultimately standing on a high balcony with a view.

In the thematic hierarchy, we identify six levels, each representing increasing proximity and intensity of fear:

  1. General fear of heights
  2. Fear of looking down from a high place
  3. Fear of standing on a balcony of a tall building
  4. Fear of stepping onto a balcony
  5. Fear of leaning over the balcony
  6. Fear of actively jumping or falling from a height

Correspondingly, in the spatial-temporal hierarchy, scenes are structured as follows:

  1. Alex imagining standing on a low balcony
  2. Viewing tall buildings from a distance
  3. Standing on a low balcony enjoying the view
  4. Standing on a high balcony looking down
  5. Leaning over the balcony with the fear escalating
  6. Being at the edge of a high building, contemplating a jump

By gradually exposing Alex to these scenes in sequence while employing relaxation techniques, systematic desensitization aims to diminish the fear response at each level, ultimately leading to a reduction or elimination of acrophobia. The hierarchical approach ensures that exposure is manageable, progressively building confidence and tolerance.

References

  • Wolpe, J. (1958). Psychotherapy by Reciprocal Inhibition. Stanford University Press.
  • Hansen, C. H., & Zhang, Y. (2014). Principles and Practice of Behavioral Therapy. Elsevier.
  • Kirby, J., & Keats, J. (2017). Foundations of Psychological Therapies. Routledge.
  • Rachman, S. (1977). The Flooding Method and Its Applications. Behavior Research and Therapy, 15(5), 431–444.
  • American Psychological Association. (2013). Guidelines for Exposure Therapy. APA Publications.

Related Assignments