Iram is afraid of snakes. In an effort to help him overcome his fear, his therapist has him enter a room where there are dozens of snakes (non-poisonous, of course) and has him hold them. Iram is not permitted to leave the room until the therapy session is completed. Iram's therapist is using ______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Iram's therapist is using flooding, which involves exposing the client to the feared stimulus in a intense and prolonged manner until the fear response is extinguished. This is different from systematic desensitization, which gradually exposes the client to the feared stimulus in a hierarchy of increasing difficulty. Aversion therapy involves pairing the feared stimulus with a negative consequence, and paradoxical intent involves instructing the client to intentionally engage in the feared behavior in order to reduce anxiety.

Iram Is Afraid of Snakes