Dalton goes to a therapist for help in losing weight. He and his therapist develop a written agreement spelling out weekly step-by-step methods for Dalton to use in order to reach his weight goal. The plan specifies rewards for reaching weekly goals and penalties for not achieving them. Dalton's therapist is using which of the following methods?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Dalton's therapist is using a contingency contract, which is a behavioral intervention that specifies the relationship between a specific behavior and the consequences for that behavior. In this case, the contract spells out Dalton's weekly goals and the rewards and penalties for achieving or not achieving them. Classical conditioning involves pairing a neutral stimulus with a naturally occurring reflex, such as Pavlov's dog salivating at the sound of a bell. Desensitization is a type of exposure therapy used to treat phobias or anxiety disorders. A token economy is a system of rewards and punishments in which tokens are earned for desirable behaviors and can be exchanged for privileges or tangible rewards. While a contingency contract may involve rewards or punishments, it is different from a token economy in that the consequences directly follow specific behaviors, rather than being exchanged for tokens.

Dalton Goes to a Therapist for Help in Losing Weight