George is extremely afraid to ride elevators. His therapist treats George's fear by gradually getting him accustomed to riding in elevators. The therapist begins by teaching George to relax. He then learns to relax while standing close to the elevator and then to relax while standing in an elevator with the doors open, and so on. The two processes taking place in the reduction of George's fear are

Question

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The therapist is using systematic desensitization, a process that involves gradually exposing the patient to the feared object or situation while teaching them relaxation techniques to cope with the anxiety. This process leads to reciprocal inhibition, where the relaxation response inhibits the fear response.

George Is Extremely Afraid to Ride Elevators