Macie is afraid of clowns, and her therapist puts her in a room with many nice clowns with happy face makeup. Initially, Macie feels a lot of anxiety, but her therapist wants her to stay in the room until her anxiety subsides. This is a form of therapy known as __________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Flooding is a psychological treatment that exposes the patient to their phobia at its most extreme. In this scenario, Macie is immediately put into a situation where she confronts her fear of clowns directly and intensely, which is characteristic of flooding. Unlike systematic desensitization, which gradually exposes the patient to the fear, or shaping, which involves gradually modifying behavior, flooding involves immediate and full exposure.

Macie Is Afraid of Clowns, and Her Therapist Puts Her