After being bitten by a neighbor's dog, Kathy is now afraid of the puppy her family has just adopted. Kathy's father gives Kathy a hot fudge sundae; then, while she is happily eating it, he brings the puppy about fifteen feet from where she is sitting. On each successive day, Kathy gets another ice cream treat, and her father brings the puppy a little closer than he did on the previous day. Eventually Kathy is able to pet and enjoy the new puppy. Kathy's father is using a procedure known as:
A) sensory preconditioning
B) stimulus discrimination
C) extinction
D) counterconditioning

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Kathy's father is using a form of counterconditioning known as systematic desensitization. This involves gradually introducing the feared stimulus (the puppy) in a controlled manner while the person is in a relaxed state and presenting positive reinforcement (the ice cream) to create a new positive association with the stimulus. The gradual exposure and positive reinforcement helping to reduce the fear response over time.

After Being Bitten by a Neighbor's Dog, Kathy Is Now