The extinction of phobic behavior as a function of attention shifts

Abstract

Many studies have tried to isolate the precise mechanism of change involved in desensitization. Wolpe (1958), who developed this technique, explains the effects of treatment by the principle of reciprocal inhibition. He contends that the crucial factor involved in the technique is the elicitation of responses that reciprocally inhibit the production of anxiety. Specifically, Wolpe argues that it is necessary to produce a state in the autonomic nervous system that is antagonistic to the one occurring when anxiety is experienced. He recommends training in peripheral muscle relaxation as a suitable and convenient antagonistic response to the state of anxiety. Earlier studies (Davison, 1968; Lang and Lazovik, 1963; Rachman, 1965) supported this preference for relaxation training. Subsequently, SD therapy has taken a standard general form which involves: (1) training in deep muscle relaxation, (2) the construction of a graded hierarchy of rear-relevant scenes, and (3) the instructed imagination of the hierarchy scenes during a state of muscle relaxation. Recent studies suggest that the three conditions mentioned above are not necessary for successful desensitization. This is supported by London (1964) and Wilkins (1971). among others. London (1964) proposed that “SD derived its effectiveness through the modification of a person's thinking and expectancies about the feared situation/object” (Davison and Wilson, 1973). Wilkins (1971) states that the only necessary element is the cognitive process of instructed imagination of fear-provoking scenes. He names two aspects of this process: (1) Exposure to contingencies of non-avoidant behavior in the fear-provoking situation. Under these circumstances, the S would learn non-avoidant responses appropriate to the anxiety-provoking situation that should help alleviate fear and avoidance behavior in this situation; and (2) Controlled attention shifts. In this view, changes in muscle tension are effective not by virtue of causing reciprocal inhibition but by training Ss to terminate attention directed towards the threatening situation. “There is an instructed attention shift from muscles to the threatening scene, back to muscles, allowing repeated practice in voluntary termination of attention directed towards fear-producing stimuli” (Wilkins, 1971). Wilkins considers that additional support for his view is provided by studies in directed muscle activity (Lazarus, 1965). Emotive Imagery (Lazarus and Abramovits, 1962) and by the outcome of some experimental studies in SD (Davison, 1968). The present study probes Wilkins' view, comparing desensitization procedures employing muscle relaxation training with a procedure that attempts controlled attention shifts using an imagery instrumental response and an auditory stimulus (music). Our hypothesis is: There will be no significant differences in three experimental groups, using a standard hierarchy of anxiety-provoking stimuli paried with: (1) deep muscle relaxation, (2) an auditory stimulus, and (3) a standard, imaginary instrumental response. If the hypothesis is correct, then replacing muscle relaxation with controlled attention shifts, in an otherwise identical desensitization procedure, should produce reductions in phobic behavior equal to those obtained by the standard method. This would suggest that the critical variables in SD are not those proposed by Wolpe, but the cognitive aspect of the controlled attention shifts.