Presentation on Systematic Desensitization for General Psychology Honors at De Anza College, Fall 2012

1. SYSTEMATIC
DESENSITIZATION
Maya Bhattacharya
General Psychology Honors
November 5, 2012

3. AFTER
DESENSITIZATION…

4. DEFINITION
“Systematic desensitization, also
desensitization therapy, is a
technique used to treat phobias
and other extreme or erroneous
fears based on principles of
behavior modification” (4).
Basically, it’s a therapy procedure
for reducing anxiety, fears and
phobias (what you’re scared of) to
the point that you can “face your
worst fear”.
A Few Common Phobias:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Acrophobia (Fear of heights)
Claustrophobia (Fear of enclosed
spaces)
Nyctophobia (Fear of the dark)
Arachnophobia (Fear of spiders)
Ophidiophobia (Fear of snakes)
Trypanophobia (Fear of
injection/medical needles)
Nosophobia (Fear of having a
disease)
Phobias can be considered as
anxiety disorders, as fear causes
anxiety.

5. S E L F - A D M I N I S T E R E D S Y S T E M AT I C
D E S E N S I T I Z AT I O N P RO C E D U R E
1. Relaxation
2. Constructing an anxiety hierarchy
3. Pairing relaxation with the situations
described in your anxiety hierarchy
Guide to Psychology: http://www.guidetopsychology.com/sysden.htm

6. Here’s a sample hierarchy:
• Talking about spiders
• Looking at a picture of a spider
• Looking at an actual spider not
moving, in a cage, from a distance
• Looking at an actual spider, not
moving, in a cage, getting closer
• Looking at a moving spider in a cage
• Looking at a moving spider outside
of a cage
• Reaching for the spider
• Petting the spider
• Holding the spider in your hands

7. WHY DON’T WE LIVE WITH
OUR FEARS?
 What if your fears are:
• Distracting you from
your daily life
• Not allowing you to
progress (fear of
speaking in public or
social anxieties)
• Causing you to
become physically ill?

8. SOCIAL ANXIETIES

9. FOR EXAMPLE…

10. WHO’S IDEA WAS IT?
1950s

11. WHAT TO DO NOW

12. BY…
 Using humor! Have
laughter in your life –
humor really achieves
results
 Using the techniques we
discussed today! 

13. REFERENCES
 Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Desensitization.aspx
 Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders: http://www.minddisorders.com/PyZ/Systematic-desensitization.html
 About.com Phobias:
http://phobias.about.com/od/introductiontophobias/tp/Ten-CommonPhobias.htm
 Theories in Psychology:
http://theoriesinpsychologyf10.wikispaces.com/Classical+Conditioning+%26+Syst
ematic+Desensitization

14. PICTURE CREDITS

http://www.minddisorders.com/photos/systematic-desensitization-866.jpg

http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/398337-2312-55.jpg

http://shynesssocialanxiety.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/overcoming-fear-progressive-
desensitization.jpg

http://www.simswyeth.com/wp-content/uploads/glossophobia.jpg

http://www.psychologynoteshq.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/spider-550x367.jpg

http://www.simplypsychology.org/systematic-desensitisation.jpg

http://www.primarypsychiatry.com/userdocs/ArticleImages/1105pp4.gif

http://www.betterparenting.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/fight-fears.jpg

http://conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1468256&d=1335423450

If you would like to discuss any psychology topics, including desensitization, feel free to speak with me in
class or email me at: mbhattacharya.student@gmail.com.