Abstract
It is argued that the therapy technique of semantic desensitization is but one of several conceptually related semantic conditioning techniques that can produce therapeutic behavior change. In all of these techniques a target stimulus is paired with a series of words that differ in dictionary meaning but share a common connotation as indicated by semantic differential ratings. This study extended prior work by choosing the stimulus “myself” as a target of conditioning and by pairing it with a group of words loading at the powerful end of the Potency dimension of meaning. Subjects were 20 snake phobics who could not touch a harmless snake even when offered money. The semantic conditioning group improved substantially more on the behavioral avoidance test than did a placebo control group. Results were interpreted as indicating that the semantic conditioning techniques can be adapted to use the client's perception of himself as a target of conditioning in order to produce therapeutic change.
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Reference Note
Sappington, A. A.Semantic space as an explanatory concept in personality theory. Paper presented at the annual convention of the Southeastern Psychological Association, 1977.
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This research was financed by University of Alabama in Birmingham faculty research grant No. 8229.
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Sappington, A.A., Burleson, R., Studstill, L. et al. Reduction of avoidant behavior through the semantic conditioning of a self-related target stimulus. Cogn Ther Res 6, 315–323 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173579
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173579