What is mutual inhibition?

In psychology, mutual inhibition is in the form of behavioral therapy, in which the required behavioral response is repeatedly performed in the presence of a stimulus that usually evokes an undesirable answer. For example, a patient with a snake phobia can be repeatedly exposed to the presence of a snake while practicing a delightful relaxation procedure. The theory of this type of reciprocal inhibitory therapy is that, in sufficient repetition, the old, undesirable reaction can be stolen and a new pattern of behavior can be permanently determined. However, the original theory of reciprocal psychotherapy inhibition was developed by South African psychologist Joseph Wolpe, who published his ideas in 1958 in a post entitled "Psychotherapy of reciprocal inhibition". In this key work, Wolpe claimed that anxiety and phobic disorders could be treated by teaching clients to relax during the process of gradual exposure to the stimulus producing anxiety. The first step in this process was to expose cats unpleasant shock, paired with a specific sound. After some conDici would react with fear only to sound. This is an example of classic conditioning Pavlovian. Furthermore, Wolpe showed that the reaction of fear could gradually be stolen if the stimulus turned and combined the same sound with the presentation of food.

In the theory of mutual inhibition, mutual behavior is defined as behavior that competes against each other. For example, a relaxing behavior in which the skeletal muscles of ESS are released in which the muscles are tense. The reaction to the stimulus is repeated practicing the desired behavior in the presence of the stimulus used to start unwanted behavior, weakened and finally, if the treatment is successful, is removed by undesirable behavior.

Wolpe developed his thoughts by working with soldiers who suffered from post -traumatic stress disorder and met with considerable success. Initially, a large part of the psychotherapeutic community was skeptical in terms of the theoryMen inhibition, suggesting that this method would only result in the replacement of symptoms in the patient and not in permanent treatment. Wolpe's work, however, created a pioneering psychotherapeutic theory, which was largely incorporated into modern behavioral therapy.