Systemtic desensitization is a technique used to address fears and phobias. The patient approaches feared situations while in a relaxed state. The therapist constructs a fear hierarchy and uses relaxational imagery to help the patient relieve anxiety. Exposure techniques present the actual phobic stimulus in real life rather than having the patient merely imagine it. Therapies based on operant conditioning apply rewards and punishments to modify unwanted behavior.
Examples are token economies, time out, and response cost.
The use of punishsment is controversial as it may have many negative effects on the patient. In participatory modeling, the therapist models the desired behavior and also encourages the patient to gradually participate in it. Cognitive therapy replaces dysfunctional thoughts with more useful ones. Aaron Beck developed Cognitive Therapy for treating depression. He suggested that psychopathology is the result of cognitive distortions which must be altered.