Revised Fear of Elevators Paper

Individual Learning Experience

Conrad N. Torres

PSY/211  NWFYS21

July 30th 2012

Instructor: Sarah James-Felton

As this author once stepped into elevators, the anxiety would begin.  The mere thought of using an elevator would send a chill through the veins.  As the elevator would begin its upward or downward journey, the anxiety would intensify and fear would set in. What this author has longed to know is, was this fear real or was it irrational?

Perhaps by looking at different learning perspectives, Classical Conditioning, Operant Conditioning, Cognitive-Social Learning, or by identifying the Unconditioned Stimulus, the Unconditioned Response, the Conditioned Stimulus, and the Conditioned Response, this author will find what he has long been seeking.

Throughout most of this authors life there existed a fear of elevators and not until later was it realized this fear stemmed from an event that had taken place early in life.  It was as a young boy, who while making a trip to his father’s workplace in a high rise federal building that this author and his family found themselves, trapped inside an elevator.  The elevator had gotten stuck between floors when suddenly he witnessed one fellow traveler in a panic.  She was gasping for air as if it were going to run out, and frantically rambling that there was no escape.

For many years to follow, this author believed that if he were to get stuck in an elevator that there would be no escape and no air.  Today it is realized and understood that this is a result of what psychologist refer to as Classical Conditioning, which is “A learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus,” in this case a young boy observing a woman’s frantic response to the given situation (Feldman, 2010 pp.2-6).

In the years to come work was found at a six story correctional facility. This author soon learned that the only way of getting from one area of the facility to another was the elevator.  Fears still in place, it was time to either face them, or seek alternate employment. On that very first day of work, without fail, the assignment for the day was on the fifth floor.  As the elevator opened and as the anxiety began to stir, this author convinced himself that these elevators did not get stuck and were in the best maintenance condition because they were located in the jail. The elevators were needed not just to get employees and inmates from one area to another, but more important than that they are also used to move emergency staff from location to location in cases of extreme emergencies.

By convincing himself that because these elevators were inside a jail and used in cases of emergencies and that it was virtually impossible for them to breakdown, get stuck, and even more ridiculously, run out of air.  Made it not only possible to get on the elevator but also provided a somewhat relaxing feeling when finally doing so.  

This writer realizes that this is a component known as Operant Conditioning, “Operant conditioning is a form of behavior modification which is used to either decrease or increase the likelihood that a particular behavior will occur. The process relies on the idea that organisms respond to stimuli, and that if they can be taught to associate a specific stimulus with a particular behavior, they will be more likely to engage in or avoid the behavior, depending on the type of stimulus involved” (Feldman, 2010 pp. 8-15).