Breaking Up a Homosexual Fixation by the Condition Reaction Technique: A Case Study. LOUIS WM. MAX, New York University.

A homosexual neurosis in a young man was found upon analysis to be partially fetishistic, the homosexual behavior usually following upon the fetishistic stimulus. An attempt was made to disconnect the emotional aura from this stimulus by means of electric shock, applied in conjunction with the presentation of the stimulus under laboratory conditions. Low shock intensities had little effect but intensities considerably higher than those usually employed on human subjects in other studies, definitely diminished the emotional value of the stimulus for days after each experimental period. Though the subject reported some backsliding, the "desensitizing" effect over a three month period was cumulative. Four months after cessation of the experiment he wrote, "That terrible neurosis has lost its battle, not completely but 95% of the way." Advantages and limitations of this technique are discussed. [10 min.]