behavioural model Flashcards
experiment
Watson and Rayner- 11 yr old boy participant, white rabbit, white rat and cotton wool didn’t scare him. Striking a 4 ft steel bar with a hammer scared him. Put the 2 together and struck the bar whenever he tried to touch the rat- scared him, he was now scared of all the objects-generalisation. It shows that phobias can be the result of classical conditioning and can lead to
overview
Behaviourists believe that our actions are determined largely by the experiences we have in life, rather than by underlying pathology of unconscious forces. Abnormality is therefore seen as the development of behavior patterns that are considered maladaptive (i.e. harmful) for the individual.
The emphasis of the behavioral approach is on the environment and how abnormal behavior is acquired, through classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning.
classical conditioning
A stimulus results in a physiological reaction in an individual, the event and reaction are forged into an association- phobias can develop this way for example a fear of heights could stem from someone climbing to the top of a building and experiencing nausea when looking down.
assumptions
BULS:
-BEHAVIOUR- It assumes the mind is an unnecessary concept and only observable behaviour is important
-UNDERSTANDING- It assumes that if we can learn behaviour we can also unlearn it.
–LEARNING- all behaviour is learned through classical and operant conditioning.
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY- Behaviour might be learned via observing and imitating other people, especially role models.
operant conditioning
Skinner explained how our behaviour is influenced by the consequences of our actions. We learn at an early age which of out actions are rewarded and which are punished. So the more rewarded something is, the more likely it will be repeated. Skinner identified three types of responses or operant that can follow behaviour.
Neutral operants: responses from the environment that neither increase nor decrease the probability of a behaviour being repeated.
Reinforcers: Responses from the environment that increase the probability of a behaviour being repeated. Reinforcers can be either positive or negative.
Punishers: Responses from the environment that decrease the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated. Punishment weakens behaviour.
strengths
It’s been tested in a lab situation, behavioural therapies can be successful, especially with phobias and the approach has evidence to back it up- King and Rayner
weaknesses
It doesn’t take free will or personality into account, it underestimates the contribution of society and much of it’s principles have been tested on animals so it may not be applicable to humans.
treatments-systematic desensitisation
uses reverse conditioning and aims to replace a maladaptive response through relaxing the patient through muscle relaxation, creating a hierarchy of anxiety provoking situations in which the individual goes through each one and ends when the client completes them and is desensitised. It works because of reverse conditioning and positive reinforcement.
systematic desensitisation evaluation
One weakness of systematic desensitization is that it relies on the client’s ability to be able to imagine the fearful situation. Some people cannot do this
Studies have shown that neither relaxation nor hierarchies are necessary, and that the important factor is just exposure to the feared object or situation.
it is a slow process. Although, research suggests that the longer the technique takes the more effective it is.
Systematic desensitization is not effective in treating serious mental disorders like depression and schizophrenia.
it only treats the symptoms of the disorder, not the underlying cause.some psychiatrists argue that it will create another phobia if it works.
treatments-aversion theory
Aversion therapy is used when there are stimulus situations and associated behaviour patterns that the therapist and the client both regard as undesirable.
Aversion therapy involves associating such stimuli and behaviour with a very unpleasant unconditioned stimulus
The client thus learns to associate the undesirable behaviour with the unpleasant stimulus
e.g- alcohol, emetic, vomit.
aversion theory strength’s
It is supported by some studies like Baker and Brandon who found it helped in curing peoples addiction to cigarettes, and it offers a window of opportunity when other more appropriate behaviours are learned.
aversion theory weaknesses
there are doubts about the long-term effectiveness of aversion therapy. It can have dramatic effects in the therapist’s office.
Also, relapse rates are very high – the success of the therapy depends of whether the patient can avoid the stimulus they have been conditioned against.
Ethics- even when consent is given participants can’t always anticipate what will happen- it can inflict pain.
flooding
Flooding works by exposing the patient directly to their worst fears. (S)he is thrown in at the deep end. For example a claustrophobic will be locked in a closet for 4 hours.
At first the person is in a state of extreme anxiety, perhaps even panic, but eventually exhaustion sets in and the anxiety level begins to go down. Of course normally the person would do everything they can to avoid such a situation. Now they have no choice but confront their fears and when the panic subsides and they find they have come to no harm.
