Medical & Psychological Models

Question 1

Pathology Model

Answer 1

Psych problems are symptoms of an underlying cause.

Normal reactions of intact and not broken cognitive mechanism.

Cause is normal reaction to stressful life events.

Question 2

Psychoanalytic Model

Answer 2

Unconscious conflicts in brain to defend against anxiety and depression.

Stem from childhood conflict.

Question 3

The Learning Model

Answer 3

Behaviourist approach - result of maladaptive learning.

Unusual combination of experiences = unusual behaviour e.g. phobias caused by past events.

Conditioning to treat symptoms.

Question 4

Cognitive Model

Answer 4

Most widely used.

Psychopathology = irrational beliefs and dysfunctional ways of thinking.

Cognitive biases = attend to stimuli, retrieve memories and maintain disorder.

CBT.

Question 5

Implications of Medical Model

Answer 5

Reductionist - doesn’t consider emotional or psych features.

Doesn’t include personality vulnerability e.g. PTSD.

Assumption of things not working properly (stigma).

Psychodynamic & cognitive - result of experience not biology.

Individuals adopt role of long term illness.