PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATION- MILLER (FEELING STATE THEORY)

Question 1

How does Miller (2010) explain the causes of impulse control disorders?

Answer 1

• ICD’S are caused by feeling-states, which are when intense positive feelings (happiness) are associated with behaviours (fire-starting).
• Thus, the behaviour is repeated to recreate the same emotional experience.
• These behaviours may be triggered by state-dependent memories (recollection of pos feelings that occured during the behaviour) making it harder to resist the urge to act on them again.

Question 2

What are feeling-states?

Answer 2

• When intense positive emotions or physiological arousal (e.g., happiness) become associated with specific behaviors (e.g., fire-starting).

The feeling-state: The person associates fire-starting with this positive, high-energy feeling (excitement, relief, or power ‘I am powerful’).

Question 3

What are state-dependent memeories?

Answer 3

• where the individual recalls the intense feelings they experienced during the behavior, making it harder to resist the urge to act on them again (creating compulsions)

Question 4

What does Miller suggests feeling-states are caused by?

Answer 4

• Underlying negative thoughts or experiences (a pyromaniac may have underlying negative self-beliefs (I’m worthless) thus the feeling-state achieved during fire-starting become highly desirable/addictive.

Question 5

Why do feeling-states result in/ consequences?

Answer 5

• Further negative feelings once the behaviour goes out of control/ have highly destructive consequences.
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Question 6

Are feeling-states temporary?

Answer 6

feeling-states have a lasting impact over time and can persist in different circumstances because the emotional response associated with the behavior becomes deeply ingrained in a person’s memory and emotional system.

Question 7

Name 1 strength and 1 weakness of Miller’s feeling states?

Answer 7

• Explanatory power/ emotional focus: addresses the emotional and psychological aspects of ICDs- which is important since they are often driven by emotional rewards. This emotional/psych explanation helps explain why the behaviours are repeated despite knowledge of their harm.
• Reductive- doesn’t account for the biological or neurological factors (dopamine dysregulation or brain structure abnormalities)