Psychological Explanations - OCD

Question 1

What are the 2 processes in Mowrer’s model?

Answer 1

1) Fear of specific stimuli is acquired through classical conditioning (e.g. touching a door knob in a dirty environment = associated with the idea of contamination)
2) Fear is maintained by operant conditioning (learns washing hands relives feeling of fear) - negative reinforcement.
Hand washing = rewarding as takes anxiety away

Question 2

Why does Mowrer believe ‘substitute’ escape rituals take place? (Use if just on behavioural)

Answer 2

Produce short-term anxiety relief but maintain long-term anxiety because the individual never learns that nothing bad happens in the absence of the rituals

Question 3

What did Carr find? (Use if time)

Answer 3

Found ritualistic, compulsive behaviours were carried out when activity in an OCD suffers autonomic nervous system was high
- reduction in activity when carrying out rituals

Question 4

How does Carr support Mowrer?

Answer 4

Supports idea with biological evidence - compulsive behaviours are reinforcing

Question 5

What did Solomon and Wynne do?

Answer 5

Conditioned OCD behaviour into dogs
- 2 compartments with carrier - dog received an electric shock unless it jumped into other compartment with in 10 seconds

Question 6

What did Solomon and Wynne find?

Answer 6

Dogs learnt to jump into the other compartment after several trials
- When electricity was turned off dogs continued to jump

Question 7

What does Solomon and Wynne’s study show?

Answer 7

Behaviour is reinforced because it reduced anxiety. BUT may not be representative of humans

Question 8

What did Freud believed caused OCD

Answer 8

Believed it stems from fixation at anal stage (derive pleasure from bowl movements)

Question 9

What happens in the anal stage?

Answer 9

Child has to accept the will of parents to be clean when it wants to be messy, pressure makes child feel guilty and dirty
= conflict between ID and ego

Question 10

What causes anal-retentive personality?

Answer 10

When conflict in the anal stage is particularly strong

Question 11

What did Rachman and Hodgson find?

Answer 11

• No relationship between ‘anal’ personality traits of perfectionism, neatness and OCD
• Clinical data showed some with OCD do have anal personality traits before onset of disorder
  BUT many of those with OCD do not show these traits and many of those who have an ‘anal retentive personality’ do not develop OCD

Question 12

What does Rachman and Hodgson’s study show?

Answer 12

Opposes Freud’s ideas as states not all anal personalities develop into OCD
BUT data on toilet training not documented so how is this personality classed