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Psychopathology - Coggle Diagram
Psychopathology
The behavioural approach to explaining phobias
All behaviour both normal and
abnormal is learnt as a response to
some environmental stimuli (two process model)
Classical conditioning
= acquisition of a phobia
Little Albert
UCS = UCR
UCS + NS = UCR
CS = CR
Operant conditioning
= maintenance of phobia
How the phobia is maintained
(why the phobia continues to exist)
How a phobia is initiated
(how it begins/where it comes from)
Avoiding stimulus -> reduces fear and anxiety =
negative reinforcement -> strengthens phobia
Evaluation:
:check: Scientific and its key principles
can be measured in an objective way
:red_cross: Too deterministic
:red_cross: Too reductionist
The behavioural approach to treating phobias
Systematic desensitisation
Client is taught relaxation.
techniques
Client and therapist draw
up a fear hierarchy
Gradually moves up from
least to most fearful level
The association between the
conditioned stimulus and
conditioned response is broken.
Counter-conditioning (reverse learning)
Client is in control
Flooding:
Anxiety peaks
at such high levels
and cannot be
maintained, that eventually
anxiety subsides
Evaluation:
:check: Can be very effective
treatment (Barlow et al)
:red_cross: SD and flooding
raise major ethical issues
:red_cross: Not effective for
more complex phobias
Definitions of abnormality
Deviation from social norms
Breaking expectations society has
about behaviour, e.g. not taking care of yourself.
Links to depression
Evaluation:
:check: The deviation from social norms definition allows those in need to be identified and receive help
:red_cross: Social norms change over time
:red_cross: Social norms are culturally dependent
Failure to function adequately
Occurs when someone is unable to cope with the ordinary demands of day to day life, e.g. work, childcare, etc
1.
Maladaptive = behaviour which
disadvantages an individual and
prevents attainment
2.
Causing distress to self or
others
3.
Unpredictable = becoming dangerous
to themselves or others
Evaluation:
:check: The FTFA definition
adequately provides an
'abnormality checklist'
:red_cross: Failing to function
doesn't always indicate an
abnormality
:red_cross: The presence of
an abnormality doesn't always
prevent functioning
Deviation from ideal mental health
Creating a list of characteristics
indicating psychological health
1.
Sense of reality = realistic views of the world
2.
Resistant to stress and its negative effects
3.
Self-actualisation = be the best they can be
4.
Autonomy = be able to look after yourself
5.
Empathy = show understanding towards others
Evaluation:
:check: The DFIMH definition provides
a positive viewpoint from which to assess
behaviours
:red_cross: The characteristics of ideal
mental health are too idealistic and
unattainable
:red_cross: The DFIMH definition is
ethnocentric
Statistical infrequency
The less frequently a behaviour
occurs the more likely it is to be abnormal
Psychologists use a normal
distribution to decide when a
characteristic is rare
Evaluation:
:check: The statistical infrequency definition
offers an objective approach to diagnosing abnormality
:red_cross: Not all abnormal behaviours are infrequent
:red_cross: Not all infrequent behaviours are abnormal