ASSUMPTIONS MADE BY THE BEHAVIOURAL (A PSYCHOLOGICAL MODEL) ABOUT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

SUMMARY: THE BEHAVIOURAL MODEL CONSIDERS ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND BELIEVES ALL BEHAVIOUR INCLUDING ABNORMAL BEHAVIOUR IS A RESULT OF LEARNT EXPERIENCES. ACCORDING TO THE MODEL THIS FAULTY “LEARNING” HAPPENS IN THREE WAYS; CLASSICAL CONDITIONING, OPERANT CONDITIONING AND SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY.

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

Classical conditioning can explain how phobias develop.

The neutral stimulus that produces no fear in a person e.g. a dog, is paired with an unconditioned stimulus – something that automatically produces fear, such as a loud noise or barking for young children.

This pairing or association turn the neutral stimulus into a conditioned stimulus

OPERANT CONDITIONING

Operant conditioning can explain how phobias are maintained because when negative reinforcement occurs, something that is unpleasant is removed.

So, fear of dogs is the unpleasant thing; avoiding dogs is negatively reinforcing because the individual does not have to face the fearful object too closely, so their fear level is reduced but their phobia is maintained.

SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY- LEARNING THROUGH OBSERVATION

Modelling- This is when an individual copies another’s behaviour (often if they are a role model). For instance some psychologists believe phobias are a result of young children copying their parent’s fear of, e.g. pigeons. Vicarious reinforcement- This is when an individual observes somebody receiving reinforcement for a behaviour and so they imitate it in order to try and get that reward themselves. This is used in an explanation of anorexia nervosa