Behavioural approach to abnormality
- Created by: Aletia
- Created on: 10-04-13 19:43
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- Behavioural approach to psychopathology
- Assumes we are born as blank slates
- All abnormal behaviour must therefore be learnt but can also be unlearnt using the same principles
- Classical conditioning - learning through association
- Explains phobias and fetishes - ivoluntary associations between stimuli and reaction
- Example: fall into a river when little, scared of water situations from then on such as swimming or having a bath
- Explains phobias and fetishes - ivoluntary associations between stimuli and reaction
- Operant conditioning
- Reinforcement of abnormal through reward and punishment
- Example: depressed person gets attention from others about their depression so may continue depressed behaviour
- Reinforcement of abnormal through reward and punishment
- Support: Little Albert was conditioned by Watson to have a phobia of rats, Skinner conditioned rats to press levers to obtain food
- Focusses on past rather than present so doesn't bring up painful memories
- Accounts for cultural differences as it focusses on environment
- Limitations: reductionist and determinist approach, ethical issues in research experiments used as support, tested mainly on animals so may not be generalizable
- Assumes we are born as blank slates
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