psychopathology
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- Created by: maggie swan
- Created on: 22-02-22 12:13
Behavioural approach to explaining phobias -
Two process model
Two process model
Hobart Mowrer (1960) proposed the two-process model based on the behavioral approach to phobias. Phobias are
1. acquired by CC - associating a previously neutral stimulus with a fear response
2. maintained because of operant conditioning - escaping from
1. acquired by CC - associating a previously neutral stimulus with a fear response
2. maintained because of operant conditioning - escaping from
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Behavioral approach to explaining phobias - Key study
- 11 month old named ‘Little Albert’
- No fear response to white fluffy objects
- Created a conditioned response to these previously neutral objects by making loud noise behind Albert’s head every time he went near a white rat
- Repeated until cried all
- No fear response to white fluffy objects
- Created a conditioned response to these previously neutral objects by making loud noise behind Albert’s head every time he went near a white rat
- Repeated until cried all
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Behavioural approach to explaining phobias
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A03
- Strength - Good explanatory power - people with phobias often recall a specific incident when their phobia first appeared
• RLA - CC- systematic desensitization - practical use.
• Ignores cognitive factors for example the role of irrational thinking =
• RLA - CC- systematic desensitization - practical use.
• Ignores cognitive factors for example the role of irrational thinking =
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Behavioural approach to explaining phobias
A03
A03
Behavioural approach to explaining phobias
A03
A03
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Behavioural approach to explaining phobias
A03
A03
Behavioural approach to explaining phobias
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A03
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Behavioral approach to treating phobias -
Systematic desensitization
Systematic desensitization
Developed by Wolpe, SD the process of introducing an individual to an object or event that they feel anxious about
Based upon counterconditioning :responding to a stimulus with fear, changes to relaxation. Forming a new association that runs counter to t
Based upon counterconditioning :responding to a stimulus with fear, changes to relaxation. Forming a new association that runs counter to t
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Behavioral approach to treating phobias -
Systematic desensitization
Systematic desensitization
-Relaxation The therapist teaches the patient to relax as deeply as possible (Reciprocal inhibition)
-Desensitization hierarchy: Therapist and patient construct a series of imagined anxiety provoking situations.
-Exposure- the patient is exposed to the p
-Desensitization hierarchy: Therapist and patient construct a series of imagined anxiety provoking situations.
-Exposure- the patient is exposed to the p
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Behavioral approach to treating phobias -
Systematic desensitization
Evaluation
Systematic desensitization
Evaluation
- Research support: SD is successful for a range of disorders - 75% success
- Weakness - SD will not be useful for innate phobias
- Strength - Relatively fast and require less effort
-may not work with certain phobias as the symptoms are only the tip of
- Weakness - SD will not be useful for innate phobias
- Strength - Relatively fast and require less effort
-may not work with certain phobias as the symptoms are only the tip of
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Behavioral approach to treating phobias -
Flooding
Flooding
Involves a single exposure in to the person’s most feared situation with the phobic object
Taught relaxation techniques, but shown phobic stimulus
Adrenaline released when the fear response occurs has a time limit. As adrenaline levels drop a new stimul
Taught relaxation techniques, but shown phobic stimulus
Adrenaline released when the fear response occurs has a time limit. As adrenaline levels drop a new stimul
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Behavioral approach to treating phobias -
Flooding
Evaluation
Flooding
Evaluation
- Flooding is not for everyone as it can be a highly traumatic procedure. Therefore, they may quit half way through which reduces the effectiveness of the treatment
- Both flooding and SD were effective, but flooding was more effective out of the two
- Both flooding and SD were effective, but flooding was more effective out of the two
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The biological approach to explaining OCD
Genetic explanation
COMT
Genetic explanation
COMT
COMT regulates the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine which has been implicated in OCD
One form of the COMT gene has been found to be more common in OCD patients -This variation produces lower activity of the COMT gene and higher levels of dopami
One form of the COMT gene has been found to be more common in OCD patients -This variation produces lower activity of the COMT gene and higher levels of dopami
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The biological approach to explaining OCD
Genetic explanation
SERT
Genetic explanation
SERT
• Also known as 5-HTT
• Affects the transport of serotonin, creating lower levels of this neurotransmitter
• A mutation of this gene has been found in two unrelated families where six of the seven members had OCD (Ozaki et al)
• Affects the transport of serotonin, creating lower levels of this neurotransmitter
• A mutation of this gene has been found in two unrelated families where six of the seven members had OCD (Ozaki et al)
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The biological approach to explaining OCD
Neural explanation
High dopamine levels and OCD
Neural explanation
High dopamine levels and OCD
• High doses of drugs that enhance levels of dopamine induced stereotyped movements resembling the compulsive behaviours found in OCD
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The biological approach to explaining OCD
Neural explanation
Lower levels of serotonin associated with OCD
Neural explanation
Lower levels of serotonin associated with OCD
- Antidepressant drugs that increase serotonin activity have been shown to reduce OCD symptoms, whereas antidepressants that have less effect on serotonin do not reduce OCD symptoms
- Serotonin also plays role in operation of OFC and CN (Comer).
- Serotonin also plays role in operation of OFC and CN (Comer).
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The biological approach to explaining OCD
Neural explanation
Abnormal brain circuits
Neural explanation
Abnormal brain circuits
Several areas in the frontal lobes of the brain are thought to be abnormal in people with OCD
- OFC sends worry signals to thalamus –caudate nucleus is damaged thalamus is alerted & sends signals back to OFC
- PET scans show a heightened activity in the O
- OFC sends worry signals to thalamus –caudate nucleus is damaged thalamus is alerted & sends signals back to OFC
- PET scans show a heightened activity in the O
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The biological approach to explaining OCD
Evaluation
Evaluation
- First-degree relatives with OCD had a 5x greater risk of having the illness themselves
- Real-world application: A simple relationship between a disorder and genes- human genome, gene therapy. However genome mapping raises ethical issues
- Real-world application: A simple relationship between a disorder and genes- human genome, gene therapy. However genome mapping raises ethical issues
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The biological approach to explaining OCD
Evaluation
Evaluation
• Weakness - Twin and family may also be more similar in terms of shared environments - Concordance rates are never 100% = reductionist
• Alternative explanations— the two-process model - NS associated with anxiety, maintained due to avoidance. success of
• Alternative explanations— the two-process model - NS associated with anxiety, maintained due to avoidance. success of
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The biological approach to treating OCD
Antidepressants: SSRIs
Antidepressants: SSRIs
- Most commonly used drugs for anxiety disorders thus OCD
- SSRIs work by blocking the re-uptake sites of serotonin . Increase levels in synapse and stimulate the postsynaptic neuron
- Increasing levels of serotonin may normalize the ‘worry’ circuit, and
- SSRIs work by blocking the re-uptake sites of serotonin . Increase levels in synapse and stimulate the postsynaptic neuron
- Increasing levels of serotonin may normalize the ‘worry’ circuit, and
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The biological approach to treating OCD
Antidepressants: Tricyclics
Antidepressants: Tricyclics
- First antidepressant used for OCD
- Tricyclics block the mechanism that re-absorbs serotonin and noradrenaline into the pre-synaptic cell
-More of these neurotransmitters are left in the synapse , prolonging activity and easing transmission of the next
- Tricyclics block the mechanism that re-absorbs serotonin and noradrenaline into the pre-synaptic cell
-More of these neurotransmitters are left in the synapse , prolonging activity and easing transmission of the next
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The biological approach to treating OCD
Anti-anxiety drugs: Benzodiazepines (BZ)
Anti-anxiety drugs: Benzodiazepines (BZ)
- BZs slow down the activity of the central nervous system by enhancing the neurotransmitter GABA
- GABA = has a quietening effect,
-BZs react with GABA receptors -harder for neuron to be stimulated by neurotransmitters
- The neurons activity is slowed d
- GABA = has a quietening effect,
-BZs react with GABA receptors -harder for neuron to be stimulated by neurotransmitters
- The neurons activity is slowed d
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The biological approach to treating OCD
Evaluation
Evaluation
- Drug therapy requires little effort and time - compared to CBT. Cheaper for health services- little monitoring = economical
- Weakness - side effects severe SSRIs - nausea and insomnia. Tricyclic- hallucinations, irregular heartbeat. BZs - increased ag
- Weakness - side effects severe SSRIs - nausea and insomnia. Tricyclic- hallucinations, irregular heartbeat. BZs - increased ag
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The biological approach to treating OCD
Evaluation
Evaluation
- Not a lasting cure—drugs treat the symptoms not the cause. Many relapse within a few weeks
- Publication bias—positive results were more likely to be published. Drug companies want success of their drugs especially if funded them = lead to doctors to
- Publication bias—positive results were more likely to be published. Drug companies want success of their drugs especially if funded them = lead to doctors to
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
Behavioral approach to explaining phobias - Key study
Back
- 11 month old named ‘Little Albert’
- No fear response to white fluffy objects
- Created a conditioned response to these previously neutral objects by making loud noise behind Albert’s head every time he went near a white rat
- Repeated until cried all
- No fear response to white fluffy objects
- Created a conditioned response to these previously neutral objects by making loud noise behind Albert’s head every time he went near a white rat
- Repeated until cried all
Card 3
Front
Behavioural approach to explaining phobias
A03
A03
Back
Card 4
Front
Behavioural approach to explaining phobias
A03
A03
Back
Card 5
Front
Behavioural approach to explaining phobias
A03
A03
Back
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