Comportement dysfonctionnel (document en anglais)

Part B Evaluate explanations of dysfunctional behaviour

Section Sub-section Theory Evidence Possible evaluation Explanations Behavioural Dysfunctional

According to classical conditioning theory, a phobia is an automatic reflex acquired as a response to a non-dangerous stimulus. For example , the Study by Watson and Raynor on the study of classical conditioning, using the case study of one child known as “little Albet”. The child acquired his fear of rats when he ‘learned’ to associate the sight of a white rat with the fright of a hammer crashing down on a steel bar. After only seven trials, Albert became frightened and backed away from the white rat every time he saw it. The first evaluation problem that is raised from a case study, is the generalisation of the study. The study was done on a child that lived in a hospital environment due to his mother being a wet nurse, he also had a fear of loud noise before the study, therefore this study can not be generalised to the general public.

behaviour is learnt Case study of Little Albert who lived in a Case study – can this be generalised to a wider of through operant and classical hospital. He had fear of loud noise but no population? dysfunctional conditioning. Operant conditioning fear of rats. He was presented with white Can all types of dysfunctional behaviour be behaviour – if you are rewarded for rat along with loud noise. After five pairing explained by classical and operant dysfunctional behaviour you are Albert showed fear towards the rat alone. conditioning? likely to repeat it. Classical Albert was also classically conditioned to Is it a too simplistic/reductionist explanation? conditioning – associations are respond with fear towards rabbits and dogs.

What about physiological explanation eg made with one act and another eg Watson and Raynor concluded that it is genetic links? Little Albert learnt to associate a possible to condition fear through classical rat with a fear of loud noises. conditioning.

The study by Beck et al on interviews with patients undergoing therapy for depression. The study is a clinical interviews with 50 Self report study , the first concern is that participants may have lied by faulty thinking, or by demand characteristics, keep in mind that they are patients in therapy for depression and therefore they most probably have self esteem issues.

There may have been demand characteristics. compared with 31 not diagnosed with Is it a too simplistic/reductionist explanation? depression. Themes common with What about physiological explanation eg depressed patients – low self-esteem, genetic links? desire to escape, low self-worth and paranoia. They concluded that there are cognitive distortions present in depressed patients that deviate from realistic and logical thinking.

The study by Gottesman and Sheilds on the review of recent adoption twin and family studies of schizophrenia This approach is often criticised for being too by physiological factors such as and twin studies of families with reductionist. However, genetic theory brain structure or level of schizophrenia. They found increased rate suggests a tendency towards a disorder which neurotransmitters (eg dompemine of schizophrenia in adopted children with a is brought about by environmental influences. levels of schizophrenia). Others biological parent with schizophrenia.

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