The Behavioural Model Basic Philosophy: That which has been learned can be unlearned. Learning occurring through a process of classical or operant conditioning Classical conditioning is learning via association Operant conditioning is learning via reinforcement. Stimulus and response Social Learning theory; an extension of behaviourism, believes that we learn by modelling and coping the behaviours we witness around us.

The Behavioural Model At birth we are born with a tabula rasa (like a blank sheet) and consequently all behaviour is learned in same way. For behaviorists Abnormal behaviour is the consequence of abnormal learning from the environment.

The Behavioral Model There is no difference, in the learning, between normal and abnormal behaviours – they are learned in the same ways. This is by:- Classical conditioning Operant conditioning Social learning This is carried out via Stimulus and response training.

Treatments Behaviour Therapy and Behaviour Modification

Behavioural Therapy Based on principles of Classical Conditioning CC involves automatic reflexive responses or feelings (UCR) Most common UCR to situations of danger is fear/anxiety Through association can lead to fear of specific thing/situation Anxiety disorder, e.g. phobia Aim of Behavioural Therapy is to remove the association between fear and the object/situation

Technique 1: Systematic Desensitisation (Wolfe, 1958) Counter Conditioning replacing fear response with an alternative and harmless response.

Anxiety Hierarchy Packing luggage Making reservations Driving to the airport Realizing you have to make a flight Checking in Boarding the plane Waiting for boarding In-flight service Moving around the cabin Climbing to cruising altitude Descending Waiting for departure Taking off Landing Turbulence Anxiety Grade Low Anxiety 1–19 Medium Low Anxiety 20–39 Medium Anxiety 40–59 Medium High Anxiety 60–79 High Anxiety 80–100

Application of Behavioural Therapy. Alana has an extremely anxious reaction to spiders. She completely freezes if a spider is in the room, no matter what the size. She even struggles with plastic and cuddly toy spiders. Explain how a behavioural therapist might use systematic desensitization to help Alana with her fear of spiders. (6 marks)

Technique 2: Flooding Aim: to remove the learned association between the stimulus and response Procedure: Inescapable exposure to the feared object or situation Lasts until the fear response disappears. Assumes that very high levels of fear/anxiety cannot be sustained and will eventually fall.

Technique 3: Aversion Therapy Previous two techniques focus on removal of an undesirable association. This one aims to create an undesirable association! The aim is to remove from the individual any undesirable habits by pairing them with an unpleasant stimulus.

Evaluation of Behavioural Therapies Focus on symptoms, not deeper underlying causes of behaviour. Systematic desensitisation can be extremely effective in treatment of simple phobias (60-90% success rate, Barlow et al, 2002) Ethical issues in flooding and aversion therapy. Intense fear and anxiety. Even systematic desensitisation causes client to visualise or experience feared situations. Needs careful monitoring to ensure no long term ill-effects. Ignores any genetic or biological factors in psychological disorders.

Behaviour Modification Based on principles of Operant Conditioning. Attempt to change voluntary controlled behaviour, rather than reflexive behaviours involved in classical conditioning.

Treatment 1: Token Economy Increasing desired behaviour by positive reinforcement. Mostly used in institutions, e.g. psychiatric hospitals. Aim is to reduce levels of anti social behaviour Tokens given as reward for improved behaviour. Tokens can be exchanged for sweets, cigarettes etc.

Treatment 2: Social Learning Theory Cognitive element (not just Stimulus Response) Observation, vicarious reinforcement etc play a role. Modelling the patient observes others (the “model(s)”) in the presence of the phobic stimulus who are responding with relaxation rather that fear to the phobic stimulus. In this way, the patient is encouraged to imitate the model(s) and thereby relieve their phobia.

Evaluation of Behaviour Modification Token Economy can improve behaviour/reduce anti social behaviour But, is this replicated once patient back in community? Reductionist approach to complex behaviour, seeing people as stimulus-response ‘machines’. SLT takes more complex view of human behaviour, including cognitive processes of observation and imitation. Ignores any genetic or biological factors in psychological disorders.