1. Discuss the behavioural approach to explaining psychological abnormality. (12 marks)
It is suggested hat abnormal behaviours are learnt through conditioning, this could be; operant conditioning and classical conditioning.
Behaviouriss suggest that classical conditioning can be the reason behind the development of abnomal behaviours, such as phobias. A study o support this would be Little Albert; Little Albert was done by conditioning the young boy to be scared/have a fear of rats because they associaed the rat with loud, scary noises which frightened the boy.
Operant conditioning is also suggesting the abnomality of person could grow on someone. Operan condiion involves learning through an action. Examples of this to suggest abnormaliy are; maintaining phobias – we can anxious around phobic stimuli, therefore seek to avoid them, this removes anxiety (negative reinforcement), anorexics – desire to loose weight, so they do this by not eating (positive reinforcement as they are not putting on weight) and bulimics – feel guilt and disgust so make themselves sick (negative reinforcement as it removes these feelings).
To overcome these fears and change someones abnormal behaviour would be systematic desensiisation. This is treatment used to cure phobias and in this case release any abnormal behaviours. Patients are to make a list of hierachy from their least feard situation to heir mos feared, they are then to complete this list.
Reinforcements can also change a persons view point, for example; abnormal behaviours are often maintained by positive reinforcement. If a person is positively reinforced it could re-shape their behaviour. If someone is punished for their action, it will change their behaviour and allow the behaviourto not be repeated.
Overall, the behaviour approach suggests that all behaviour is leant, this involves all mental disorders, phobias and anything that differs from the social norm.
psychology 