Download Outline and evaluate the behavioural model of abnormality

Outline and evaluate the behavioural model of abnormality. (18
marks)
The behavioural model assumes that both adaptive and maladaptive behaviours are
learnt. It proposes that there are three ways in which this learning can take place, these
are classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning or modelling.
The first method, classical conditioning is when a person learns to associate a stimulus
with a response. The earliest example of this is with Pavlov’s dogs. In this example the
dogs learnt to associate the bell with the presentation of food which led to the conditioned
response of salivation. This occurred after several pairings of the food and bell during
conditioning. In terms of abnormality classical conditioning could be used to explain how
anorexics learn to associate eating with becoming overweight which leads to fear and so
they stop eating to reduce their anxiety.
The second way learning can take place is through operant conditioning. The basic
principle here is that if a behaviour whether adaptive or maladaptive if positively reinforced
for example by praise it will increase the likelihood of such behaviour occurring again.
Again using anorexia nervosa as an example when the individual initially loses weight they
may gain attention from others around them.
The final way in which the behavioural model proposes people may learn maladaptive
behaviours is through modelling. This is called the social learning theory and involves
individuals observing their role models behaving in certain ways and imitating their
behaviour. Certain factors such as how well the person identifies with the role model, and
if the role model is observed to be rewarded for the behaviour (vicarious reinforcement),
determine how likely the individual is to display the observed behaviours.
One strength of this behavioural view is there is supporting research. For example, one
study (Becker) looked at the eating habits and attitudes towards food of a large group of
girls in Fiji before and after TV was introduced to the island. 3 years after the introduction
of TV, many of the girls who watched lots of TV admitted vomiting to control their weight.
This suggests that to some extent maladaptive behaviours such as bulimia is caused by
social learning.
Another strength is there are practical applications. This model suggests the causes of AB
are learned, therefore the best way to treat abnormality is to unlearn faulty learning. For
example, desensitisation is used to successfully treat people with phobias. People learn to
overcome their fearful reactions to spiders etc. This suggests that this model can improve
the quality of people’s lives.
One weakness is there are problems with establishing the exact cause of AB.
Behaviourists argue that AB is learned, but critics respond that just because abnormal
behaviour can be changed by behaviour therapy, (such as desensitisation), it does not
mean it was learned – eg. behaviour therapy will lead to an anorexic putting on weight, but
this does not mean they are cured, as the underlying cause of the anorexia will still be
there. This suggests that the behavioural model is not always scientific.
Another weakness is this view is reductionist. This is because it tends to overemphasise
learned factors in abnormality and to ignore other factors such as genetics. This suggests
that this model is an oversimplification.