Download The behaviourist explanation of mental illness

The behaviourist explanation
of mental illness
How can illnesses be learned?
• The behaviourist perspective is based on the assumption that all
behaviour is learned from the environment. But how can this be true
of mental illness?
• It can be argued that theories like classical conditioning, operant
conditioning and social learning theory can explain and treatment
some mental illnesses.
Classical conditioning
• Classical conditioning can explain how phobias develop.
• A famous study by Watson and Rayner (1920) investigated
whether it was possible to create a phobia in a baby boy (Little
Albert).
• Watson and Rayner wanted to induce a phobia of a white rat,
something that Little Albert naturally was not afraid of.
• To create the phobia a loud noise (something that upset Albert)
was repeatedly presented every time he saw the rat.
• Albert eventually formed an association between the rat and the
upsetting noise and would get upset at the sight of the rat even
when the noise was not presented.
• This could explain how phobias develop.
Operant conditioning
• Some people argue that mental illness can be explained in terms of
the rewards.
• Do people get rewarded for mental illness?
• Negative reinforcement could explain why some phobias remain
over time.
• Negative reinforcement is the removal of something unpleasant.
• For example, if someone is afraid of spiders and gets another person
in the house to remove any house spiders they see for them – they
are rewarded as the fear they had previously is lifted when another
person removes the spider. However, this negative reinforcement
could actually ensure the phobia persists in the long term.
Social learning theory
• Social learning theory is based on the assumption that people will
imitate what they observe.
• Some argue that behaviours shown in depression (withdrawal,
mood swings) can be transmitted to others.
• In particular, children who see role models reacting to challenges in
unhealthy ways will learn to also respond to situations in the same
way.
• Nature/nurture
• Cognitive approach
Behaviorist treatments
•
Classical conditioning can be used to treat phobias as well as create them.
If someone can associate their phobia with feelings of calmness then this
could remove the phobia.
•
Systematic desensitisation involves a person being taught relaxation
techniques and then pairing these techniques with their phobia.
In order not to make the therapy too intense they are systematically
introduced to their phobia (e.g. seeing a drawing of their phobia first, then a
photo, etc.).
•
•
This was demonstrated in the study by McGrath et al. (1990) where a 10year-old girl called Lucy had her fear of loud noises (caused by party
poppers and balloons) reduced by systematically desensitising her to them.
Her self-rating of fear of party poppers began at 9/10 and reduced to 3/10
after the therapy was completed.
Aversion and flooding
• Aversion therapy also works on the principles of classical
conditioning.
• It can reduce drug and alcohol addiction by adding substances to
them that create nausea.
• The person will then associate drugs or alcohol with feeling sick and
this will stop their addiction.
• Another therapy known as flooding can also cure phobias.
• It involves immediately putting someone into contact with their
phobia.
• Although they will panic at first, their body cannot sustain the fear
response for a long period and after the person cannot physically be
afraid they will associate their phobia with calmness.
Lewinsohn et al. (1990)
• Using operant conditioning, this study asked parents to only reinforce
non-depressed behaviours of teenagers who met the DSM criteria for
depression.
• When this technique was used, rates of depression dropped to 52% –
demonstrating the effectiveness of reinforcing desired behaviour.
• Paul and Lentz (1977) also found that patients with schizophrenia who
were given therapy based on social learning theory were twice as
likely to be discharged from hospital and ten times more likely to be
living independently compared to patients who had drug treatments.