...Outline and evaluate the behavioural approach to psychopathology (12 marks) One assumption of the behavioural approach is that only behaviour is important and that this behaviour is learned through experience. The processes of this learning include classical conditioning where associations are made between one thing and the other. Operant conditioning where abnormal behaviour is reinforced or the social learning theory (SLT) where abnormal behaviours are learnt vicariously. For example, a child may observe its mother obsessively cleaning the house and being praised by the father for doing so. This consequence (e.g. praise) may be enough to initiate the same abnormal behaviour (e.g. OCD) in the child. The behaviourist approach assumes that abnormal behaviours that have been learnt can be unlearnt using the same processes (operant conditioning, classical conditioning and SLT). So, undesirable or abnormal behaviour e.g. a phobia, can be replaced with more desirable or normal behavior using therapies such as systematic desensitisation. One strength of the behavioural approach is that therapy can focus directly on the client's maladaptive behaviour. For example, if a patient suffers from arachnophobia then the treatment can be directed solely towards getting rid of the fear of spiders instead of referring to the client's previous or medical history. This shows that changing the behaviour from maladaptive to adaptive is sufficient for a cure. One...
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...Centre Number Surname Other Names Candidate Signature Candidate Number For Examiner’s Use Examiner’s Initials Question Mark General Certificate of Education Advanced Subsidiary Examination June 2010 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Psychology (Specification A) Unit 2 PSYA2 Biological Psychology, Social Psychology and Individual Differences 9.00 am to 10.30 am Thursday 10 June 2010 You will need no other materials. 10 11 TOTAL Time allowed 1 hour 30 minutes Instructions Use black ink or black ball-point pen. Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. Answer all questions. You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages. Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of this book. Write the question number against your answer(s). Information The marks for questions are shown in brackets. The maximum mark for this paper is 72. Question 3 should be answered in continuous prose. You may use the space provided to plan your answer. In Question 3, you will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. (Jun10psya201) G/T52601 6/6/6/ PSYA2 2 Section A Biological Psychology Answer all questions in the spaces provided. Do not write outside the box Total for this question: 6 marks 1 The following data show...
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...Psychological Therapies Outline and Evaluate one or more psychological therapies used in the treatment of abnormalities (12 Marks) There are many psychological therapies that are used to treat psychological disorders. Systematic desensitisation is just one of these therapies that are developed by behaviourists in order to treat phobias, as it aims to make an individual learn that feared objects are not so fearful. This can be achieved by introducing the object gradually. If maladaptive behaviours have been learnt by classical or operant conditioning it should be possible to change them, therefore Systematic desensitisation takes a practical problem-solving approach based upon classical conditioning. It uses reverse conditioning to replace a maladaptive response to a stimulus with an adaptive response. Psychologists work with the patient and help create hierarchy of events relating to the original stimulus, by associating an alternative response (e.g. muscle relaxation) to the object instead of the response of anxiety. This is useful as if a person it able to tolerate imagined stressful situations then it will be followed by a reduction in anxiety; meaning the treatment is only effective if a client can apply their learnt behaviour to real life. There is also research evidence to support the treatment, as McGrath et al (1990) demonstrated that Systematic desensitisation is effective for 75% of people with phobias. This empirical evidence demonstrates that SD is an effective...
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...Outline and evaluate psychological therapies of depression (24) A01 This method of treatment is based on the idea that how we think (cognition), how we feel (emotion) and how we act (behaviour) all interact together, with our thoughts determining our feelings and behaviour. Negative thought then cause us distress and result in problems. The aim of CBT is to help people become aware of when they make negative interpretations and of behavioural patterns which reinforce the distorted thinking. Thought catching is the stage in CBT in which fault cognitions are identified and influence is made to correct them. Behavioural activation involved completing physical activities, something which depressed people do not involve themselves in but can be used as an antidote. Psychodynamic interpersonal therapy emphasises the importance of therapeutic conversation in which past problems are talked about and relived, ensuring a stable relationship between therapist and client. There are many components to PIT. Exploratory rationale identifies difficult relationships and a rationale is developed linking this to current symptoms. Shared understanding involves the therapist truly understanding the client’s experiences. A third part of the therapy is recreating the different feelings within a therapeutic environment. Through this the therapist tries to modify the disturbances which ultimately causes depression A02 There is empirical support for the use of CBT in the treatment of depression....
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...Outline and evaluate the behavioural approach to abnormality. The behavioural approach to abnormality focuses on observable behaviour not what is in the mind. This approach says that behaviour is learned through a process called conditioning. There are three types of conditioning these are; classical, operant and social learning. The first type of conditioning is classical. Classical conditioning says that behaviours are learnt through a stimulus-response association. This means when someone has an experience (stimulus) and it causes a reaction (response) then that person might associate that stimulus and response every time. For example if someone saw a snake (stimulus) and someone screamed (Response) then a child could associate snakes with screaming and become scared. Classical conditioning is believed to be the cause of phobias. This was shown in the study of Little Albert. The next type of conditioning is operant. Operant conditioning is the child being conditioned by reinforcement and reward/punishment. Operant conditioning is based on two types of reinforcement, positive and negative. Positive reinforcement is behaving in a particular way because it brings a rewarding feeling, whereas negative reinforcement is behaving in a particular way to avoid a punishing feeling. This was looked at by Skinner and was tested in experiments like Skinner’s rats and Pavlov’s dogs. This theory can be also used to explain conditions like OCD. This is because being tidy as...
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...Outline and evaluate one biological therapy and one psychological therapy for schizophrenia (8+16 marks) Schizophrenia, a psychotic disorder in which an individual has lost touch with their sense of reality, has been treated both biologically, with therapies such as drug therapy, and psychologically with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Both of these therapies are used extensively for an individual with the disorder, reflecting the view that no single approach can appropriately explain and treat schizophrenia single-handedly. When treating schizophrenia biologically, drug therapies are the most commonly used type of therapies. Within drug therapies, antipsychotics are the drugs which are the most appropriate for treating the disorder, as they help the patient gain a better subjective feeling of wellbeing and allow them to function within society adequately. Antipsychotics can come in typical forms, which includes drugs such as chlorpromazine and haloperidol. These drugs, work on the assumption that schizophrenia is caused by too much of the neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger within the brain) dopamine. The way in which they act is by binding too, but not stimulating the dopamine receptors (notably the D2 receptors on the receiving end of the synapse). This means that the dopamine itself cannot bind to the receptor, as it is already occupied and so a lower level of dopamine enters the synapse. This lowers the overall levels of dopamine in the brain, combatting the positive...
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...each other. This essay will also evaluate some of my personal experiences of having professional counselling which will enable the reader to gain an authentic perspective from the clients viewpoint. This essay will also state some of my own perspectives on what counselling is and what counselling has done for me personally. I will also demonstrate my understanding of the laws and legal implications of counselling Counselling can be a complex and abstract subject. Everyone has their own opinions on what counselling is. I am currently a student at Ty Elis training to be an integrative counsellor. This means that the therapist uses an approach which uses element from different forms of counselling and psychotherapy. After being a client and receiving personal therapy for a period of 18 months and now having started training to be a therapist myself, my own views on counselling have changed considerably. The BACP defines counselling as “Counselling and psychotherapy are umbrella terms that cover a range of talking therapies. They are delivered by trained practitioners who work with people over a short or long term to help them bring about effective or enhance their wellbeing”. Before I explain the different types of counselling I am going to express my own personal view on what I thought counselling was and what I think it is now to give the reader the perspective from both the client and trainee counsellor. When I first went to therapy it was for bereavement counselling...
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...Outline and Evaluate the Behavioural Approach to Psychopathology The behaviourist approach assumes that all behaviours are learnt. It suggests that there are three ways in which this learning can happen, these are classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning. The first method is classical conditioning this is when behaviour is learnt through association; via a stimulus and a response. This is an explanation for phobias, an abnormal behaviour can be learned by associating an environmental stimulus; a dog, with a biological response; fear and pain when bitten by the dog. Therefore, every time a person previously bitten by a dog sees a dog, they experience the same fear they felt when being bitten. Thus, the person would develop a phobia of dogs. Another example is, the fear of small spaces, this may develop if fear is felt in a situation involving a small space – an elevator for example. Therefore a past distressing event in the elevator may lead to associating fear with small spaces. The second way is operant conditioning, this is when behaviour is learnt through positive reinforcement; rewarded by a pleasant outcome or a negative reinforcement; rewarded by the removal of the unpleasant condition. This can be associated to abnormalities like anorexia for example. If a person is dieting and they then begin to gain compliments from the weight loss, these compliments act as a positive reinforcement and they will carry on behaving the same way. If this were to...
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...are two main theories applied to relationships, Social Exchange Theory and Equity Theory underpin commonly used behavioural therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Integrative Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. More recent studies in neuroscience and behavior and the importance of language have led to the development of Relational Frame Theory and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as an alternative approach. In this essay I will outline the relationship models comparing and contrasting them Social exchange theory Social exchange theory analyses interactions between two parties by examining the costs and benefits to each. The key point of the theory is that it assumes the two parties are both giving and receiving items of value from each other. Under this theory, interactions are only likely to continue if both parties feel they coming out of the exchange with more than they are giving up that is, if there is a positive amount of profit for both parties involved. The Social Exchange Theory by Thibaut and Kelly (1978) originates from economy sociology and psychology. It is also a well know theory in sociology that explains the variations and modifications of social relationships development between individuals. The social exchange theory assumes that all human relationships are a matter of costs and rewards and people evaluate the worth of their relationship to make a rational decision of whether or not to progress. To understand the...
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...This assignment will evaluate the dimensions of treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) through Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR will be analysed in terms of its clinical efficacy and practical effectiveness utilizing extensive outcome literature and research. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a trauma and stressor related psychiatric condition that occurs through exposure to isolated or multiple traumatic events (Lake, 2012). Traumatic events mainly encompass direct or by proxy exposure to death, serious injury or sexual violation, such as sexual assault, car accidents, warfare, or natural disasters (Barlow & Durand, 2015). Symptoms The symptoms of PTSD...
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...A2 Psychology: G543 Options Paper Exam Technique and Tips General Exam Information You will be assessed for this unit in a 1.5 hour examination. You will need to answer four questions; two questions from the topic of Forensic Psychology and two questions from the topic of Health and Clinical Psychology. This means you will have about 20 minutes of writing time per question, plus a little bit of thinking time. This is not a long time to maximise your marks, so there are some simple exam techniques to follow below. Each question will be worth 25 marks and be divided into two parts; part (a) and part (b). Part (a) asks you to demonstrate descriptive skills and is worth 10 marks, whilst part (b) asks you to display evaluative skills and is worth 15 marks. General Exam Technique/Advice * Choose the right questions A mistake made by some students is answering questions on a topic they haven’t studied! So ensure you firstly locate the two sections of the paper that you can answer questions on; Forensic and Health/Clinical. In each of these two sections, there will be a choice of four questions. You will only choose two questions per section, so pick which questions you are going to answer and cross out the others. Choosing which questions to answer may be difficult than it first appears because some questions may sound similar. You need to become familiar with the layout and wording of questions prior to your exam. * Know your timings For each question you...
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...The Behaviourist Approach 1a) Outline two assumptions of the Behaviourist Approach (4 marks) One assumption of the Behaviourist Approach is that they believe the environment influences behaviour. An example of this behaviour would be social learning theory were it is believed that we learn through observing and imitating models such as parents this is known as environmental determinism. Another assumption of the Behaviourist Approach is that they believe scientific methods should be used only to study behaviour which is observable. They believe mental behaviour cannot be objectively measured, so choose to only study actions that can be observed, e.g. the learning of aggression via lab experiments by ‘Bandura’. 1b) Describe the Social Learning Theory of Aggression (8 marks) The Social Learning Theory (SLT) is learning through observing and imitating models such as parents or people in the media. It is a behaviourist theory because it can be tested in a controlled environment (laboratory) and conclusions from observations can be drawn, and behaviourists say we learn from our environment. Bandura (1977) also claimed that for social learning to take place individuals must undergo four stages. The first one being attention, individuals will learn the Aggressive Behaviour if they observe the model’s behaviour. Secondly, retention, the behaviour must be remembered in order for the individual to apply it. The third stage is reproduction: individuals must be able to reproduce the...
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...This paper will begin with a brief explanation of the meaning of a holistic approach to understanding mental health conditions, it will outline four mental health disorders and evaluate the usefulness of a holistic approach to understanding the conditions, the paper will conclude with a summary of the main points made. The holistic approach in understanding mental health conditions looks at the whole person and explores biological, psychological and social aspects of an individual. The holistic approach dictates that these interdependent factors be examined to provide explanation and inform possible interventions, a biopsychosocial perspective is a type of holism (Toates, 2010, pg.19). Engel, 1977, rejected the narrow principles of the biomedical model in favour of a biopsychosocial model to increase understanding of mental health conditions (Engel, 1977, cited in Toates, 2010, pg.14)....
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...Outline and evaluate one psychological explanation and one biological explanation of an eating disorder. [24 marks] Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterised by recurrent binge-eating followed by self-induced vomiting or another compensatory behaviour (purging). One psychological explanation of bulimia nervosa is the functional model which was created by Polivy et al. in 1994. This model suggests that individuals engage in the binge-eating associated with BN as a way of coping with identity problems, particularly those associated with self-image. By overeating the person can attribute any resulting distress to the overeating rather than to the more serious underlying issues associated with threats to their emotional well-being. This led to the view that bulimic binge behaviour was purposeful for individuals dealing with life stressors. The functional model assumes that individuals with BN engage in binge-eating as a way of avoiding identity issues. Wheeler et al. (2001) proposed that negative self-image and a desire to escape from difficult life issues predicted the onset of bulimic behaviour, the consequence of which was a diffuse-avoidant identity style. Individuals in this state feel externally controlled, use emotion-focused rather than problem-focused coping strategies, and avoid the exploration of identity issues. Consequently they maintain a negative self-image and feel socially isolated. Polivy et al. provided evidence for the claim that BN is a functional...
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...A2 Psychology: G543 Options Paper Exam Technique and Tips General Exam Information You will be assessed for this unit in a 1.5 hour examination. You will need to answer four questions; two questions from the topic of Forensic Psychology and two questions from the topic of Health and Clinical Psychology. This means you will have about 20 minutes of writing time per question, plus a little bit of thinking time. This is not a long time to maximise your marks, so there are some simple exam techniques to follow below. Each question will be worth 25 marks and be divided into two parts; part (a) and part (b). Part (a) asks you to demonstrate descriptive skills and is worth 10 marks, whilst part (b) asks you to display evaluative skills and is worth 15 marks. General Exam Information You will be assessed for this unit in a 1.5 hour examination. You will need to answer four questions; two questions from the topic of Forensic Psychology and two questions from the topic of Health and Clinical Psychology. This means you will have about 20 minutes of writing time per question, plus a little bit of thinking time. This is not a long time to maximise your marks, so there are some simple exam techniques to follow below. Each question will be worth 25 marks and be divided into two parts; part (a) and part (b). Part (a) asks you to demonstrate descriptive skills and is worth 10 marks, whilst part (b) asks you to display evaluative skills and is worth 15 marks. General Exam Technique/Advice ...
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