a behaviourist’s approach to therapy is in stark contrast to a psychoanalytic one.
Behaviourists explain maladaptive behaviour in terms of the learning principles that sustain & maintain it. Discuss and a behaviourist’s approach in contrast to a psychoanalytic one.
Introduction
In this essay I will be demonstrating a knowledge of the main behaviourist principles and approach, and how they can be related to maladaptive behaviour. I will then compare this approach with the psychoanalytical approach, evaluating the different approaches and considering the ethical issues.
Maladaptive behaviour and the Behaviourist principles
Maladaptive behaviours refer to behaviours that inhibit a person’s ability to adjust to particular situations. This behaviour is often used to reduce one’s anxiety, but the result is dysfunctional and non-productive. For example, avoiding situations because you have unrealistic fears may initially reduce the anxiety, but is non-productive in alleviating the actual problem long term.
Behaviourism is a school of thought in psychology based on the assumption that learning occurs through interactions with the environment. Two other assumptions of this theory are that the environment shapes behaviour and that taking internal mental states such as thoughts, feelings and emotions into consideration is useless in explaining behaviour. Behaviourists are unique among psychologists in believing that it is unnecessary to speculate about internal mental processes.
The behaviourist theory believes that cultural and sub – cultural conditioning moulds and shapes behaviour and subsequently the personality. Behaviourists also believe that people are born with only a handful of innate reflexes and that all of a person’s complex behaviours are the result of learning through interaction with the environment. They also assume that the processes of learning are common to all species and so humans learn in the same way as other animals.
A human being, according to the behaviourist, has his life determined for him
Introduction
In this essay I will be demonstrating a knowledge of the main behaviourist principles and approach, and how they can be related to maladaptive behaviour. I will then compare this approach with the psychoanalytical approach, evaluating the different approaches and considering the ethical issues.
Maladaptive behaviour and the Behaviourist principles
Maladaptive behaviours refer to behaviours that inhibit a person’s ability to adjust to particular situations. This behaviour is often used to reduce one’s anxiety, but the result is dysfunctional and non-productive. For example, avoiding situations because you have unrealistic fears may initially reduce the anxiety, but is non-productive in alleviating the actual problem long term.
Behaviourism is a school of thought in psychology based on the assumption that learning occurs through interactions with the environment. Two other assumptions of this theory are that the environment shapes behaviour and that taking internal mental states such as thoughts, feelings and emotions into consideration is useless in explaining behaviour. Behaviourists are unique among psychologists in believing that it is unnecessary to speculate about internal mental processes.
The behaviourist theory believes that cultural and sub – cultural conditioning moulds and shapes behaviour and subsequently the personality. Behaviourists also believe that people are born with only a handful of innate reflexes and that all of a person’s complex behaviours are the result of learning through interaction with the environment. They also assume that the processes of learning are common to all species and so humans learn in the same way as other animals.
A human being, according to the behaviourist, has his life determined for him
Bibliography: Theoretical approaches in Psychology, M Jarvis : About Behaviourism, BF Skinner : Patient.co.uk : Psychnet: Class notes