alternatives to the medical model topic 3 Flashcards
(19 cards)
Outline what is meant by classical conditioning explanation of phobias
Watson and Raynor
-carried outva case on little Albert and was made phobic of rats despite previously having no fear
-This was done by repeated pairings of loud noise with a white rat, generalised to other white things like rabbits
Before conditioning
-baby ‘albert’ is allowed to play with pet rat. Albert enjoys petting the rat and doesn’t fear it. He was scared of loud noises
During conditioning
-When Albert tried to pet or go near the rat, a loud noise would be made. This scared Albert and was repeated many times
After conditioning
-When albert was presented with the rat he became scared, cried and tried to move away from the rat
Outline what is meant by Operant conditioning of phobias
Positive reinforcement
-shows signs of anxiety when you see a large dog, and the comfort/ attention from parent is taken as a reward of this behaviour.
Negative reinforcement
-removal of unpleasant experience
Outline what is meant by the social learning theory explanation of phobias
-if a child sees a role model/significant adult with a particular phobia of a particular animal, children may imitate this behaviour
-e.g if mum screams at spiders and runs away every time, this may also happen with the child as well
Outline what is meant by Aaron Beck and the negative cognitive triad. (As a cognitive explanation of mental illness)
Aaron Beck suggested that there are 3 main dysfunctional beliefs in people with depression which form a cognitive triad
- i am worthless or flawed \
- everything ido results in failure
- the future is hopeless
According to beck we may acquire these in our childhood due to loss of loved ones creating a negative bias that sticks with us and later triggered another event
-Beck accepted that genetics are a key biological component within disorders such as schizophrenia. However he suggested that the reason concordance rates are not at 100% is due to individual cognitive recesses
- Diathesis stress model of schizophrenia suggests that genes can create a predisposition for the disorder bu it actually only develops as a result of a stressor
Outline what is meant by cognitive explanations of mental illness
Cognitive explanations for a disorder or any dysfunctional behaviour is that the individual is suffering from faulty, irrational or simply unhelpful thought patterns
What are the three main beliefs that form a cognitive triad for those with depression
- am worthless or flawed
- everything i do results in failure
- the future is hopeless
Explain what s meant by Albert and Ellis and faulty conditions
Ellis proposed that irrational thoughts could cause and sustain mental disorders, and believed that faulty cognitions can be summarised within the following three parts
-awfulizing and catastrophizing (its awful if i get turned down for a date)
- can’t stand its (i can’t stand not doing well in exams)
-musterbating (people must like me or im worthless)
They are highly unrealistic expectations to have, and therefore when they are not attained the person is likely to feel like a failure and this could possibly lead to depression
What do treatments based on the cognitive approach aim to do
Change peoples beliefs/ expectations and ways of thinking through therapy
Explain what is meant by th psychodynamic explanation of mental illness
Based on theories o FREUD, it emphasises the role of the unconscious processes, early childhood experiences and conflicts between the parts of the psyche. Repressed memories traumas and unresolved conflicts of the unconscious
- A repressed trauma from childhood (e.g abuse or neglect) might resurface as generalised anxiety or a specific phobia
- Unresolved grief, loss or neglect during childhood can result in internalised anger or feelings of worthlessness ontributing to depressive episodes
An imbalanced personality (id ego super-ego)
-an overactive superego might drive the need for perfectionism, excessive guilt, or ritualistic behaviours to manage anxiety so explain obsessive compulsive disorder
Psychosexual stages of development
-fixation at the oral stage might manifest as a drug addiction
-phobias are seen as a result of displaced anxiety from unconscious conflicts e.g Freus little hand was scared f horses due to looking like dad and was currently in the Oedipus complex
Over use of Defense mechanisms
-Regression, associated with anxiety disorders, where individuals revêt to childlike behaviours when overwhelmed
Outline what is meant by the
Id
Ego
Super Ego
Id- This is the instinct driven, pleasure seeking part of the mind focused on immediate gratification
Eg- The rational mediator that balances the ids impulses with real world constraints
Super-Ego- The moral conscience representing societal and parental standards striving for ideal behaviour
Outline the nam of the key research of topic three alternatives to the medical model
Szasz- the myth of mental illness 50 years later
Outline The key research by Szasz
Szasz published a essay called ‘the myth of mental illness’
In this he challenged the medical model of mental illness which was becoming popular at the time. He was rejecting the image of patients as passive victims of biological events, and believed that psychiatry was coercive and involved denial of human rights
Overall, he believes that the drive to medicalise and politicise the US mental health system has taken credibility away from alternatives to the medical model. The politician of menta illness has occurred as it is the holders of political power who have settled te question ‘what is mental illness’ and they have decreed that mental illness is just like physical illness meaning mental illness is subject to diagnosis and treatment
Szasz believes that mental illness is a metaphor, in his view any menta illness found to have a physical cause were never actually entail illnesses but just undiagnosed physical illnesses. He dismisses that mental illnesses are a subtype oh physical illnes.
-Instead he proposes that the term of mental illness refers to the judgement of some people about the disturbing or socially unacceptable behaviours of other people ho they label
Why does Szasz challenge the insanity defence used in court
He believes that assuming all people are inherently good/bad and that bad actions only occur du to mental illness, has implications for human freedom. By accepting this kind of argument psychiatry and society deny people te responsibility for wrong doing and also liberty from oppression by the menta health system. The person as the sufferer loses their importance- it is te lines to be treated
Outline why Szasz says psychiatrists have incredible power
Psychiatrists become mre like jailers, imprisoning people in a system and denying them from their right to seek accept and reject medical diagnosis and treatment. Szasz argues that psychiatrists have incredible power; they alone are able to categorise label and treat the person who society deem and disturbed
Outline the conclusions by Szasz
-The medicalisation and politicisation of psychiatry over the past 50 years led to a dehumanised model of care
-mental illness should be regarded as a metaphor , a fiction
-the moral legitimacy of psychiatry should be rejected as it involves violating human liberty
Outline what the three applications of non biological treatments fr a specific disorder
Systematic desensitisation
Flooding
Aversion therapy
Outline what is meant by systematic desensitisation
This is a therapy relying on the Pringle of classical conditioning
It works by forming new associations between an item currently feared (the stressor) and the sensation of being calm
The therapy consists of the gradua paring of a previously feared stimulus with relaxation periods ensuring that the person doesn’t feel stress response.
The therapist gradually increases the level of stressor based on a fear hierarchy created prior. This is increased u unit there is no mre stress or fear of the old stressor
Outline what is meant by flooding
One way to make treatment quicker is to present the feared object directly. The immediate fear response caused by adrenaline is not sustainable and will cal down by itself.
The feeling of calm can then be associated with the feared stimulus
-However this can cause pnic and renforce the phobia especially if the person is allowed to leave the situation before the adrenaline levels are reduces
Outline what is meant by aversion therapy
This is used to create and unpleasant association like nausea in alcohol addiction
- a drug callled emetic can make people sick
-repeate pairings result in learnt response of aversion to alcohol
