Atypical Behaviour

Question 1

Define typical behaviour

Answer 1

Behaviour which is considered normal, usually because it applies to the majority of people

Question 2

What does atypical behaviour mean?

Answer 2

Behaviour that is considered abnormal, usually because it applies to a minority of people

Question 3

What is the definition of a phobia?

Answer 3

An irrational fear of something

Question 4

What is agoraphobia?

Answer 4

A fear of open spaces

Question 5

What is social phobia?

Answer 5

A fear of embarrassing yourself in public

Question 6

What is school phobia?

Answer 6

A fear of school

Question 7

What is acrophobia?

Answer 7

A fear of heights

Question 8

What is arachnophobia?

Answer 8

A fear of spiders

Question 9

What is the core theory of atypical behaviour?

Answer 9

The behaviourist’s theory

Question 10

What is the key concept of the behaviourist’s theory?

Answer 10

Behaviourists believe in classical conditioning (learning through association.

Question 11

What is an unconditioned stimulus?

Answer 11

Something that naturally caused a response

Question 12

What is an unconditioned response?

Answer 12

An instinctive reflex from the body

Question 13

What is a neutral stimulus?

Answer 13

Something that would not cause a response on its own

Question 14

What is a conditioned stimulus?

Answer 14

Something that triggers a learnt response

Question 15

What is a conditioned response?

Answer 15

A learnt response

Question 16

Describe the process of classical conditioning

Answer 16

Pavlov’s Dogs

1. UCS (food) = UCR (dog salivating)
2. UCS (food) + NS (bell) = UCS (dog salivating) REPEAT
3. CS (bell) = CS (dog salivating)

Question 17

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 17

Learning through consequences e.g if you cry because of a spider and you are comforted, you may learn to cry every time you see a spider so you can be comforted again, and hence grow a phobia

Question 18

What is extinction?

Answer 18

When a phobic association is weakened over time

Question 19

Evaluate the behaviourist theory

Answer 19

1. It ignores the thinking behind an action as some people are able to rationalise the associated stimulus while others are not
2. Ignores the role played by others around you e.g if you’re scared of a bee in front of your parents, they would tell you to stop being silly and you’d think nothing of it but if you’re with a friend who was also scared, the event may have seemed scarier than it was
   and you may develop a phobia
3. Some people have phobias of things that they have never encountered

Question 20

What is the alternative theory?

Answer 20

Evolutionary theory

Question 21

What does this theory suggest?

Answer 21

This theory suggests that animals have evolved to have instinctive behaviours. (nature over nurture)

• All animals want to survive and reproduce so we fear things which threaten these things such as e.g heights, the dark, closed spaces, flying
• Animals such as snakes and lions pose a threat to our survival as they are most unlike
• It is much harder to get rid of phobias which threaten survival

Question 22

What is preparedness?

Answer 22

Instinctively aware of dangers

Question 23

What is the core study of atypical behaviour?

Answer 23

Watson and Rayner - Little Albert (1920)

Question 24

What was the aim of this study?

Answer 24

To test the theory of classical conditioning

Question 25

Who was the main participant of the study?

Answer 25

Little Albert

Question 26

What was the method used in this study?

Answer 26

Lab experiment

Question 27

Describe the procedure for the study

Answer 27

1. Albert had no fear of rats, furry objects/animals at the start of the study. This is clear as Albert was reaching out to stroke them, showing no fear. 2. The rat was offered to Albert again and as he reached out to stroke it, Watson hit a hammar against a steel bar to frighten him. (repeated several times over the next few weeks)

Question 28

What was the result of the experiment?

Answer 28

Soon after the experiment was repeated a few times, Albert shows signs of fear towards the rat. However, after a break of 10 days later, the fear subsided.

Question 29

What was the conclusion of Little Albert's study?

Answer 29

Someone can be conditioned to fear a stimuli

Question 30

Evaluate the study

Answer 30

1. it was a lab experiment - low in ecological validity 2. Only one participant was used - results cannot be generalised 3. Highly unethical as they caused distress in the participant

Question 31

What are the applications of research into atypical behaviour?

Answer 31

1. Behaviour therapies for phobias - Flooding - Immersed in fear (faces fear full on so they feel calmer and associates fear with calmness) - Systematic desensitisation - gradually introduced to fear - Implosion therapy - made to imagine worst fear