1. Explaining abnormality
Behavioural explanation

2. Learning Objectives All of you will able to:
Recap the psychodynamic theory of personality
Describe how classical and operant conditioning can explain abnormal behaviour
Evaluate the behavioural approach by identifying strengths and weaknesses
Some of you will be able to:
Discuss ethical issues of behavioural research
Explain why the behavioural explanation is good/bad using key terminology
Plan/answer a past exam question on this topic

3. Recap of psychodynamic
Decide which character relates to which part of Freud’s theory of personality ID
EGO
SUPEREGO

4. The Behavioural Approach
MAIN ASSUMPTION – ABNORMAL BEHAVIOUR IS LEARNT THROUGH OUR ENVIRONMENT
Three main features:
Classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
Social learning theory
Can we remember classical conditioning and operant conditioning from Unit 1 “Attachment”???

5. Classical conditioning
Little Albert:
Albert, a 9 month old baby, loved animals and would show no fear when they were near him. Psychologists placed a white rat on his lap and watched as he stroked the animal.
The next time the rat was on his lap, the researcher made a loud noise by hitting a metal pipe with a hammer. This was done repeatedly. The researchers observed Albert’s future reaction to the rat and made these comments:
"The instant the rat was shown, the baby began to cry. Almost instantly he turned sharply to the left, fell over on his left side, raised himself on all fours and began to crawl away so rapidly that he was caught with difficulty before reaching the edge of the table.“
EXTENSION
WHY WOULD A STUDY LIKE THIS NOT RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM AN ETHICS COMMITTEE TODAY?
HOW COULD YOU USE CLASSICAL CONDITIONING TO EXPLAIN A PHOBIA OF HEIGHTS?

6. Little Albert – classical conditioning
 RAT
 No fear
 noise
 Fear
Rat  +
Noise
 Fear
 Rat
 Fear
Summarise how classical conditioning can explain abnormal behaviour e.g. phobias

7. Operant Conditioning
The “Skinner Box” – LEARN HOW TO BEHAVE THROUGH REWARD AND PUNISHMENT
What behaviour has the rat learnt?
How has the rat learnt this behaviour (what is motivating the rat to behave that way?)
How can operant conditioning be used to explain abnormal behaviours/psychological disorders???

8. Social Learning Theory (SLT)
This involves learning through observation and imitation. We observe significant others in our life and imitate their behaviour. This is particularly the case if these others are rewarded for their behaviour. We want to repeat the behaviour so that we can be rewarded too.
For example, a child may learn antisocial behaviour such as bullying by observing another child bully someone and receive rewards for it, such as respect or money.
Mineka et al (1984) – young monkeys raised by parents who already had a fear of snakes did not automatically develop this fear (weren’t born with it). However, when they observed their parents showing fearful responses to real and toy snakes, they too acquired an intense fear.

9. Evaluation
Differentiate between strengths and weaknesses of the behavioural approach

10. Exam Question
‘Behaviourists believe that all behaviour, both normal and abnormal, is learned through processes such as classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning.’
Discuss the behavioural approach to explaining psychological abnormality (12 marks)
How would you answer this question? What would you include?
Plan an answer to this question