Explanations of Dysfunctional Behaviour
Biological explanation
This model assumes that the physical structure of our body i.e. our physiology determines our behaviour.
Gottesman & Shield, A review of recent adoption twin and family studies of schizophrenia
- Aim: To review research on genetic transmission of schizophrenia.
- Methodology:
- Review of 3 adoption and 5 twin studies into schizophrenia.
- 711 participants in adoption studies (210 monozygotic, 319 dizygotic).
- Comparison of parents and siblings and adoptive parents and siblings.
- Results:
- All three studies showed increased incidence of schizophrenia in biological relatives.
- All twin studies found higher concordance rate in monozygotic twins than dizygotic ones.
- Concordance rates of 58% in monozygotic twins (58% chance of twin having it), 12% in dizygotic twins.
- Conclusion: Significant genetic input and evidence show a genetic link for schizophrenia.
- Evaluation:
- Reductionist view as only one explanation of behaviour and it ignores the cognitive and behavioural explanation (that it’s our cognition and other factors).
- Biological theory relies a lot on the concordance rate and if it isn't 100% then there must be interaction with the environment.
- Difficult to replicate/compare therefore affects reliability.
Behavioural explanation
All behaviour is learned through the principles of classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Dysfunctional behaviour is learned exactly the same way. Pavlov argued that behaviour is learnt through making associations, more specifically stimulus response associations. i.e. an event in the environment which is the stimulus results reaction. Pavlov observed this stimulus response in his dogs. A bell was rang each time his dogs were fed. On the sight on the food the dogs salivated. When the bell was rung without the food the dogs still salivated. Stimulus was the bell and response was salivating. This can explain a range of dysfunctional behaviour such as phobias. The cause of fear is not looking down, it is the physiological response.
Watson and Raynor, Study of classical conditioning
Little Alberts fear induction.
- Findings:
- Session 1: 1st time the bars were struck A. jumped and fell forward.
- Session 2: After 5 presentations, A. reacted to the rat by crying, and crawling away from it.
- During the other sessions he had also developed a fear towards other objects.
- Evaluation:
- There is scientific credibility for this explanation and can be repeated.
- Low in ecological validity as it was in a laboratory setting and a individual wouldn't be classically conditioned in their everyday life.
- Ignores the influence of thought processes, therefore reductionist, or biological factors.
- Ethical considerations such as psychological harm as Albert was removed from the study before cured.
Cognitive explanation
Ellis & Beck developed this model as a reaction to the criticisms that behaviourism does not take into account, cognitions. The basic assumption of dysfunctional behaviour is that it is caused by distortions in our cognitions.
Beck et al, Interviews with patients undergoing therapy for depression
- Findings:
- Certain themes appeared in the depressed patients that did not appear in the non-depressed patients. These were low self-esteem, self-blame.
- Depressed patients had stereotypical responses to situations even where inappropriate. E.g. a passer-by did not smile at him, one patient would feel hated.
- Some patients felt unlovable and alone, even when others showed friendship.
- Conclusion: People suffering from mild depression, have cognitive distortions that deviate from realistic or logical thinking. These distortions are only related to depression.
- Evaluation:
- Not representative of the general population as only upper/middle class participants were included ignored working class individuals.
- Difficult to observe what goes on in the brain and doesn’t explain why they develop these thoughts.
- Treatment is very effective such as therapy.
Category
