Behaviorism

According to Spiegler (2015), the behavioral model forms the basis of behavioral therapy. The behavioral model posits that people are defined by their behaviors. Behaviors are either overt or covert. Overt behaviors involve actions that other people can physically see, such as walking and talking. Covert behaviors cannot be seen by others. They are private behaviors that cannot be directly observed. Although covert behaviors are more difficult to assess, covert behaviors can be inferred from…

Models of Abnormality Stacy Adams Ivy Tech Models of Abnormality There are several current models of abnormality. They are the Biological Model, Psychodynamic Model, Behavioral Model, Cognitive Model, Humanistic-Existential Model, and the Sociocultural Model (Comer, 2014). Many therapists use portions of several models, while some strictly use one specific model. The Biological Model looks at the biological processes in order to explain abnormal behavior. They account for abnormal…

The History of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder The majority of the research and current information on the theories and techniques utilized in working with individuals with Relationship Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (ROCD) focus on the use of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). I recently became interested in the history of OCD and decided it would be beneficial to examine past theories and techniques to better understand the transition from early…

Chan, Thomas, and Bulevich (2009) demonstrate how easily is to shape and change the person’s memory. Chan, Thomas, and Bulevich hypothesized that when someone takes an immediate test it may reduce the likelihood to be influenced to misinformation. The researchers were inspired by Loftus misinformation effect study; known as Loftus’s misinformation paradigm. Chan, Thomas, and Bulevich (2009) believed that when someone is exposed to immediate recall testing people should be able to enhance…

In the Forty Studies readings 9-12 the passages touch on emotions and the research implemented to prove how are emotions are tested. Reading 9 discusses Pavlov’s experiment testing the salvation and digestion of dogs. The experiment utilizes significant terms like responses and stimulus to acknowledge the dog’s actions. Classical conditioning establishes the theory tested in Pavlov’s trial demonstrating how are emotions is tested in an unfamiliar situation. Pavlov’s study was an important…

What is Mindfulness? In recent years, the use of mindful practices has become more prevalent in society. Mindfulness has been used in different types of programs to treat stress, improve psychological well-being as well as physical, and in some cases, improve overall quality of life. The root of mindful practices stems from Buddhist beliefs, but today, mindfulness has worked into society’s everyday use. Mindfulness encompasses a broad spectrum of ideas and practices, all with the foundation of…

Researchers Ahearn, Clark, MacDonald, and Chung (2007) devised a study to measure and decrease vocal stereotypy in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Using a single subject research design, the researchers compared four subjects’ baseline scores with their experimental scores after beginning the treatment phase of the study. The following sections of the group document will describe the particulars of the study’s experimental design and review the study across the seven dimensions…

Psychologist Carl Rogers and his colleagues were the first of their time to record, transcribe, and publish their own cases of psychotherapy. One of Roger's main contributions to the counseling field was his person-centered theory. Contrasting Roger's theory is existential psychotherapy, created by Viktor Frankl (a prisoner from a Nazi concentration camp), Rollo May (brought existentialism into the United States), and Irvin Yalom (Seligman et al., 2014). Gestalt therapy had similar attributes to…

Cognitive Therapy Cognitive therapy was developed by Aaron T. Beck and aims to adjust information processing and initiate positive change in all systems by acting through the cognitive systems. Cognitive therapy views personality “as shaped by the interaction between innate disposition and environment” (Corsini & Wedding, 2014, p 239). Basic schemas or interpersonal strategies are developed in response to the environment. A variety of concepts are used in cognitive therapy to depict the…

I, B.F. Skinner, believe that the cause of abnormal behavior is not due to any psychoanalytical or biological cause, rather they are formed based on a person’s history of conditioning. Through my studies I have found that behaviors that bring about positive consequences have a greater likelihood of being repeated than behaviors that bring about negative consequences. This is known as operant conditioning, the shaping of behaviors by providing rewards to reinforce desired behaviors and…