Behavior model of

Psychopathology
• A behavioral model in the context of psychopathology is a
psychological framework that focuses on how behaviors are
acquired, maintained, and altered in individuals who experience
psychological disorders.
• This model is rooted in the principles of classical and operant
conditioning and emphasizes the role of environmental factors in
shaping and perpetuating abnormal behaviors.
Classical Conditioning Paradigm

• Discovered by Ivan Pavlov.

• Example: Dogs associating the sound of a bell with food, leading to
salivation.
• Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS), Unconditioned Response (UCR),
Conditioned Stimulus (CS), Conditioned Response (CR).
• Extinction: Bell (CS) no longer producing salivation without food
(UCS).
• John B. Watson's experiment with Little Albert, creating phobias.
Classical Conditioning
• In classical conditioning, a neutral stimulus becomes associated with
an unconditioned response. Over time, the neutral stimulus alone can
trigger a conditioned response.
• Psychopathological examples include phobias, where a previously
neutral object or situation (e.g., a spider or an elevator) becomes
associated with fear or anxiety.
• Example: A person who develops a phobia of dogs after a traumatic
childhood experience with an aggressive dog may react with intense
fear (conditioned response) whenever they encounter a dog
(conditioned stimulus).
Operant Conditioning Paradigm
• Formulated by Edward Thorndike and B. F. Skinner.
• Involves voluntary behaviors.
• Example: Positive reinforcement for good grades increasing the
likelihood of studying.
• Extinction in operant conditioning.
• Example of self-injurious behavior in rhesus monkeys.
• Negative reinforcement and its influence on behavior.
2. Operant Conditioning:
• Operant conditioning focuses on how behaviors are strengthened or
weakened by the consequences that follow them.
• Psychopathological behaviors can be seen as responses that are
reinforced or punished inappropriately.
• Example: A person with social anxiety may avoid social situations
(anxiety-reducing behavior) because they feel less anxious when they
do. This avoidance is negatively reinforced as it reduces anxiety
temporarily, making the avoidance behavior more likely to occur in
the future.
Observational Learning Paradigm
• Learning by observing models, also known as vicarious conditioning.
• Example: Individuals reacting fearfully after observing someone
receiving a shock.
• Social learning theory and self-efficacy.
• Exposure to disturbed models leading to disturbed behaviors.
• Example: Children learning to respond with fear by observing their
parents.
3. Behavioral Experiments
• Behavioral therapists often use experiments to test the validity of
irrational beliefs or phobic reactions. They expose individuals to the
feared stimuli in a controlled and supportive environment to
demonstrate that their fears are unfounded.
• Example: A person with a fear of public speaking might undergo
exposure therapy, where they gradually face their fear by speaking in
front of a therapist and peers. Through repeated exposures, the
individual may learn that the anticipated negative consequences (e.g.,
humiliation or embarrassment) do not occur, reducing their fear.
Behavioral Therapies
• Classical conditioning and extinction in therapies.
• Example: Exposure therapy for spider phobias using graduated exposure
or flooding.
• Virtual reality procedures for exposure therapy.
• Response prevention in exposure therapy.
• Systematic desensitization with relaxation for reducing fear of public
speaking.
• Social skills training, modeling, and role-play for appropriate social
interactions.
• Assertiveness training for teaching assertive responses.
4. Token Economy:
• In clinical settings, a token economy system is used to reinforce
desired behaviors in individuals with psychopathological conditions.
Tokens or points are awarded for engaging in adaptive behaviors,
which can be exchanged for rewards or privileges.
• Example: In a psychiatric ward, patients may earn tokens for
participating in group therapy, taking medication, or showing socially
acceptable behavior. They can exchange these tokens for items like
snacks or extra leisure time.
5. Modeling:
• Modeling is the process of learning by observing the behaviors of others. In
psychopathology, individuals may acquire maladaptive behaviors or phobias by
observing and imitating others.
• Example: A child may develop a fear of the dark after witnessing a parent or sibling
displaying fear when the lights are off. The child learns this fear through observational
learning.
• 6. Extinction: Extinction involves the gradual reduction and eventual disappearance of
a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is no longer followed by the
unconditioned stimulus.
• Example: An individual with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may experience
flashbacks and intense anxiety when exposed to reminders of the traumatic event.
Through repeated exposures without the traumatic consequences, these responses
can gradually extinguish.
• Response Shaping: This involves reinforcing successive approximations of a
target behavior. It is often used to teach new skills to individuals with
psychopathological conditions.
• Example: A therapist might use response shaping to teach a child with autism to make
eye contact. Initially, the therapist may reinforce the child for brief glances in their
direction and gradually shape this behavior into more extended periods of eye contact.
• The behavioral model in the context of psychopathology underscores the
importance of understanding how behavior is learned and maintained in
individuals with mental health disorders. By identifying the environmental
factors that contribute to these behaviors, behavioral interventions can be
developed to help individuals unlearn maladaptive responses and acquire
more adaptive ones.
Criticisms of the Behavioral Models and
Therapies
• Minimal emphasis on inner determinants of behavior.
• Use of animal studies to solve human problems.
• Mechanistic perspective.
• Viewing people as "empty organisms."
• Linear and one-dimensional view of human development.
Cognitive Model of abnormality
• The cognitive model of abnormality is another psychological
framework that seeks to explain and understand psychopathological
conditions.
• This model places a strong emphasis on the role of cognitive
processes, such as thoughts, beliefs, and interpretations, in the
development and maintenance of psychological disorders.
• Here are some key components and examples of the cognitive model
of abnormality:
1. Cognitive Distortions
• Cognitive distortions are patterns that can contribute to
psychopathological conditions. Theseirrational and dysfunctional
thought distortions often involve errors in thinking and can be
categorized into various types, including:
• Catastrophizing: This involves magnifying the importance of a negative
event and imagining the worst possible outcome.
• All-or-Nothing Thinking: This is the tendency to see things in black-and-
white terms, with no middle ground.
• Personalization: A cognitive distortion where individuals attribute
external events to themselves, assuming they are the cause of negative
events.
• Example: A person with depression may engage in catastrophizing,
convincing themselves that a minor setback at work (e.g., making a
mistake on a project) will lead to losing their job and being unable to
find another, thus magnifying the importance of the event.
2. Negative Core Beliefs:
• These are deep-seated, negative beliefs individuals hold about
themselves, the world, or their future. These beliefs can serve as the
foundation for cognitive distortions and psychopathological
symptoms.
• Example: An individual with low self-esteem may hold a negative core
belief that they are fundamentally unlikable or unworthy, leading to
self-critical thoughts and depressive symptoms.
3. Cognitive Triad:
• The cognitive triad is a concept associated with Aaron Beck's cognitive
therapy for depression. It suggests that individuals with depression
tend to have negative, distorted thoughts about three key areas:
themselves, their future, and the world.

• Example: A person with depression may have thoughts like "I am

worthless" (self), "My future is bleak" (future), and "The world is a
hostile place" (world), contributing to their depressive symptoms.
4. Cognitive Appraisals:
• Cognitive appraisals refer to how individuals interpret and evaluate
events or situations. These appraisals can be biased and play a role in
the development of anxiety disorders.

• Example: Someone with social anxiety may interpret the prospect of

attending a social event as a threat, believing that they will be judged
negatively or humiliated. This appraisal can lead to anxiety and
avoidance of social situations.
5. Selective Attention:
• In psychopathological conditions, individuals may exhibit selective
attention, focusing on information that confirms their negative beliefs
and ignoring or discounting information that contradicts them.

• Example: A person with an eating disorder may selectively attend to

images or articles that reinforce their body image concerns while
disregarding information that promotes a healthy body image.
6. Automatic Thoughts:
• Automatic thoughts are rapid, uncontrolled cognitions that occur in
response to specific situations. These thoughts can be negative and
contribute to emotional distress.

• Example: A person with an anxiety disorder might have automatic

thoughts like "I'm going to fail" or "I can't handle this" when faced
with a challenging situation, leading to increased anxiety.
7. Cognitive Restructuring
• Cognitive restructuring is a therapeutic technique that helps
individuals identify and challenge irrational or negative thought
patterns. By replacing these thoughts with more balanced and
rational ones, individuals can reduce their psychopathological
symptoms.

• Example: In cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a therapist might

work with a client to identify and reframe negative automatic
thoughts. For instance, replacing "I'm going to fail" with "I'll do my
best and learn from the experience" can help reduce anxiety.
• The cognitive model of abnormality posits that changing
dysfunctional thought patterns and beliefs can lead to improvements
in psychological well-being.

• Cognitive-behavioral therapies, such as CBT, are often used to address

and modify these cognitive processes in individuals with various
mental health disorders.