Behavioral Approach Overview

Question	Answer
Classical Conditioning	Image: 57ab77fc-9e6d-4405-bf02-e5f4f4b5d6a6 (image/png)
Learning occurs through association. A neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus, resulting in a new stimulus- response link.. The neutral stimulus is now a conditioned stimulus, producing a conditioned response. This process applies to emotional learning as well as to behaviours.	Phobias assume that the feared object is associated with fear/ anxiety from their past. The conditioned stimulus subsequently evokes a powerful fear response characterised by avoidance of the feared object and the emotion of fear whenever the object is encountered.
Operant Conditioning	Learning occurs through reinforcement. Psychological disorders are produced when a maladaptive behaviour is rewarded. This means that such behaviour may be functional for the individual, for example, if a child finds that they will get more attention for having panic attacks they may become more frequent.
Social Learning Theory (Vicarious Learning)	Behaviours are learned by seeing others rewarded/ punished. An individuals social context is important when considering the origins of abnormal behaviour, as it provides opportunities for behaviours to be observed. Some disorders run in families so it is difficult to separate whether it is genetics or learning.

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	Created by 09robertsstonec about 10 years ago