Behavioral-Cognitive Approach in Clinical Psychology

Vocabulary flashcards covering the principles of behaviorism, classical and operant conditioning, behavioral therapy phases, and cognitive therapy concepts according to Ellis and Beck.

Behaviorism

A psychological approach where the subject is behavior determined by genetic equipment and environmental situations, measured through stimulus and response.

J. Watson

The creator of behaviorism who formulated its basic principles in $1913$.

External and Internal Reactions

Behaviorism defines behavior not only as external reactions but also internal processes like thinking, localized in muscle and gland activities.

Classical Conditioning

A process described by Pawłow ($1952$) based on the association of an unconditioned stimulus with a conditioned stimulus.

Unconditioned Stimulus (BB)

A stimulus that naturally triggers a response, such as the smell of food or a loud sound.

Unconditioned Response (RB)

A natural, unlearned reaction such as salivation or fear in response to an unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus (BW)

A neutral stimulus that, after repeated association with an unconditioned stimulus, eventually triggers a conditioned response.

Operant/Instrumental Conditioning

A concept by Skinner ($1984$) where behaviors followed by reinforcement are either strengthened or discontinued.

Positive Reinforcement

A rewarding stimulus used to increase or consolidate the frequency of an instrumental reaction.

Negative Reinforcement

In this context, a punishing stimulus used to decrease the frequency of a reaction.

Modeling

A learning process occurring mostly in children and youth through the observation of significant others, such as peers.

Behavioral Therapy

Developed in the $1950s$ in the USA, it focuses on treating symptoms using techniques based on the laws of learning.

Systematic Desensitization

A technique to change fear reactions by inducing a physiologically opposite state, such as muscle relaxation, during exposure to fear-inducing stimuli.

Token Economy

A reinforcement strategy used in rehabilitation where patients receive rewards for expected positive behaviors.

Cognitive Approach

A perspective emphasizing that the interpretation of a situation plays a key role in habits and that therapy should transform the content of thinking.

Albert Ellis

Founder of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy who argued that thoughts themselves can be the source of rewards and punishments.

Pathogenic Thinking

Internalized, illogical, and irrational beliefs that prevent logical analysis and sabotage human efforts.

Beck's Depressive Triad

A cognitive pattern where a patient perceives themselves, the present life events, and the future exclusively in negative terms.

Selective Abstraction

A cognitive distortion involving selective concentration on specific aspects of reality while ignoring others.

Overgeneralization

Forming broad, far-reaching conclusions based on a single, isolated event.

Personalization

The act of unjustifiably linking external events to oneself.

Black-and-white Thinking

Thinking in extreme categories while ignoring intermediate states.

Catastrophizing

Exaggeratedly perceiving an event as a catastrophe, such as viewing heart palpitations as a sign of terminal illness.

Arbitrary Inference

Drawing a conclusion that does not follow from the premises provided.