Chapter 2.2: Theoretical Perspectives

What is behavioural perspectives?

A view that mental problems are learned behaviors caused by the environment, and they can be changed by relearning new behaviors.

What is classic conditioning?

An unconditioned stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus, turning the neutral stimulus into a conditioned stimulus that causes the same response as the unconditioned stimulus, even when the unconditioned stimulus isn't present.

What is unconditioned stimulus?

Something that naturally causes a response

What is conditioned stimulus?

Something learned by being linked to the US

What is uncoditioned response?

Natural reaction to the US

What is conditioned response?

Learned reaction to the CS

What is operant conditioning?

Focuses on how reinforcement and punishment influence future behaviour

What is positive reinforcement?

When something desirable is added after a behaviour

What is negative reinforcement?

When something undesirable is removed after behaviour

What is positive punishment?

When something undesirable is added after a behaviour

What is negative punishment?

When something desirable is removed after a behaviour

What is social learning?

Behavioural approach that focuses on how observation and modelling contribute to learning

What does behavioural therapy uses?

Uses principles of classical and operant conditioning, as well as social learning theory

How extinction works as an example of classical conditioning behaviour technique?

When conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with an unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned stimulus stops eliciting a conditioned response

How extinction works as an example of classical conditioning behaviour technique?

The client is placed in the presence of the conditioned stimulus to extinguish the old response and condition a new one. Through this exposure, the client learns that nothing bad happens when in contact with the stimulus.

What are strengths of behavioural perspectives?

• Scientific

• No speculation

• Practical therapy

• Optimistic

Why biological perspective have also been criticized mainly?

For being too deterministic, only sees behaviour as only shaped by environment

What is cognitive perspective?

Emphasized thoughts and beliefs as the root cause of psychopathology and mental distress

Why cognitive approaches stress cognitive restructuring?

Techniques to help people overcome their problems by thinking more rationally

What is cognitive therapy focuses on?

Focuses on changing unhealthy thoughts, including automatic thoughts, intermediate beliefs, core beliefs, and schemas.

What is the automatic thoughts of four levels of cognition?

Are spontaneous thoughts like “I’m not good enough to win the race”

What is intermediate beliefs of four levels of cognition?

Are general rules and beliefs that influence automatic thoughts

What is core beliefs of four levels of cognition?

Are basic philosophies or mindsets we hold about ourselves

What is schemas of four levels of cognition?

• Are mental structures used to organize information

• Generalized scripts to anticipate different situations

What does the cognitive therapy focuses on the client’s belief system?

Cognitive distottions

What is cognitive distortions?

Errors in thinking that lead to emotional distress

What is Daily Record of Dysfunctional Thoughts(DRDT)?

DRDT helps you catch a negative thought, question it, and replace it with a more balanced one.

What is Rational Emotive BEhaviour(REBT)

Albert Ellis’ cognitive therapy, which focuses on disputing client’s irrational beliefs to remedy mental distress

What is the model that REBT relies to eliminate irrational thinking to help mental distress?

ABCD model that solves how psychological problems originate and how to fix them

What is the ABCDE model means?

• A= Activating event

• B= Beliefs

• C= Emotional consequences of beliefs

• D= Disputing beliefs

• E= More effective beliefs that replace those that were disputed

What are the the strengths of cognitive perspectives?

• Scientific

• Straightforward and intuitive

• Adaptable mostly with behavioural approaches

What is Cognitive-behavioural therapy(CBT) from?

Cognitive and behavioural perspectives combined that is less theoretically “pure” on booth sides

What does CBT stresses?

Stressed how people think and how they are conditioned by their environment

What is the humanistic perspectives?

Emphasize personal meaning, free will, and the whole person, viewing psychological problems as barriers to growth rather than as biological or diagnostic disorders.

What does humanistic perspectives rejects?

it rejects reductionism, an idea that we can break complex human experience into component parts psychologically and biologically

What is humanistic perspective’s person-centered therapy?

Assumption that people are born with an actualizing tendency, an innate motivation to fulfill their full potential toward self-actualization

What is positive regard that is noted on person-centered therapy to actualize our potential?

Positive regard that is obtained unconditionally and conditionally

What is incongruence?

When a person’s behavior does not match their true feelings or self-concept because they are seeking conditional positive regard

What the Roger’s core conditions for person-centered therapy?

• Empathy

• Genuiness

• Unconditional positive regard

How existential therapy view people?

People are free to make choices, but this freedom also brings anxiety and responsibility

What is the existential dilemma in existential therapy?

Life has no inherent meaning, yet individuals are responsible for creating meaning through their choices, which produces anxiety

What is inauthenticity in existential therapy?

People deny responsibility for their choices and convince themselves that their behavior was caused by external circumstances.

What is authenticity in existential therapy?

Accepting responsibility for one’s choices and living in accordance with personally chosen values.

What is constructivist perspective?

People actively construct meaning, and psychological difficulties arise when these constructed meanings become rigid or unhelpful.

What is the difference between existential therapy and constructivist perspectives?

• Existential therapy focuses on freedom and responsibility in creating meaning

• Constructivist perspectives focus on how people construct and revise meanings that guide their lives.

What is narrative therapy in constructivist perspectives?

Constructivist therapy in which clients are asked to examine and revise the stories they tell about their lives

What is externalizing the problem in narrative therapy?

Externalizing the problem involves helping clients view their difficulties as separate from themselves so they can challenge and change the influence of the problem.

What is the strengths of humanistic perspectives?

• Emphasis on the whole person as free and responsible

• Emphasis on people as unique

What are the criticism of humanistic perspectives include?

• Unscientific

• Inadequate for treating serious disorders

• Too individualistic

What is sociocultural perspectives?

Explains psychological distress as the result of social, cultural, and systemic factors rather than defects within the individual.

What is the multicultural perspectives?

The multicultural perspective emphasizes understanding mental distress within a person’s cultural context rather than using one universal standard.

What is the culture based on multicultural perspectives?

The values, beliefs, and practices of any ethnic or cultural group

What does reflects cultural-bound syndromes in multicultural perspectives?

Mental disorders that are specific to a culture and time period.

What is a social construction?

Socially created ways of defining and understanding mental disorders

How does social justice perspectives view mental distress?

View mental distress as the product of social inequality, aim to reduce mental distress by eliminating oppressive social conditions

Based on social justice perspectives what are social inequalities?

Are unfair social conditions, such as poverty and discrimination, that increase psychological distress and marginalize certain groups

What is feminist therapy?

The feminist perspective views mental distress as rooted in patriarchy and emphasizes collaborative therapy and social change.

What is false consciousness in women?

When women internalize society’s sexist beliefs and come to see inequality or oppression as normal, natural, or their own fault

What does consciousness-raising to women do?

Helps women to recognize that their personal problems are connected to broader social and gender inequality inequalities rather than individual weakness

What is service user perspectives?

It focus on the experience and concerns of people recieving psychiatric services

What is the consumer movement of service-user perspectives?

Accepts psychiatric views of mental disorder and finds traditional treatments helpful

What is service user/survivor movement?

In contrast of consumer movement

What is systems perspectives?

Looks at how individuals are influenced by and function within “systems”

What is the system of relationships based on systems perspectives?

Systems of relationships are interconnected groups in which each person’s behavior affects and is affected by others

What is family system therapy from systems perspectives focuses on?

Focuses on changing problematic family relationship patterns rather than treating one person as disordered.

What is Minuchin’s structural family therapy?

Focuses on identifying and changing dysfunctional family structures, including unspoken rules, boundaries, coalitions, and power hierarchies that shape family interactions.

What are unspoken rules in structural family therapy?

Implicit family expectations that guide how members behave and communicate, even though they are not openly discussed.

What are boundaries in family systems therapy?

Are emotional and relational limits that regulate closeness and independence between family members.

What are enmeshed families?

Have blurred boundaries, causing family members to be overly involved in one another’s lives and limiting individual independence.

What are coalitions in structural family therapy?

Occur when some family members form alliances against other members, creating conflict and imbalance within the family.

What are hierarchies in structural family therapy?

The distribution of power within the family, and dysfunction occurs when authority is poorly organized or dominated by unhealthy coalitions.

What is Bowen’s multigenerational family therapy?

Eplains psychological problems as the result of dysfunctional patterns passed down across generations

What is triangulation in Bowen’s multigenerational family therapy?

Two family members manage conflict between them by involving a third family member, creating a two-against-one dynamic.

When emotional cutoff in Bowen’s multigenerational family therapy?

Happens when family members distance themselves emotionally or physically from one another to avoid conflict and anxiety.

What is the advantage of sociocultural perspectives?

Look beyond the individual and focus on how a person’s environment affects their mental health.

What are the disadvantages of sociocultural perspectives?

• Hard to prove that social problems actually cause mental disorders.

• Tied to a political propaganda like capitalism

What is the closing thoughts for so many perspectives

Psychology has many different perspectives, which can be hard to combine, so it is important to develop your own understanding rather than relying on just one theory.