According To Behaviorists Disordered Behavior Is A Result Of

According to Behaviorists, Disordered Behavior is a Result of… Learned Responses

Behaviorism, a dominant school of thought in psychology throughout much of the 20th century, posits that all behavior, including disordered behavior, is learned. This perspective offers a powerful and practical framework for understanding and treating a wide range of psychological difficulties. Instead of focusing on internal factors like unconscious conflicts or biological predispositions (as psychodynamic or biological approaches do), behaviorism emphasizes the role of environmental factors and learning processes in shaping behavior. This article will delve deep into the behavioral perspective on disordered behavior, exploring the key learning mechanisms involved and offering examples of how these principles are applied in therapeutic settings.

The Core Principles of Behavioral Approaches to Disordered Behavior

At the heart of the behaviorist understanding of disordered behavior lies the concept of learning. Behaviorists believe that maladaptive behaviors are acquired through the same principles that govern the acquisition of adaptive behaviors: classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning.

1. Classical Conditioning and its Role in Disordered Behavior

Classical conditioning, famously demonstrated by Pavlov's experiments with dogs, involves learning through association. A neutral stimulus, repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus that naturally elicits a response (unconditioned response), eventually becomes a conditioned stimulus, eliciting a conditioned response similar to the unconditioned response.

In the context of disordered behavior, classical conditioning can explain the development of phobias, anxieties, and other emotional disorders. For example:

• Phobias: A person might develop a fear of dogs (conditioned response) after being bitten by a dog (unconditioned stimulus). The dog bite (unconditioned stimulus) produces fear (unconditioned response). Through association, the sight of a dog (conditioned stimulus) subsequently triggers a fear response (conditioned response), even in the absence of any further threat.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A traumatic event (unconditioned stimulus) produces a strong fear response (unconditioned response). Stimuli associated with the trauma (conditioned stimuli), such as sights, sounds, or smells, can later trigger intense anxiety and flashbacks (conditioned responses), even years after the event.

• Anxiety Disorders: Generalized anxiety disorder may stem from learned associations between initially neutral situations (e.g., social interactions, work deadlines) and feelings of anxiety or panic. Repeated pairings of these neutral situations with stressful experiences can condition a generalized anxiety response.

2. Operant Conditioning and the Reinforcement of Maladaptive Behaviors

Operant conditioning focuses on the consequences of behavior. Behaviors followed by positive reinforcement (rewards) are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by punishment or negative reinforcement (removal of an aversive stimulus) are less likely to be repeated.

Disordered behaviors can be maintained or even exacerbated by operant conditioning principles:

• Substance Use Disorders: The pleasurable effects of drugs (positive reinforcement) strengthen the behavior of drug seeking and use. The removal of withdrawal symptoms (negative reinforcement) further reinforces this behavior.

• Eating Disorders: For individuals with anorexia nervosa, the feeling of control and self-esteem gained from restricting food intake (positive reinforcement) can maintain the maladaptive behavior despite the negative physical consequences.

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Compulsive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, checking) reduce the anxiety associated with obsessions (negative reinforcement). This reduction in anxiety reinforces the compulsive behavior, creating a vicious cycle.

• Self-Harm: The temporary relief from emotional distress that self-harm provides (negative reinforcement) can lead to its repetition, despite the long-term negative consequences.

3. Observational Learning: Modeling and Imitation

Observational learning, or social learning, involves learning by observing the behavior of others and its consequences. This process, highlighted by Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory, demonstrates how behaviors can be acquired through imitation, even without direct reinforcement.

In understanding disordered behavior, observational learning plays a crucial role:

• Aggression: Children who witness aggressive behavior at home or in the media may learn to be aggressive themselves, particularly if they observe that aggression is rewarded or goes unpunished.

• Anxiety and Phobias: Children may develop phobias by observing the fearful reactions of their parents or other significant adults to certain objects or situations.

• Eating Disorders: Exposure to idealized body images in media and peer pressure to conform to thinness ideals can contribute to the development of eating disorders, especially among adolescents.

• Depression: Observing a parent or family member struggling with depression can increase a child's vulnerability to depression later in life.

Applying Behavioral Principles in Therapy: Techniques and Strategies

Behavioral therapies, based on these learning principles, aim to modify maladaptive behaviors through various techniques:

1. Systematic Desensitization: Overcoming Phobias and Anxieties

Systematic desensitization involves gradually exposing individuals to feared stimuli while teaching them relaxation techniques. This process helps to extinguish the conditioned fear response. The individual progresses through a hierarchy of feared situations, starting with the least anxiety-provoking and working up to the most anxiety-provoking.

2. Exposure Therapy: Facing Fears and Breaking Cycles

Exposure therapy directly confronts the feared stimuli without the use of relaxation techniques. It’s particularly effective for treating anxiety disorders, phobias, and PTSD. Prolonged exposure therapy involves repeated and prolonged exposure to the feared stimulus until anxiety diminishes. In-vivo exposure involves exposure to the real-life feared stimulus, while imaginal exposure involves imagining the feared stimulus.

3. Aversion Therapy: Creating Negative Associations

Aversion therapy aims to create negative associations with undesirable behaviors. This is often used in the treatment of substance abuse and other addictive behaviors, pairing the addictive substance with an aversive stimulus to reduce cravings and the likelihood of relapse.

4. Operant Conditioning Techniques: Shaping Behavior Through Reinforcement and Punishment

Operant conditioning techniques involve shaping desirable behaviors through positive reinforcement (e.g., rewarding desired behaviors) and extinction (e.g., withholding reinforcement for undesirable behaviors). Punishment is less frequently used due to ethical concerns and potential side effects. Token economies, for instance, are often used in therapeutic settings to reinforce positive behaviors.

5. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A Blend of Behavioral and Cognitive Approaches

While strictly speaking, CBT goes beyond pure behaviorism, it incorporates many behavioral techniques. CBT acknowledges that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and that maladaptive thoughts can maintain maladaptive behaviors. CBT uses behavioral techniques alongside cognitive restructuring, aiming to modify both thoughts and behaviors to address disorders.

Criticisms and Limitations of the Behavioral Approach

Despite its significant contributions, the behavioral approach to disordered behavior faces certain criticisms:

• Oversimplification: Critics argue that behaviorism oversimplifies the complexity of human behavior and ignores the influence of biological factors, genetic predispositions, and cognitive processes.

• Ethical Concerns: Some behavioral techniques, particularly aversion therapy and punishment, raise ethical concerns about the potential for coercion and harm.

• Limited Explanatory Power: Behaviorism may struggle to explain certain disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, where biological factors play a significant role.

• Generalizability: The effectiveness of behavioral treatments can vary across individuals and disorders, and findings from controlled studies don't always translate to real-world clinical settings.

Conclusion: A Powerful Tool in Understanding and Treating Disordered Behavior

Despite its limitations, behaviorism remains a cornerstone of understanding and treating various psychological disorders. Its emphasis on learning mechanisms and observable behaviors provides a powerful framework for developing effective therapies, offering practical strategies for modifying maladaptive behaviors. While a purely behavioral approach may not be sufficient for all disorders, its principles and techniques continue to inform many contemporary therapeutic approaches, including CBT, making it an invaluable contribution to the field of psychology. The integration of behavioral principles with other perspectives offers a more holistic and comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay of factors contributing to disordered behavior. Ongoing research continues to refine and expand our understanding of the role of learning in mental health, paving the way for more effective and compassionate treatments.