Approaches to
Explaining
Atypical
Behaviour
1. Medical Model
 Assumes
that atypical behaviour is the
result of a physical issue.
 Behaviour
can be treated medically.
Explanations for Behaviour
 Genes
(hereditary)
 Biomechanical
Imbalance (e.g
 Neuroanatomy
Problems. (Chua et al,
hormones)
1995)
Evaluation
Advantages
Disadvantages
Lacks discrimination and
takes away from the taboo
surrounding atypical
behaviour.
Treats symptoms, not the
underlying issue.
Patients can accept illness
more easily as they are not
to blame – underlying
problem.
Reductionist – mental health is
much more complex than this
model suggests. (Zsasz, 2000)
Some disorders definitely are Takes responsibility for treatment
caused by physical issues.
away from individual.
Led to a more humane
approach (previously
exorcism)
Inconclusive evidence Diathesisstress model
Brown and Harris, 1978
Medical Therapies

Drugs: anti-depressants, eg Prozac. They can
be used for both depression and eating
disorders. Its effectiveness supports the
medical model.

The drugs don’t work: Electroconvulsive
therapy, weight restoration.
ECT: Comer (2002) found a 60-70%
improvement rate, but Sackheim et al (2001)
argued that many patients later relapsed.

Cognitive Approach
 Cognitive
-1. The mental process of knowing,
including aspects such as awareness,
perception, reasoning, and judgement.
 Atypical
behaviour is a result of irrational and
negative thinking.
 Can
treat atypical behaviour by teaching the
individual to challenge these thoughts and
change the way they perceive situations
Beck, 1976. Cognitive Triad
Treatments
 Replace
negative thoughts with positive
thoughts:
 Eating disorders:


“I am fat no-one will love me if I am fat”
“I am not perfect but people will love me
the way I am”
Evaluation
Advantages
Disadvantages
Sees quick results
Negative thoughts the result
or cause of conditions?
(Schachter and Singer, 1962)
Can be successful,
specifically with depression
and anorexia.
Doesn’t investigate the root
of the problem.
Gives the individual the tools Blames the patient not their
to treat themselves.
situations.
Smith et al, 1980
Behaviourist Approach






Actions a result of experiences in life.
Behaviour is learned – Classical/Operant
conditioning.
Focuses on behaviour only not on the mind.
Classical Conditioning – Pavlov’s dogs.
Behaviour learned through association.
Operant Conditioning – Skinner’s Box.
Behaviour learned through consequences.
Observational learning. Bandura’s Social
Learning Theory. We learn behaviour by
observing others.
Evaluation
Advantages
Disadvantages
Scientific and testable
Disregards thoughts and
feelings
Definitely accounts for some
behaviour/ Works for phobias
and OCD
Can’t account for all
behaviour
Treats symptoms not cause.
Eg, medical issues/childhood
trauma
Therapies
 Aversion
Therapy
 Systematic
 Modelling
Desensitisation
Therapy
Psychoanalytic Approach
 Freud
 Atypical
behaviour is psychological not
physical.
 Caused by:



unresolved psychological conflicts. (id, ego
superego)
Repressed childhood experiences
Unconscious motivations
Defence Mechanisms
 Behaviour-channelling



Identification
Displacement
Sublimation
 Primary


reality - distorting defences
Repression
Denial
 Secondary



defences
reality -distorting defences
Projection
Reaction formation
Rationalisation
Therapies



Clinical Interviews
Analysis of symbolism
Task: what do you think the following dreams
would say about a person’s personality?





Being attacked
Attacking others
Falling from the sky.
Climbing to the sky/flying.
A train going into a tunnel.
Evaluation
Advantages
Disadvantages
Patient centred
Sample theories are based
on
Childhood is key
Reductionist
Influential and widely used
Too much sex!!!