LT6 Psychological Explanations of OCD
Strengths
Weaknesses
psychodyn A01 Explanations/Research
amic
Psychologists within this group believe that the potential for developing OCD becomes fixed during the anal stage of development. Around the age of two  One strength of Freud’s theory comes from further  One weakness of Freud’s theory is that there is contradictory evidence provided by
years old, when the id impulse is very destructive and gains pleasure from destroying things, and especially if parents are too strict with toilet training, the empirical support provided by Apter et al (1997).
Salzman (1980). He suggested that psychoanalysis might actually have a negative effect
child develops, at an unconscious level, rage against the parents and a desire to kill them. This thought is very frightening and untenable to a person of any They assessed suicidal adolescents inpatients admitted on the recovery from OCD, which does little to support the Freudian approach. An
age; in order to deal with the conflict between the id and the ego, the individual may develop four defense mechanisms: isolation, displacement, reaction for a definite suicide attempt in terms of their ego
alternative is to use a short-term psychodynamic therapy. These tend to be more direct
formation, and undoing, which express themselves in the form of the OCD paradigm. Individuals who suffer from OCD are therefore trapped in this stage of defence mechanisms. The adolescents scored higher and action-orientated and therefore reduce OCD patients’ tendency to ‘think too much’.
development.
on regression and other defence mechanisms than
This suggests that there is refuting evidence for Freud’s psychoanalysis improving the
non-suicidal patients. This suggests that there is
quality of life for patients with OCD.
Obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions. In Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, OCD arises when unacceptable wishes and impulses coming from the Id are wider academic credibility for the idea that ego
only partially repressed, thus provoking anxiety. People with OCD use defence mechanisms to reduce the anxiety associated with these wishes and impulses. defences are associated with self-anger.
A further weakness of Freud’s explanation of OCD is that the evidence on which his
The four main defence mechanisms common to OCD are:
observations of patients are based is unreliable. Freud often used case studies of his
 A further strength of Freud’s theory comes from
patients to support his theory. Although this information is valid it is not testable or
Isolation: People attempt to isolate themselves from, or disown, these undesirable wishes and impulses. Sometimes the defence mechanism predominates the more further empirical support from Adams et al.
repeatable in any kind of scientific way and hence the results of such observations are
id. When the id is dominant, the impulses intrude as obsessional thoughts.
(1996). They produced evidence of reaction
open to much interpretation and bias. This suggests that because Freud’s explanations are
Undoing: When isolation is about to fail, the secondary defence of undoing produces compulsive acts. Someone who compulsively washes their hands may formation. They assessed male Pps for homophobia unfalisifiable and the research is not repeatable it can only be of limited use when
be symbolically undoing their unacceptable id impulses.
(anxiety related to homosexuality). It was found that explaining personality development.
Reaction formation: This involves adapting behaviours and character traits that are exactly the opposite of the unacceptable impulses. Compulsive kindness 80% of the ‘homophobics’ were aroused by the videos
towards others may be a way of countering unacceptable aggressive impulses. Observes often see these patterns as highly exaggerated and sometimes quite of male homosexual sex compared with 33% of the A final weakness of Freud’s theory of OCD is that it is psychologically deterministic.
often inappropriate.
non-homophobic men. This suggests that there is
For example, Freud’s theory claims that people have very little conscious involvement in
Regression: In psychoanalytic theory, regression is an important mechanism in the formation of OCD symptoms. OCD patients can avoid the associated wider academic credibility for the idea that
their own obsessive and compulsive acts, but instead their behaviour is governed by
anxiety of genital impulses by partially regressing to an earlier phase of their development when where were concerned about controlling bodily functions. homophobia is a form of reaction formation.
unconscious psychic conflicts. This suggests that individuals have little free will over
By giving up their genital urges, they are no longer confronted by the conflicts and problems arising from these. Regression also unconsciously revives the
their behaviour.
childhood illusion that mere thoughts can cause external events. This magical thinking is what makes individuals with OCD believe that just thinking about
an event in the external world can cause it to occur. This is what makes aggressive thoughts so frightening to OCD patients and compulsive actions so
effective in bringing relief.
behaviou A01 Explanations/Research
ral
Obsessional thoughts:
Strengths
Weaknesses
 One strength of the Behavioural approach is that it
Mowrer (1960) claimed that stimuli acquire aversive properties through the process of classical conditioning.
has practical applications. Rachman (1985)
The fear associated with these stimuli is maintained over time by avoidance – avoiding a feared stimulus leads to developed his ideas into ‘exposure and response
positive outcomes and thus reinforced (any action enabling the individual to avoid a negative event being
prevention therapy’ (ERP), in which the patient is
described as negatively reinforcing – operant conditioning). In OCD, thoughts and obsessions (e.g., about sexual exposed to the situations that trigger their obsessions,
behaviour) are thought to become aversive through association with some traumatic event (e.g., parental
but are prohibited in engaging in a compulsive
punishment). AS a result, some people have been conditioned early in life to regard some thoughts as unclean,
response. E.g., a woman obsessed with cleanliness
immoral or even dangerous. As the thought re-occurs, it becomes a source of conditioned anxiety, like the object might be given a list of therapeutic rules she must
of a phobia. The ritualistic behaviour seen in OCD is a way of avoiding these fear-associated obsessions, so is
accept, like only cleaning her house once a week for
reinforced.
30 minutes. They woman learns that those obsessions
which previously created anxiety no longer produce
the response. It has been found that 90% of adults
Compulsive behaviour:
Compulsive rituals develop as a means of neutralising (or avoiding) these fear-associated obsessions, reducing the who use ERP improve. This suggests that ERP can
anxiety and re-establishing control over the obsessions. As a result, ritualistic behaviour is reinforced, and
help to improve the quality of people’s lives with
individuals may link whatever act they have performed with changing the fearful situation. In this way, accidental OCD.
associations are formed and may become compulsive whenever the individual faces anxiety-provoking situations.
Strengths
cogniti A01 Explanations/Research
ve
The cognitive approach to OCD embodies a number of behaviourist principles so is more usually referred to as cognitive behavioural explanation  One strength of the Cognitive
 One weakness of the behavioural approach is that there are ethical issues. Protection of PPs was clearly an ethical issue in ERP
therapy, which the researchers acknowledge but felt it was justifiable because patients with OCD should show signs of recovery.
However, do the ends justify the means? This suggests that therapies do not protect the Pp from psychological harm.
 A second weakness is that the behavioural approach is reductionist. The reason for this is because the behavioural account suggests
that OCD occurs due to classical and operant conditioning and ignores biological factors such as genes and neurotransmitters. This
suggests that the behavioural approach is oversimplistic when considering the cause of OCD.
 A third weakness is that the behavioural approach is environmentally deterministic. The behavioural explanation suggests that
behaviour is controlled by the environment, such as parental punishment. This suggests that this explanation does not account for freewill.
 A final weakness of the behavioural explanation of OCD is the nature vs. nurture debate. Behavioural explanations account for
nurture only as, according to these, behaviour is solely a product of learning as we are born as a blank slate. They ignore nature, which is
a significant weakness as the biological explanation suggests neurotransmitters and the COMP gene are responsible for OCD.
Weaknesses
 One weakness of the cognitive-behavioural approach is that there are ethical issues. Protection of PPs was clearly an ethical issue in ERP therapy, which
of OCD. CB explanations of OCD stress that everyone sometimes has unwanted or intrusive thoughts (e.g., harming others or being contaminated explanation comes from further
the researchers acknowledge but felt it was justifiable because patients with OCD should show signs of recovery. However, do the ends justify the means?
by germs), but thoughts can fairly easily be ignored or dismissed. In some people, however, these thoughts are a cue for self blame and the empirical support provided by
This suggests that therapies do not protect the Pp from psychological harm.
expectation that terrible things will happen as a result. The thoughts continue because individuals cannot stop of ignore them easily. This is Piacentini et al. (2002). He used
because they also have depression, which weakens their ability to distract themselves.
cognitive-behavioural therapy with
 A second weakness is that the cognitive-behavioural approach is reductionist. The reason for this is because the behavioural account suggests that OCD
children suffering from OCD and
occurs due to classical and operant conditioning and ignores biological factors such as genes and neurotransmitters. This suggests that the behavioural
found that there was a significant
approach is oversimplistic when considering the cause of OCD.
Neutralising anxiety through compulsive acts:
In order to avoid the anticipated consequences of these thoughts, individuals must find a way of ‘neutralising’ them. Possible neutralising acts positive response to this form of
include engaging in ritualistic compulsive behaviours as the person tries to relieve the anxiety produced by the unpleasant thoughts. However, treatment. This suggests that there is  A third weakness is that the cognitive-behavioural approach is environmentally deterministic. The behavioural explanation suggests that behaviour is
compulsive rituals such as hand washing after obsessive fear of contamination produce only temporary relief, anxiety building up again. Every time wider academic credibility for the idea controlled by the environment, such as parental punishment. This suggests that this explanation does not account for freewill.
a neutralising thought or act is repeated, it becomes harder to resist because of the consequent reduction in anxiety; eventually in becomes, by of psychological treatments improving
definition, a compulsion. Over time, people become more convinced that these intrusive thoughts are dangerous, and therefore their fear of them the quality of people’s lives.
 A final weakness of the cognitive-behavioural explanation of OCD is the nature vs. nurture debate. Behavioural explanations account for nurture only
increases. In this way the thoughts turn into obsessions, and the need to reduce the anxiety associated with becomes even more acute. The pattern
as, according to these, behaviour is solely a product of learning as we are born as a blank slate. They ignore nature, which is a significant weakness as the
of behaviour characteristic of OCD is thus rather like an addiction – the more you do it, the more you have to do it.
biological explanation suggests neurotransmitters and the COMP gene are responsible for OCD.
In contrast the Biological approach refutes the psychological approach and instead suggests that OCD is caused by low levels of serotonin, the COMT gene and abnormalities in the OCF. This suggests that the Psychological explanations do not provide a full account of the causes of OCD.
In conclusion the Diathesis Stress Model, which suggests that there is a genetic vulnerability to a disorder (Diathesis), but this is triggered when an individual has been exposed to a stressful life event (stress). Both of these factors are necessary for a disorder to develop. This is why not all the children
with schizophrenia develop the disorder, and why the concordance rate for mental disorders for MZ twins is nothing like 100%.
LT6 Psychological Explanations of OCD
LT6 Psychological Explanations of OCD