The Biological
Model
How Do Biological Theorists Explain
Abnormal Behavior?
• Brain Chemistry and Abnormal Behavior
• Abnormal activity by certain neurotransmitters
• Hormones(cortisol)
• Brain Anatomy, Circuitry, and Abnormal Behavior
• brain circuits
• A brain circuit is a network of particular brain structures
that work together, triggering each other into action to
produce a distinct behavioral, cognitive, or emotional
reaction.
• flawed interconnectivity
• Sources of Biological Abnormalities
• Genetics
THE PSYCHODYNAMIC MODEL
• not consciously aware
• Psychodynamic theorists believe that a person’s behavior, whether normal
or abnormal, is determined largely by underlying psychological forces of
which the individual is not consciously aware.
• Id
• According to Freud, the psychological force that produces instinctual needs,
drives, and impulses.(pleasure principle)
• ego
• According to Freud, the psychological force that employs reason and
operates in accordance with the reality principle.
• The Superego
• the superego is the psychological force that operates by
the morality principle, a sense of what is right and what is
wrong.
• If the id, ego, and superego are in excessive conflict, the
person’s behavior may show signs of dysfunction.
Developmental Stages
• Freud proposed that at each stage of development, from
infancy to maturity, new events challenge individuals and
require adjustments in their id, ego, and superego. If the
adjustments are successful, they lead to personal growth. If
not, the person may become fixated
• Fixation
• According to Freud, a condition in which the id, ego, or
superego do not mature properly and are frozen at an early
stage of development.
How Do Other Psychodynamic
Explanations Differ from Freud’s?
• Self theorists emphasize the role of the self — the unified
personality. They believe that the basic human motive is to
strengthen the wholeness of the self
• Object relations theorists, propose that people are
motivated mainly by a need to have relationships with
others and that severe problems in the relationships
between children and their caregivers may lead to
abnormal development
THE COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL
MODEL
• Proponents of the cognitive- behavioral model focus on
maladaptive behaviors and cognitions to explain and treat
psychological disorders.
• Behavioral dimension
• On the behavioral dimension, the theorists hold that three
types of conditioning classical conditioning, modeling, and
operant conditioning account for behavior, whether
normal or dysfunctional.
• Cognitive dimension
• On the cognitive dimension, the model’s proponents point
to cognitive problems, like maladaptive assumptions and
illogical thinking processes, to help explain abnormal
functioning
The Sociocultural Model: Family-Social
and Multicultural Perspective
• The sociocultural model is composed of two major
perspectives —
• The family-social perspective
• The multicultural perspective.
Family-social perspective
• family relationships
• social interactions
• community events
• such forces help account for both normal and abnormal
behavior, and they pay particular attention to three kinds
of factors: social labels and roles, social networks, and
family structure and communication.
• A)Social Labels and Roles
• B) social networks
Researchers have often found ties between deficient social
connections and psychological dysfunction
isolated and lack social support or intimacy
unwilling or unable to communicate
• C) Family Structure and Communication
• family systems theory A theory that views the family as
a system of interacting parts whose interactions exhibit
consistent patterns and unstated rules
• Family systems theory holds that certain family systems
are particularly likely to produce abnormal functioning in
individual members.
• enmeshed structure
• The multicultural perspective.
• the model holds that an individual’s behavior, whether normal or
abnormal, is best understood when examined in the light of that
individual’s unique cultural context
• Increasingly interested in understanding persons through the lens of
intersectionality,
• a framework that examines how each individual’s memberships across
multiple cultural groups and social identities — including race, ethnicity,
socioeconomic class, gender, and sexual orientation — combine to shape
their particular experiences, opportunities, outlook, and functioning.
The Humanistic-Existential Model
• Humanists, the more optimistic of the two groups, believe that human beings
are born with a natural tendency to be friendly, cooperative, and constructive,
People are driven to self-actualize (that is, to fulfill their potential for
goodness and growth.
• Existentialists agree that human beings must have an accurate awareness of
themselves and live meaningful — they say “authentic” — lives in order to be
psychologically well-adjusted. These theorists do not believe, however, that
people are naturally inclined to live positively. They believe that from birth we
have total freedom, either to face up to our existence and give meaning to our
lives or to shrink from that responsibility. Those who choose to “hide” from
responsibility and choice will view themselves as helpless and may live empty,
inauthentic, and dysfunctional lives as a result.
Rogers’ Humanistic Theory
• Those who receive unconditional (nonjudg- mental) positive regard early in life are
likely to develop unconditional self-regard. That is, they come to recognize their
worth as persons, even while recognizing that they are not perfect.
• Unfortunately, some children repeatedly are made to feel that they are not worthy
of positive regard. As a result, they acquire conditions of worth, standards that tell
them they are lovable and acceptable only when they conform to certain
guidelines. To maintain positive self- regard, these people have to look at
themselves very selectively, deny- ing or distorting thoughts and actions that do
not measure up to their conditions of worth. They thus acquire an inauthentic view
of them- selves and their experiences. They do not know what they are truly
feeling, what they genuinely need, or what values and goals would be meaningful
for them. Problems in functioning are then inevitable.