Maura’s Case: Learning Models
Introduction
Various learning models that can be applied in medical psychology and therapy exist. In the recent past, the learning models have been researched and their use in human medicine improved. The most basic form is associative learning where new association with events in the environment is made. The majority of the learning models or theories that exist borrow from Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov in the early twentieth century. Pavlov used dogs in his research and came up with what he labeled "psychic reflexes." From this fundamental behavior of the dogs when a bell associated with food was ringed, sprang the modern model theories used in learning today.
This paper sets out to explain, compare and contrast two theories used in medical therapy to assist patients with behavioral and life experience patterns that disturb them and change with time. The models are Bandura 's social cognitive theory and Operant model.
Overview of Maura’s Case
The models are used to explain the case of Maura, a 28-year old female who suffers forgetting of behavior she has engaged in for the last ten years. She has involved romantically with partners who have stable careers but never willing to commit seriously. Whenever she tries to ask them to commit, hurt feelings result and a break up ensues. Strangely, she doesn 't remember what happens right after the breakup and soon finds herself in a new relationship. The pattern repeats itself and bad memories of
He deciphered that dogs like humans salivate (reflex response) when they see food; it is a natural physiological reflex response. However he also demonstrated that a signal such as using a bell (stimulus) just before he gave the dog food would eventually lead the dog to salivate at the sound of the bell even if there was no food present. Pavlov verified by pairing or associating another stimulus (the bell) with food he could train the dogs to salivate. This theory could then be applied to people as well. According to Richard et al (2007) it was found that pairing one stimulus with another stimulus could also provoke a reflexive response in people. This is also called a stimulus – response theory of learning.
Behavioral theory is the idea that human behavior can be learned, while learning stems from experience. An individual’s experiences can lead to their behavior. Ivan Pavlov developed the concept of classical conditioning, which helped in developing behavioral theory. Pavlov developed classical condition with experiments run with animals, finding that behavioral responses “can be produced by pairing consequences with stimuli” (Lehmann & Coady, 2001). This idea can be carried over from animals to humans, as noted in individuals suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, who may have physiological or emotional responses from stimuli that remind them of the traumatic event (Lehmann & Coady,
Albert Bandura was the major motivator behind the social learning theory, which included cognitive factors that were not incorporated by behaviourists, as they thought behaviour was almost entirely determined by the environment. Bandura suggests that much behaviour, including aggression, is learnt from the environment through reinforcement and the process of modelling. Bandura integrated cognitive influences and called his modified theory the social learning theory. Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, whilst conducting experiments on the digestive systems on dogs stumbled across the developed principles of classical conditioning. All these factors contributed to the advancement of the learning perspective, as we know it today.
The first learning theory was approached by the theorist Pavlov. The theory he approached was classical conditioning. This theory is pairing a reflex response with a stimuli. A reflex is an automatic reaction and a stimuli is anything in the environment. Pavlov then carried out an experiment with a dog to prove his theory; Pavlov knew that when animals see food they’re automatic reflex is to salivate, he also wanted to
Learning is a fascinating concept. Everyone does it and everyone always has, but not everyone explores its eclectic process. That being said, through the course of history, it has been studied vehemently. Ivan Pavlov, a behaviorist, had some groundbreaking research on subclass of learning called classical conditioning. Coming across it incidentally, he discovered that dogs would salivate not only from eating food, but anything associated with them getting fed. Anything unnatural in their feeding process, he termed as the conditioned stimulus, which would result in the conditioned response of them salivating (Daniels). Though classical conditioning seems rather simple and commonsensible, the information psychologists have gathered from it has been revolutionary. It has shown psychologists the very basics of how we learn and adapt as organisms and opened the door for other studies (Myers 268). According to psychologists, learning is the process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors (Myers 268).
Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on an ever-evolving formulation of patients’ problems and an individual conceptualization of each patient in cognitive
Cognitive and behavior therapy can combine the techniques of both of these approaches or focus on one of the two. The paper will discuss these schools, their origins and techniques.
In classical conditioning, the famous method fathered by Ivan Pavlov, learning is stimulated by temporal association. Two events are repeatedly performed in a close time interval, causing the two events to fuse in a person's mind so the person responds to both events the same way in the future (Comer, 2015). Therapies for the behavioral model aim to
Cognitive-Behavior Practice Theory (CBTh) has many applications in everyday life. It has its way of explaining human behaviors. The theory itself has purpose for both research and practice settings. It helps us better understand the person, their environment, and the timing of their life changing events. Social workers can utilize this theory as a framework for an assessment. In Jackie’s case, I will explain how The CBTh applies to some of her human functioning behaviors such as, depression, lack of interest, low self-esteem, bad eating habits, loneliness, and isolation. The cognitive perspective of the theory focuses on how an individual thought process plays a role in their judgments. The behavior perspective of the theory shows how behaviors are learned. I will focus on how some of her functioning behaviors have connections with environmental factors and apply two concepts of the Cognitive-Behavior Practice Theory automatic thoughts and cognitive distortions.
* Ivan Pavlov (behaviorist) – Started the idea of conditioning, where an inherited reflex comes to be triggered by a stimulus that has nothing to do with that reflex. He showed that even inherited reflexes could be influenced dramatically by learning experiences.
This paper explores theory of Behavior Therapy. This approach applies the principals of learning to the resolution of specific behavioral problems. Result is subject to continual experimentation. The methods of this approach are always in the process of refinement. It explains that Behavior is the product of learning. We are both the product of and the producer of our environment. There are a few main topics that explain this theory, which includes therapeutic goals, therapeutic relationship, techniques and procedures, applications, multicultural perspectives, contributions, and limitations.
Classical (or Respondent) Conditioning supports the idea that we develop responses to certain stimuli that do not naturally occur. For example, when someone touches a hot stove, their reflex is to pull their hand away. They do this instinctually, and there is no learning involved. These responses are simply examples of survival instincts. However, Ivan Pavlov discovered that humans make certain associations which cause us to generalize our response to one stimuli, and then to associate it with a neutral stimulus that it is paired with.
Now that we know how behavioral and cognitive models explain psychopathology, we can explore how each of these models use different therapies to help with the treatment of mental health problems. Behavioral therapy focuses on two main principles, classical conditioning and operant conditioning. (Davey, 2011). The first main principle is, classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is defined as, “the learning of an association between two stimuli, the first of which predicts the occurrence of the second” (Davey, 2011, p.26). A good example of classical conditioning is Pavlov’s dog; Pavlov conditioned his dog to salivate when he rang a bell, by associating the bell with food. The dog then would salivate to the sound of the bell even if there was no food (“Difference Between,”
Kandel (2009) identifies three main forms in the process of learning: habituation, sensitization and conditioning. From the studies of physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), Kandel (2009) argues that these forms of learning occur from the association of a stimulus with another stimulus or a stimulus with a response. Habituation occurs when the repetition of a stimulus leads to suppression of a response. Sensitization is the reverse. In this case, we learn to give attention to a stimulus
In order to comprehend B.F Skinner and Ivan Pavlov theories, it necessary to first describe the matter in which they are derived from, that is learning. “Learning is any relatively permanent change in behavior produced by an experience.” There are different kinds of ways that people and animals learn. People can adjust the way they learn to the different situations in which they are learning and what they have to learn. One form of learning is known as conditioning. Conditioning stresses the relationship between stimuli and responses. The two types of conditioning found are Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning. As stated before, learning may occur in different ways but Classical and Operant conditioning are two of several theories on learning which take the behaviorist approach. “Classical conditioning is an association of one event with another that results in a pattern of behavior.” Operant conditioning however, is “learning that takes place as a consequence of behavior.”