The Biological, Cognitive, Psychodynamic And Behavioral Models

After reading Chapter 2 of Ronald J. Comer’s book, Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, I now understand key principles of 4 models that that contribute to understanding abnormalities. The first model is the biological model, which can be linked to Roman and Greek times as I read in chapter 1. It mainly states that the cause of psychological abnormalities is that of physical illness. In addition, the abnormalities are introduced because of malfunctioning parts in the brain. This includes the possible malfunction of neurons that are found in the cerebrum and the possible malfunction of these neurons and the transmissions between them. Other factors may include genes, evolution and viral infections

In life, humanity is on a journey much like walking through a forest full of trees that requires consistent observation while navigating the path traveled. Remaining on course is a very important part of arriving at the destination of achievement and success. There is no way to have complete certainty of always arriving on time, as all the variables come into the picture of that journey which psychology also does in relation to the mind. The psychodynamic theory in comparison to the cognitive behavior theory is somewhat well viewed in focus of examining the mental process of what one does based upon what one has thought of doing. To consider the contrast of

(AC1) Two perspectives in psychology are the behaviourist approach and the biological (also known as physiological) approach. These perspectives consist of different theories, research methods and treatments in relation to mental illness.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness a mental illness can be defined as “a condition that impacts a person 's thinking, feeling or mood and may affect his or her ability to relate to others and function on a daily basis.” Mental illness can be the result of multiple factors such as lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and genetics. There are a few mental illness that we primarily associate with people that commit these malicious acts such as; Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Depression, Dissociative Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Schizophrenia.

The general public increasingly attributes mental disorders to biological causes such as a chemical imbalance or inherited genes (Schnittker, 2008; Schomerus et al., 2012).

Mental illnesses result from complex interactions between the body, mind and surrounding environment of a person. Some factors which can influence mental illness include; biological factors such as hormones and genetics, use of alcohol and drugs, long term and acute stress, social and personal factors such as family breakdowns, violence,

Whether it is the study of biopsychology and other fields of psychology or neuroscience, all psychologists and scientists are trying to understand the functions of the brain. The body and mind connection and how it reacts to certain behaviors or illnesses. Most all psychological functioning can be reduced to underlying brain processes. This should serve as reason alone as to why biology plays an important part in the study of psychology. Psychological factors play a role in whether a person develops a mental illness and in how well they recover from a mental illness, yet biological and genetic risk factors, or predispositions, are

Schizophrenia as a Biological Disorder As well as the biological approaches there are physiological, psychological and environmental explanations. New theories of schizophrenia are constantly being developed each having their own advantages and disadvantages. How do we know however, which one is correct? The biological explanation suggests that schizophrenia is produced by an unfortunate combination of genes or is due to physical problems in the brain.

Many people, including mental health professionals, see how severe psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, can be and instantaneously presume it is mostly biological. Now, most do believe in the value of talk therapy, and it is widely recognized that schizophrenia often starts with a stressful trigger. These triggers can include things as normal as a first year of college or as terrible as a trauma such as a sexual assault. Now, I'm not doubting genetic factors or other biological factors exist in those of us with psychotic disorders, but I have a pet theory on what these disorders are. While, I admit the following is more of a personal opinion than science. I, also, doubt it would be considered complete pseudoscience.

There are the Physiological, Psychological, Behavioral, and Environmental and Sociological explanations. The Physiological explanation is the genetic and chemical causes of mental illness. Psychological explanations view mental disorders as an outgrowth of a person’s personality development. The Behavioral explanation concentrates on behavior and view it as a set of learned responses resulting from a combination of rewards and punishments. Lastly, the Environmental and Sociological takes into account the environmental and social factors.

What is the biomedical approach to mental health? "The biomedical model of mental illness assumes that abnormal psychological states or experiences are the results of abnormalities in the brain or genetics and, as such, necessitate medical or chemical

The Strengths and Limitations of the Biological Model of Abnormality This model uses physical illness as a model for psychological disorder, suggesting that like physical illness, mental illness has an underlying bodily cause. It proposes that genetic, organic or chemical disorders cause metal illnesses which give rise to behavioural and psychological problems. Thus, abnormality has physical causes such as brain dysfunction (neurological), biochemical imbalances, infections or genetics and so can only be cured through medical treatments. Therefore it implies that abnormality results from properly

The biological processes of colour perception which happen in the brain are innate and contribute towards the way in which individuals view colour. Cones and rods work together in order to create the colour that is perceived. The psychological processes are related to the way each individual person perceives colour, and thus may be different to the next. Colour perception is different for everyone, something that is light blue to one person, may be light green to another person. Both the biological and psychological processes work together. A range of processes will be discussed throughout this essay and will demonstrate differences in the

The Biological model looks at abnormal behavior as a medical condition, requiring medical intervention to bring relief. (Comer, 2009) explains that human thoughts are a result of “biochemical and biological processes” (p.35), that take place in the brain. Mood, and emotion are controlled by different parts of the brain “the hippocampus helps regulate emotions and memory, and the amygdala playa a key role in emotional memory” (p.35). When there is an interference in the messaging process that takes place between neurons, then psychological abnormalities can result. If the chemicals “neurotransmitters” that are involved in this process “serotonin and norepinephrine” are deficient than depression can occur, “the body’s endocrine system” which controls hormones can also cause “anxiety and mood disorders” if not functioning properly (p.35-36).

If the chemicals in the brain are having trouble going through the brain then that can cause a psychological disorder such as Schizophrenia. There is also evidence to suggest that the brain of people with Schizophrenia is different than those that have healthier brains. “Some studies also suggest that abnormalities in the temporal lobes, hippocampus, and amygdala are connected to schizophrenia’s positive symptoms (hallucinations or delusions) (Helpguide.org).” In my opinion, the environment one endures can be the biggest factor in the cause of schizophrenia. Child abuse, early traumatic events, severe stress, and negative life events can all have a very huge impact in the cause of Schizophrenia. What someone went through in their past can determine their future.