Tara has difficulties. She bites her hands until they bleed
The psychoanalytic perspective aims to understand behaviour arguing aggressive behaviour is cause by unresolved conflicts from a person early childhood and projected onto current situations feeling inner turmoil. Freudian belived people were born with a conscious mind noticing our thoughts and feelings, other thoughts are preconscious meaning thoughts we can bring to our conscious mind although we many not be aware of them and unconscious containing all the things we are unaware off. Tara must overcome her problem by seeking psychotherapy to discuss her childhood in doing so the person will know all the answers that lay in her unconscious mind knowing when she began biting her hand leading to many answers. This will slowly condition her behaviour like the work of Pavlov.
Social learning theory means behaviour that is learnt through the media, friends or general influences. The theory suggests many of our actions are influenced by social expectations of others in society meaning people act the way they do to according to others. Albert Bandura argued people behaviour is copied from others and then imitated. So in this case Tara must have observed this bad behaviour and subsequently moulded her own behaviour.
The Behavioural approach states in order to challenge aggressive behaviour you must analyse how they are thinking and feeling. This perspective understands their human development in terms of how we learn from experience shaping up our behaviour. Behaviourists believed to understand behaviour using the concept reinforcement would explain all causes. When applying this to Tara she must replace the stimulus to something she can take her anger out on such as stress balls. Kick boxing etc. Also praising and rewarding Tara from time to time will make her stronger giving her the strength to make her overcome her problem.
Humanistic psychology means the importance of each individual subjective reality this consist the work of Maslow’s four deficit needs in the direction of self-actualise. Maslow deficit needs are physiological needs which involve food, warmth, shelter and sex. Safety needs so the individual has freedom feeling secure from any threats. The need to belong knowing he or she has friends and self esteem needs to feel respected. When relating to Tara the theory may argue her deficit needs must have not been met for her to have difficulty in her life to build her full potential to self actualisation.
Cognitive approaches are interested in the thought process. In this case they will use techniques to find out when she started biting her hand. By exploring Piagets stages four stages of cognitive development.
Elena wants to stop smoking. She’s worried about her health.
Psychoanalytic approach would help Elena understand her behaviour by discussing her childhood as it will give reasons when and why she started smoking. The approach will help change her behaviour as it finds the answers in her unconscious mind.
The behavioural approach would respond to Elena’s problem by firstly looking at the way her behaviours then slowly condition her behaviour involving replacing the stimulus (cigarette) different alternatives such as nicotine gum or nicotine patches. In doing so behaviourists believe it’s all about reinforcement explaining why the individual behaves that way.
Social learning theory would insure Elena is observing the correct behaviour. Elena behaviour might involve a range of issues due to social expectations interfering with her l behaviour to an extent of coping. A way to help Tara smoking is to show her the correct source for example a video of what smoking does helping her to mould her behaviour.
Humanistic psychology would act in response by listening to Elena’s situation helping her see sense what smoking does. The approach may suggest a need have been unmet for her to smoke.
The cognitive approach would explore all the possible reasons what led Elena started to smoke understanding her thoughts and emotions by listening, they will try helping her to overcome her situation by challenging her behaviour.
Mary is 85. She lives in a nursing home and now is incontinent.
Psychoanalytic approach would take action by finding the hidden thoughts and feelings hiding in her unconscious part of mind. The approach may help understand her behaviour by recalling unresolved conflicts in her childhood.
Behavioural approach would suggest that Mary has conflicts that are affecting her behaviour. Behaviourist would explore all the possible reason why Mary is acting the way she does. They would suggest she should replace the stimulus whilst using reinforcement identifying pleasurable outcomes.
Humanistic psychology would suggest Mary is feeling loneliness lacking in Maslows deficit needs of feeling belong. This could be the reason why she is now incontinent.
Cognitive approach will use skills, imagination etc to solve Mary’s problem finding out reasons when she started feeling negative and her surroundings she has at her present stage.
Peter is 25 and he is agoraphobic. He seldom goes out of the house.
Psychoanalytic approach would suggest peter to get touch with his childhood because there is a range of issue that is troubling him and left unresolved causing him to act this way.
The behavioural approach would concentre on challenge his behaviour
Looking at all the possible reasons in other words his experiences he learnt from that moulded his behaviour. Most behaviourists often believed reinforcement would explain the cause for their actions. When applying the case study to his crisis different alternatives could replace the stimulus to something he enjoys. In doing so using positive reinforcement would help find out what trigged his behaviour.
Humanistic would suggest there is an unmet need causing frustration and feeling unsafe. The theory would blame maybe his physical needs; emotional safety and belonging are affecting his life causing him to be agoraphobic.
Cognitive theory would respond to peters situation of him not understanding his surroundings and what is changing his behaviour. Cognitive therapy may help him understand his own behaviour by using tactics i.e. showing him pictures.