Every person is brought into the world in a similar way. We all develop in the womb; we all grow, evolve through the generations, contain different genes, and experience distinct environments that shape the person we become, as we get older. The way people behave, more specifically, abnormal behavior is an extremely complex subject that many scholars have sought to master and understand. There are numerous types of behaviors that people may learn, but there are only a few modeled theories that suggest ways in which abnormal behaviors are recognized and examined (Comer, 2014, p. 34). In this particular assignment, I will be comparing and contrasting the psychodynamic and the behavioral models, which identify two of the common ways abnormal behaviors, …show more content…
According to Comer (2014), the oldest of theories, designed by Sigmund Freud, is the psychodynamic model, emphasizing the unconscious “underlying psychological forces”, called dynamics, which when unbalanced, result in abnormal thoughts and behaviors (p. 39). When exploring abnormal behaviors, Freud created the psychoanalytic theory that illustrates the structure of the mind with id, ego, and superego. The id works by seeking “the pleasure principle” and its ultimate goal is to fulfill its “needs, drives, and impulses” (Friedman & Schustack, 2012, p. 64; Comer, 2014, p. 39). The ego encompasses the unconscious awareness and expresses desires that function through “the reality principle” (Comer, 2014, p. 40). And lastly, the superego is an aspect that replaces unacceptable desires with more acceptable or appropriate values, which means it dominates the ego portion of the thinking process through the conscience (Comer, 2014, p. 40). Eventually, as Freud’s ideas encouraged other scholars to conduct further research that focused on these dynamics, many began concentrating on specific areas to deepen their knowledge in abnormal …show more content…
According to Comer (2014), the behavioral theorists identified many types of conditioning- operant, modeling, and classical, through experimenting in laboratories (p. 46). Each of these conditions demonstrates the importance of an individual’s environment and reinforcements. Additionally, reinforcement is anything that makes a behavior more powerful, which suggests that behaviors can be shaped through conditioning (Myers, 2013, p. 287). According to Friedman and Schustack (2012) operant conditioning is defined as altering a behavior by “manipulating its consequences” (p. 194). In exploring operant conditioning, B.F Skinner designed an experiment, which he created an “operant chamber” that included a lever for pushing that provided food or water, a light, and speaker for recording information (Myers, 2013, p. 287). With this invention, Skinner provided a much deeper understanding in the ability to enforce and shape behaviors. Furthermore, as learning behaviors with rewards is possible, simply observing an individual’s actions, impacts behaviors as well. According to Comer (2014), an individual may learn certain behaviors by repeatedly observing someone else’s behaviors, known as modeling (p. 46). In the final type of learning, classical conditioning is acquired by two events occurring consecutively (Comer, 2014, p. 46). The author explains that Ivan Pavlov initiated an experiment that used a
Behavior modification is based on the principles of operant conditioning, which were developed by American behaviorist B.F. Skinner. In his research, he put a rat in a cage later known as the Skinner Box, in which the rat could receive a food pellet by pressing on a bar. The food reward acted as a reinforcement by strengthening the rat's bar-pressing behavior. Skinner studied how the rat's behavior changed in response to differing patterns of reinforcement. By studying the way the rats operated on their environment, Skinner formulated the concept of operant conditioning, through which behavior could be shaped by reinforcement or lack of it. Skinner considered his discovery applicable to a wide range of both human and animal behaviors(“Behavior,” 2001).
Freud's perception of the human mind splits it into three separate sections: the id, the ego and the superego. The id is purely primal instincts; it is based on the mind's pleasure principle and is present in babies when they are first born. All the id wants is to have its needs fulfilled-no matter what the consequences. The ego is a balance; it works on the reality principle, and, while it works with the id to gain pleasure, it is constantly wary of the consequences. The superego is the id's opposite. Its main objective is to maintain morals, and it is the effective counter to the id. For instance, if the id wanted the person it inhabits to get some money, the superego would counter the id and make the person earn the money legitimately because stealing is wrong. The superego is split in two sections: the conscience and the ego ideal. The conscience differentiates between right and wrong, while the ego ideal works with morals instilled by society, such as prejudices. These three sections of mind balance each other in order to k...
The various components of our conscious and subconscious the id, ego, and superego lives in all of us and affects what we do and think, according to Sigmund Freud. Freud was a pioneer in the field of psychology for his various theories. Arguably Freud’s most important contribution to the field of psychology is his psychodynamic theory. The studies of the differences in the conscious and subconscious within what we think and what we do. Freud’s theories may be outdated having been developed in the early twentieth century, but concerning his psychodynamic theory it has been the foundation for many more psychologist to develop their own theories and ideas. Thus, making the study of Freud’s psychodynamic theory imperative for us as a society to study for future generations.
Sigmund Freud was born in 1856 to Jewish Galician parents in the Moravian town of Pribor in the Austrian Empire (“Sigmund Freud” n. pag). During his education in the medical field, Freud decided to mix the career fields of medicine and philosophy to become a psychologist (“Sigmund Freud” n. pag). During his research as a psychologist, he conceived the Structural Model Theory, which he discussed in his essay Beyond the Pleasure Principle. The theory states that the human psyche is divided into three main parts: the id, ego, and super-ego (“Id, Ego, and Super-ego” n. pag). He concluded that the id was the desire for destruction, violence and sex; the ego was responsible for intellect and dealing with reality; and the super-ego was a person’s sense of right and wrong and moral standards (Hamilton, n. pag). Freud argued that a healthy individual will have developed the strongest ego to keep the id and super-ego in check (“Id, Ego, and Super-ego” n. p...
In addition to Freud’s stages of development his best-known concepts are those of the id, ego, and superego (Crain, p. 268). The id personality called ‘the unconscious” is the personality that focuses on maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain through reflexes and drives such as hunger or bladder tensions (Crain, pp. 268-269). The id concept is impulsive, chaotic and unrealistic.
What is Skinner’s Operant Conditioning? Skinner was the first to discuss operant conditioning. McLead (2007) explained that an operant condition means that using reinforcements given after a desired response could change behavior. There were three types of responses that can follow the behavior. Neutral operants, reinforces, and punishers were the three types of responses. According to McLead (2007), Skinner invented a box with levers and lights to test his theory. He placed a hungry rat inside where the rat learned to press the levels for different responses. One level would give it a piece of food and the rat would not receive food when the light was off. This box demonstrated the shaping of behaviors through operant conditioning.
In Sigmund Freud’s “An Outline of Psychoanalysis”, we encounter the id, ego and the superego. Freud explains that our id controls everything “that is inherited, that is present at birth, that is laid down in the constitution” (Freud 14). Our natural instincts are controlled by the id. The fight for survival is driven by the id in our psyche. The ego “preforms by taking control over the demands of the instincts” (Freud 15) it seeks a safe
Skinner designed an experiment to test operant conditioning, known as a ‘Skinner box’ (Gross 2005). In the box, animals, such as rats, would be conditioned into certain behaviour. For example, by pressing a lever to receive food (Gross 2005).
This is the manifestation of physical causes. He became convinced that unconscious mental causes were responsible not just abnormality but also normality. Freud developed Psychoanalysis. This is a set of techniques for treating the unconscious causes of mental disorders and built up a psychoanalytic theory of how human personality and abnormality develop from childhood. His psychoanalytic approach had a great impact on psychology and psychiatry and was developed by other psychodynamic theorists.
Freud's theory of psychoanalysis defined a human's personality and then outlined causes and affects that these traits had on the person's thoughts, actions, and relationships. As he developed his knowledge of the human psych, he named three different parts belonging to it: the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. The Id is what drives the instinctual and need-based responses of a human, the Ego is the controlled and realistic force, and the Superego is what dictates and adheres to morality and social correctness. According to Freud, these three section of a human's psyche must maintain balance or the subject will fall to internal chaos and turmoil.
Sigmund Freud is one of the founders of psychology, and he came up with the theory of psychoanalysis and psychodynamic in the field of psychology. This school of thought is about the-the unconscious mind on a person’s behavior, and he believed that human beings are composed of three elements the ego, the ID and the superego. The theories
Sigmund Freud is best known for his development and use of psychoanalysis. The theory of psychoanalysis focuses on the concept of how our unconscious thoughts, feelings, and emotions play an active role in our daily lives. The id, ego, and superego are the three mental zones that encompass our psyche. Each zone has a specific function: The id functions on the pleasure principle; the ego on the protection of the individual; and the superego on protection of society. The degree of which each zone has been developed can be broken down and then analyzed. These three zones can be visualized by imagining a pie cut into three slices.
B. F. Skinner, the most well-known American Psychologist who was the top exponent of the school of psychology that was known as behaviorism, preserved the impression that learning is an end result of change in evident behavior. The changes in behavior are determined by the way individuals reply to stimuli (events) in the environment. B.F. Skinner defined this phenomenon as operant conditioning. Operant conditioning means changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement which is given after the desired response (McLeod, 2007). This
Sigmund Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory suggests that human behavior and personality is influenced by unconscious motives. In the early 1900s, Freud proposed this theory, stating that the personality consists of the id, the ego, and the superego. Psychodynamic psychologists see behavior as a compromise between the three areas of our psyche. These psychologists study human behavior by looking for deeper meanings in peoples’ thoughts and actions. Today, many of Freud’s ideas have been criticized for being too abstract and objective, but that does not mean that his work is without merit. The Psychodynamic Theory has redefined patient-therapist relationships and our understanding of thought processes and response patterns.
This essay will first explore what classical conditioning is by using Ivan Pavlov’s famous experiment with dogs to explain how it works. It will then go on to describe how classical conditioning led to more research by Edward L. Thorndike and B.F. Skinner in the study of instrumental behaviour (Gleitman et al. 2011). It will also mention briefly what similarities can be found between operant and classical conditioning before explaining in detail what operant conditioning is (Skinner’s experiment with the operant