Learning Maladaptive Behavior Lesson 17 Maladaptive Behavior Detrimental

Learning & Maladaptive Behavior Lesson 17

Maladaptive Behavior Detrimental to well-being/survival n How is it acquired? l Normal learning mechanisms n Operant (Instrumental) learning l overt behaviors n Respondent learning l CERs l physiological responses l covert behaviors ~ n

Maladaptive Learning: Respondent Conditioned Emotional Responses l fear/anxiety l anticipatory pain n Phobias n Depression n Panic Disorder l With agoraphobia n Post-traumatic stress-disorder ~ n

Conditioned Emotional Responses Acquired Motivation l Motivates maladaptive behaviors l covert behavior: Fear & Anxiety l Pavlovian n Self-medication l Addictive behaviors l Mood modification l Via behavior or substance use l acquisition by operant ~ n

Maladaptive Eating Behaviors Higher incidence of l depression & anxiety l OCD & substance abuse l women: relationship problems n Maintained via reinforcement l self-medication n Obesity l positive & negative reinforcement l health problems ~ n

Eating Disorders Anorexia nervosa l little or no eating n Bulimia l binge & purge n Motivation? l Negative body image anxiety l lack of control n Control eating RFT ~ n

Substance Abuse & Addiction Abused/Addictive drugs l Positive reinforcers l Negative reinforcers l Aversive aftereffects n Normal reinforcement mechanisms l Same as natural reinforcers n Strengthens drug-taking behavior l Addiction: compulsive use ~ n

Abusive Relationships Why do women stay with men who physically abuse them? l Pain as punishment n Honeymoon phase as Pos RFT l Initially l later following abuse n History of punishing behavior l early weak later severe l habituation ~ n

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Obsessions l Persistent, intrusive thoughts l Produce anxiety n Compulsions l Repetitive behaviors l Reduce anxiety n Acquired & maintained by… l Negative reinforcement ~ n

Learned Helplessness Animal model of depression n No contingency b/n behavior & aversive outcomes l Saversive : B no effect n Global expectancy develops l ineffectiveness of behavior l Failure to respond even when it may be successful ~ n

Experimental procedure Master rat Yoked rat Master l response can terminate shock n Yoked l shocked w/ master l no control over shock ~ n

Give all avoidance training Transfer all to shuttlebox training l Standard escape / avoidance task n Will they learn to escape? l Master? l Yoked? ~ n

Master vs Yoked Difference in escape learning, but n Both shocked l Same number l Same intensity l Same duration n How do they differ? l Control of shock ~ n

Conclusions Yoked rat develops expectation l no response will terminate shock l generalizes to other situations n Global expectancy of ineffectiveness ~ n Uncontrollable Aversive Events Learned Helplessness

Stress-induced Analgesia Decrease in pain sensitivity l Occurs in rats in uncontrollable circumstances n Use same rats from learned helplessness l Test for analgesia l Tail Flick Test ~ n

Results Master no analgesia l stress is controllable n Yoked rat analgesic n stress is uncontrollable n Less sensitive to pain l May stay in contact with painful stimulus longer l Injury more likely ~ l

Kids & Math Problems Dweck & Rapucci (1973) l 5 th graders given series of math problems n Give easy problems l performance good n Give unsolvable problems n Give easy again l difficulty doing easy problems ~ n