Clinically-Applications of Learning Theories

The following questions are designed to test your comprehension and ability to apply your knowledge of learning theories to the clinical practice. For answers and explanations, google Justpsychiatry Question Bank.

Short-Answer Question

A mother of 7-year-old boy told her GP that her boy shouts at the top of his voice whenever she does not meet his demand. Gradually his demands are increasing. She told that yesterday he woke up at 5 am. started shouting and demanded that he wants to eat Pizza. To pacify him she had to take him to a Pizza outlet at the airport as no outlet was open in the vicinity at this time. The child on clinical examination was of above-average intelligence and was not suffering from any physical or mental disorder.

Based on your knowledge of behavioral psychology, briefly write the behaviour of the child and what measures you will suggest to her mother?

Short-Answer Question

A ten-year-old boy is brought with a history of refusing to go to school every morning. He starts to feel abdominal pain whenever he sees the school bag. His mother starts to shout at him, the father beats him up. Initially, the boy started to go to school as a result of his parental reaction and then stopped going to school.

1. What are the various types of learning theories that are playing a role in this scenario?

2. List four learning techniques that you may employ to improve the behaviour of the child.

Short-Answer Question

A 27-year-old man has been arrested by the police for hitting, cursing at, and verbally berating his wife of 8 years. The wife tells the police he also regularly physically whips his 7-year-old son with a leather belt and often strikes the boy with his hand. When asked why he does this, he responds that this is “how my father treated me, it’s how men should act.”

1. This represents which type of learning?

2. How it happens?

3. Does it involve reinforcement?

4. Give an example.

Short-Answer Question

After an incident of violence in the city, a TV channel contacted you to record your views on the causes of aggression. What would be your response regarding the effect of watching aggression on the viewer’s behaviour?

Short-Answer Question

A patient with chronic schizophrenia in a long-stay ward of a mental hospital started showing disruptive behaviour since a new staff nurse took charge of the ward. He continuously shouts on the top of his voice till the staff nurse gives him a cigarette to pacify him. This behaviour was occasional at the beginning but gradually increased.

How will you explain this behaviour and what you will recommend to unlearn this behaviour? Can we use punishment in behaviour therapy?

Short-Answer Question

A 21-year-old male comes to the OPD and states his problem, “I have been trying to resist the thought that my hands are contaminated, but I always end up in washing my hands. My mother has always appreciated me for this habit of cleanliness. Now the problem has got worsened. I have tried to fight my habit and have broken glasses and cups in anger and frustration. Sometimes I weep like a child at my failure. When nothing worked, I lost all hope and I have now stopped studying.”

1. Identify the underlying learning processes.

2. Briefly define the silent features of the respective psychological theories with which the behaviour patterns of the patient and the mother can be explained.

Short-Answer Question

A ten-year-old boy is brought with a history of refusing to go to school every morning. He starts to feel abdominal pain whenever he sees the school bag. His mother starts to shout at him, the father beats him up. Initially, the boy started to go to school as a result of his parental reaction and then stopped going to school.

1. What are the various types of learning processes that are playing a role in this scenario?

2. List four learning techniques that you may employ to improve the behaviour of the child.

Short-Answer Question

A 27-year-old man has been arrested by the police for hitting, cursing at, and verbally berating his wife of 8 years. The wife tells the police he also regularly physically whips his 7-year-old son with a leather belt and often strikes the boy with his hand. When asked why he does this, he responds that this is “how my father treated me, it’s how men should act.”

1. This represents which type of learning?

2. How it happens?

c. Does it involve reinforcement? e. Give an example.

Short-Answer Question

How would you differentiate Watson’s behaviourism from classical conditioning and operant conditioning.

Copyright Notice

This work is (being) adapted from on OpenStax Psychology 2e which is licensed under creative commons attribution 4.0 license. We license our work under a similar license. If you copy, adapt, remix or build up on work, you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.