PSYCH 127A Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Trichotillomania, Reinforcement, Diaphragmatic Breathing
Document Summary
Milwaukee inventory for styles of trichotillomania (mist) - self report survey that assesses the extent to which one"s hair pulling is focused vs automatic. Focused - intentional pulling, conscious awareness, response to negative emotions as coping mechanism. Automatic pulling - unconscious, typically during sedentary activities. Feel around for unusual hairs --> obsess about pulling them --> pulling led to a pleasurable sense of relief. Comb model: classical conditioning causes certain environmental settings/cues to serve as triggers for urges to pull. Pairing of urges with specific contexts --> conditioned stimulus for pulling. Positive reinforcement: behavior results in pleasurable consequences. Teri"s urges became associated with tension and anxiety. Negative reinforcement: feeling of tension prior to pulling --> hair pulling --> decreased sense of tension. Positive reinforcement: hair pulling --> pleasurable relief akin to "high" Hrt - involves awareness training and identifies crs for use in situations involving the problem behavior. Implement punishment to counter reinforcement effects of pulling.
