The Cognitive and Psychodynamic Psychological Approaches and Eating Disorders

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Recommended: Comparison between the psychodynamic and cognitive approach

Two psychological approaches/perspectives with reference to the critical issues of eating disorders to be discussed are the cognitive and psychodynamic approaches. There are several eating disorders and the most common two of them are Anorexia Nervosa involving the irrational fear of being extensively overweight and Bulimia Nervosa involving periods of binge eating when food is excessively eaten within a two hour period than would normally be eaten in that time. This paper will seek to understand and describe cognitive and psychodynamic approaches whilst also comparing and contrasting the differences between the two.

Cognitive psychologists study the mental processes of behaviour through memory, thought processes, language, attention to detail and abnormal mental states affecting behaviour. Cognitive behaviour is similar to a computer by input of data into a computer and prior knowledge stored in the human brain as data and information are processed. The computer reaches its results from a series of data and the brain receiving information reaches its results neurologically.

When a person is suffering from an eating disorder like Anorexia Nervosa cognitive psychologists try to change the irrational thoughts a person has in relation to how they perceive their body shape and by changing their thought patterns their eating disorder about their body being too fat may be cured. This process takes a long time and is usually done through counselling.

In contrast, behavioural psychologists studied the effects of behaviour as being a physiological response in terms of bodily processes by learning and conditioning, leading to rewards or punishment dependent upon the learnt behaviour.

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...t make the participants question and analyse themselves as to what kind of humans are they.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

References

Eysenck, M.W., 2003. Psychology For AS Level 2nd ed., Hove & New York: Psychology Press.

Freud S et al, 1995 The Complete Correspondence of Sigmund Freud and Ernest Jones, 1908-1939., Belknap Press, Harvard University Press,ISBN 067415424X

Keegan G. 2008 (Gerard Keegan and his Psychology Site) http://www.gerardkeegan.co.uk/resource/correlationaltech.htm

James N 2007 Qualitative versus Quantitative Research:Key Points in a ClassicDebatehhttttp://wilderdom.com/research/QualitativeVersusQuantitativeResearch.html#MainPoints

Cardwell, M., 2005. Psychology AS, The Complete Companion Revised Edition.

Nelson Thomas.

BACKGROUND READING

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761595627/Cognitive_Psychology.html

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