Applying Social Psychology Theories To Explain Behavior

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In Week 2, you were introduced to the bystander effect (Darley & Latané, 1968). The perceived diffusion of responsibility makes bystanders less likely to intervene in an emergency situation. It might be tempting to assume that aggressors and the bystanders who do nothing to intervene are just “bad” people; however, the reasons for how and why these behaviors occur are much more complex. In this assignment, you will consider how factors such as obedience to authority, perceived power, and diffused responsibility in the presence of others may explain varied responses to potential or actual harm to others.

Reference

Darley, J.M. & Latané, B. (1968). Bystander interview in emergencies: Diffusion of responsibility. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 8(4), 377-383.

To Prepare:

  • Review the Hock (2013) readings on social psychology theories and principles. Think about the influence of environmental and social context on behavior.
  • Reflect on the following social media scenario:
    You are reading posts in your favorite social media site, when you come across a post by a 19-year-old male. He writes that he was raped at a party last night and he’s afraid they will post pictures of it online. He is contemplating suicide. You notice three types of behaviors in the comments to him:
  1. A small group of individuals are using profanity and belittling him. They are encouraging him to commit suicide.
  2.  A larger group of individuals are making supportive comments and providing the number for a crisis help line.
  3. Many of his online followers have not responded to his post.
  • Think about how social psychology theories or principles could be applied to explain the types of comments made to the 19-year-old in the scenario.

By Day 7

Submit a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following:

  • Describe the impact of social context on conformity, obedience, and helping behaviors.
  • Explain how social psychology theories or principles could be applied to account for each of the responses in the scenario (e.g., which principles/theories could explain response type A; which principles/theories could explain response type B, and so on). Be sure to support your assertions with scholarly content.
  • Provide at least one recommendation to help reduce the derogatory comments or increase the number of supportive comments in the scenario, based on what you have learned about social psychology.

Note: Support your statements with specific references to the Learning Resources and any additional sources you identify using both in-text citations and references. It is strongly recommended that you include proper APA format and citations.

Case Conceptualization

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Case Conceptualization

The client that I picked for this post is a male client that has been diagnosis with mild depression.

For the first part of this discussion, complete the following:

Drawing from the readings in this unit, as well as other resources you have located in the professional literature, reflect upon the process of developing a case conceptualization of a client. Write a discussion post that addresses the following:

  • How does your fieldwork site utilize case presentations?
    • Are you required to complete a written document that presents the essential information about a client you are working with? If so, what information is required?
    • Do staff members or interns present cases during staff meetings or trainings? If so, what is included in these presentations?
  • Considering one of the clients you have worked with during your fieldwork experience, what elements would you want to include in a case conceptualization, in order to reflect a holistic profile of the client?
    • Create a brief outline of the categories of information and list them in your discussion.
    • Just identify the main topics or categories that would form the structure of your case.
  • Reflect upon the work you are doing from a theoretical perspective.
    • How would you currently define your main theoretical approach?

Please use this book

Gladding, S. T. Clinical Mental Health Counseling in Community and Agency Settings. [VitalSource]. Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780134385624/

https://www.studocu.com/en/document/the-university-of-british-columbia/clinical-psychology-practicum-clin-psyc-practm/book-solutions/gerald-corey-theory-and-practice-of-counseling-and-psychotherapy-2012-brooks-cole/2687453/view

What are some ethical red flags in the chosen scenario?

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  • Topic: Ethics

    According to Clinton & Ohlschlager (2002), ethics are differentiated from values in that they are a code established by an individual or group which constitutes right conduct. As you begin your journey in counseling, ethics will be one of the vital cornerstones you practice to ensure that you do not harm your clients in any way. It is critical that you as a counselor have a detailed understanding and firm grasp on what is ethical and unethical in the field of Christian counseling. Failure to do so may result in an unintentional breach of ethics and, in turn, may possibly harm your client.

    Use the AACC code of ethics found in Clinton and Ohlschlager (2002) to answer the following questions.

    What are some ethical red flags in the chosen scenario?

    Has the counselor already acted in any way that is unethical?

    Was there anything that should have been done differently to avoid the ethical breaches?

    Ethically speaking, what should be the counselor’s next steps?

    Provide the code of ethics section number (ex: 1-122) where applicable. Also, share your personal definition of ethics.

    · A lay counselor is employed by a church in the city to conduct lay counseling for the church members and the public. Jerry, a devout Jehovah’s Witness, comes to see the counselor because he is struggling with gambling. The counselor respectfully tells him that he cannot see him because he is a Christian counselor and the client is not a Christian. Jerry pleads with the counselor, explaining that he really needs help with gambling and his religion will not be a part of the counseling process. Reluctantly, the counselor agrees to see him. Jerry’s marriage is doing well, his two children are also doing well, and his household has little conflict. He admits that he gambles as a way of release because he often gets anxious. Upon further inquiry, the counselor learns that Jerry tends to gamble on Saturdays after witnessing door-to-door. Jerry notes that, while witnessing, he gets rejected often and sometimes people are very rude. He says that, when he finishes witnessing, he feels very anxious, so he goes out and gambles. Also, Jerry tells the counselor that he has not felt very close to God lately and the he feels it has exacerbated his gambling problem.

    Caution: Do not merely give your opinion. In order to correctly complete this Case Study, you must use the AACC code of ethics as your guideline

    300 WORDS

Research Paper

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sychology of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Term Paper Submitted by:

John Smith

El Centro College

PSYC 2314, Section 53001, Spring 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Running head: BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER 1

 

 

Abstract

Barahmand and Shahbazi (2015) defined body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) as a disorder that arises from exaggerated self-beliefs that a person’s appearance does not conform with their personal belief about beauty. BDD affects many individuals and the circumstance and the environment may contribute to the presence of the disorder. The individual with BDD also may have concurrent mental health issues. There are circumstances that contribute to a person acquiring the disorder, and mental health issues that usually accompany BDD. People that have BDD often think they look abnormal and that there is something unsuitable about their body, usually specific parts of their body (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015). They see themselves as faulty, flawed, and defective (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015). These individuals mistreat themselves by telling themselves lies in their head about the way they look. (Dlagnikova & Niekerk, 2015). The despair absolutely destroys these people inside, sometimes to the verge of death (Muphy & Flessner, 2015). This population will frequently go to extremes to attempt to repair what they view is broken (Parker, 2014).

Psychology of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Introduction

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is defined as an obsession with one’s body part/parts that the person believes looks abnormal or wrong (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015). This imperfection can be real or imagined. If it is real, it is usually small and insignificant. The person with BDD will blow this issue up to very large proportions (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015). Head and body hair, facial features, skin blemishes, thighs, stomach, breasts, buttocks, and genitals are the most common areas involved in these obsessions (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015). Women tend to have more issues with BDD than men (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015). BDD is classified as a somatoform disorder. It has been linked to major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and social phobia (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015).

The direct cause of BDD is unknown, but there are several social and biological situations that can increase the likelihood of developing BDD. Social factors such as the societal concentration on appearance and perfection and the cultural beauty ideal contribute to the formation of BDD in an individual. Biological causes that may lead to BDD include a serotonin and dopamine imbalance, which causes neurotransmitters to not send or receive signals correctly (Karges, 2017).

The purpose of this paper about Body dysmorphic disorder is twofold: to learn more about the world and its people and to understand why so many women hate the way they look.

Literature Review

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) affects people of all ages, genders, backgrounds, sexual orientations, races, incomes, and education levels (Murphy & Flessner, 2015). BDD manifests as a person constantly thinking about something that they think is wrong, ugly, or different about their body (Neda Week 2014, 2014). These thoughts may or may not be true. The person is often delusional (Dlagnikova & Niekerk, 2015).

Any body part can be loathed or receive disapproval. BDD does not discriminate. The most frequently complained about regions of the body are the hair on the face and head, facial features, skin blemishes, thighs, stomach, breasts, buttocks, and genitals (Body Dysmorphic Disorder, 2016). The individual may focus on multiple body parts at the same time (Parker, 2014).

Adolescents and teens are at a higher risk of developing BDD. The average age of people diagnosed with BDD is seventeen (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015). Normally a person will be diagnosed with BDD when these intrusive thoughts get in the way of their daily living/activities and they cannot function on a day to day basis (Murphy &Flessner, 2015).

The definition of somatoform disorder is a mental disability that manifests as physical symptoms that suggest illness or injury but can’t be explained by a medical condition (Karges, 2017). BDD can wreak havoc in the sufferer’s life. People with BDD are often unable to leave their home. They are riddled with fear of someone judging them by their appearance. They cannot face the risk and possibility of that happening to them (Parker, 2014). Occasionally, people with BDD become suicidal (Murphy & Flessner, 2015).

People with BDD often stand in front of the mirror obsessively examining or picking at their body (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015). Many people get plastic surgery repeatedly, attempting to get the desired, unrealistic look that they think is the norm. They are also trying to correct the so-called defect (Parker, 2015). These BDD patients are in extreme agony and tortured by their perceived ugliness, therefore, they go to extreme lengths to fix it (Parker, 2014).

BDD has commonly been linked to social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and major depressive disorder (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015). Research has shown that BDD patients have at least one, if not all three of those additional disorders (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015).

It is no wonder people have BDD. It is impossible to avoid expectations regarding body image in our current society. The media portrays women as having stick thin figures, while most of the pictures are photoshopped models (Parker, 2014). They are everywhere. People have a strict view of what beauty looks like (Murphy & Flessner, 2015). People in different cultures are even starting to adopt the Western culture around weight ideals and what the body should look like, therefore, developing BDD (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015).

It is also reported that parents play a part in a child or adult becoming diagnosed with BDD (Dlagnikova & Niekerk, 2015). There are a variety of factors that need to be considered including parental mental health, parenting practices, family involvement, etc. Child anxiety has been associated with parental overinvolvement, high levels of overprotection, parental rejection, insecure parent, and child attachment and family dysfunction (Dlagnikova & Niekerk, 2015).

Tips to help a person manage the day-to-day realities of coping with BDD: One, do activities that make you feel good. Two, wear clothes that make you feel good. Three, accept that your visual perception may lack objectivity. Four, be mindful of your words. Five, remember that body acceptance isn’t about perfection or mastery (Parker, 2014).

Critical Analysis

Body dysmorphic disorder is very important because it affects people of all ages, genders, backgrounds, sexual orientations, races, incomes, and education levels (Murphy & Flessner, 2015). People commit suicide because of not accepting and loving themselves the way they are. Young kids and adults are ending their lives because of the way they perceive themselves. Their mind says they don’t fit in. These thoughts that run rampant through these individuals are so real and painful that they don’t see any way out. In my opinion, this is a huge problem!

I am interested in this topic because I can relate to people with BDD. I too, at times, obsess about different ways that I don’t look ok. As to the degree or these thoughts or how long I stay in these thoughts, it is usually directly related to where I am at spiritually. This is the way I deal with this issue.

The researchers (Barahmand & Shahbazi, 2015) did a good job of explaining what BDD is, who it affects, and different ways it manifests in a person’s life. However, the author should have included more possible solutions to this growing epidemic. In the future, there should be some sort of study on how the brain sees something other than what is there. Also, there should be a more in-depth study on the root causes of a person ending up with BDD.

It may be helpful to pass a law around what the media can and can’t do. Photoshopping should be banished as it is very destructive. There will always be people that others see as having perfect bodies. I do think this would give the world a more realistic view of humanity, and how we are all perfectly imperfect.

References

Barahmand, U., & Shahbazi, Z. (2015). Prevalence of and associations between body dysmorphic concerns, obsessive beliefs and social anxiety. Asia-Pacific Psychiatry, 7(1), 54-63. Doi:10.1111/appy:12085

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (2016). https://www.medicinenet.com/body_dysmorphic_disorder/article.htm

Dlagnikova, A., & van Niekerk, R. L. (2015). The prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder among South African university students. South African Journal of Psychiatry, 21(3), 104-106. doi:10.7196/SAJP.8251

Karges, C. (2017). Body dysmorphic disorder and why it’s so dangerous.

Murphy, Y. E., & Flessner, C. A. (2015). Family functioning in paediatric obsessive compulsive and related disorders. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 54(4), 414-434. doi:10.1111/bjc.12088

Neda (2014). Neda week 2014: Thoughts on body dysmorphia. https://www.thefullhelping.com/neda-week-2014-thoughts-on-body-dysmorphia/

Parker, R. (2014). Critical Looks: An Analysis of Body Dysmorphic Disorder. British Journal of Psychotherapy, 30(4), 438-461. doi:10.1111/bjp.12119