Aaron Beck (1921-)
- Life
Born in Providence, RI
BA Brown ; MD, Yale - Theory
Dreams reflected 3 common themes: defeat, deprivation and loss
Schemas = assumptions about how world operates
Philosophy = 3 main sources: phenomenological approach, Kant-Freud, & Kelly - How one thinks determines how one feels and behaves
People can consciously adapt reason
Client’s underlying assumptions as targets of intervention
Turn client into a colleague who researches verifiable reality
Personality reflects person’s cognitive organization and structure
Biologically and socially influenced - Schemas
personality is shaped by central values (superordinate schemas)
biochemical predisposition to illness
cognitive structures: core beliefs & assumptions about how the world operates
develop early in life from personal experiences and identification with significant others
people form concepts about themselves, others and world
adaptive or maladaptive; general or specific
rules about life and beliefs about self - Cognitive distortions = systematic errors in reasoning
idiosyncratic vulnerabilities - 2 dimensions
Sociotropic dimension = dependence on others, needs for closeness and nurturance
Autonomous dimension = independence, goal setting, self-imposed obligations
Not fixed personality structures - Depression
Dependent people become depressed when relationships are disrupted
Autonomous people become depressed when fail to achieve a certain goal
Cognitive triad = negative view of self, world and future
Albert Ellis (1913-2007)
- Life
Not believe childhood experience shaped his becoming a psychotherapist
Incompetent mother, brother acted out, sister whined; Ellis ill but refused to be miserable
Parents divorced when he was 12
Partially disabled with diabetes, poor hearing, weak vision
Liked the Stoic philosophers
BA City University (NY), business administration
MA Columbia, clinical psychology
PhD Columbia
Trained in psychoanalysis by one of Karen Horney’s followers - Theory
Rational Psychotherapy = focus on rational, not irrational thinking;
criticized for neglecting emotions
Confront people with their irrational beliefs, persuade them to adopt rational ones
Rational Emotive Therapy; criticized
Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy; primarily a cognitive behavioral therapy
4 fundamental processes: perception, movement, thinking, emotion
Thoughts and emotions frequently overlap, so much of emotion is evaluative thinking - Self-talk; internalized sentences determine our thoughts and emotions
- Emotional disturbance = caring too much what others think
- ABC theory of personality
Activating event
Belief system
Emotional consequence - Musturbatory belief system = absolute musts
- Myths:
personality disorders mainly stem from parental rejection
feelings of worthlessness arise from constant criticism
sexual abuse victims invariably continue to suffer as adults;
Increasingly believes that heredity has a large influence on humans (80%) - Therapy
Very directive approach, people must judge behavior in terms of what right for them
Goal of therapy is to:
enable clients to commit themselves to actions that correspond to true value system
free individuals to develop a constructive and confident image of self-worth
Highly active, directive, didactic, philosophic, homework assigning therapy
how to recognize Should and Must thoughts
how to separate rational from irrational beliefs
how to accept reality
reduce disturbance-creating ideas to absurdity
Cognitions, emotions and behaviors are consistently interactional and transactional - Techniques
in vitro desensitization = imagined exposure to noxious stimuli paired with relaxation d
in vivo desensitization = gradual exposure to actual tasks or circumstances
client told to deliberately fail at a small task (show can survive a failure)
implosive desensitization = sudden confrontation of phobic situation (ethical?)