Open AccessVerbal Conditioning As A Psychotherapeutic Model: The Effects of Social Deprivation
Author(s) -
Barbara Lipinski,
Edwin Lipinski
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
canadian psychiatric association journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0008-4824
DOI - 10.1177/070674376601100605
Subject(s) - psychology , ambiguity , set (abstract data type) , anxiety , social anxiety , interview , conditioning , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , statistics , mathematics , computer science , political science , law , programming language , philosophy , linguistics
The present study was designed to investigate the effect of social deprivation on the conditionability of adult female subjects. The prediction that social deprivation of relatively brief duration would heighten sensitivity to minimal reinforcing cues supplied by the interviewer and would result in a significantly higher frequency of self-reference statements in a simulated therapy interview, was confirmed. The findings were interpreted as supporting the Gewirtz-Baer hypothesis of social drive as a motivational factor which enhances subsequent effectiveness of social reward. However, the possible concurrent influence of anxiety, ‘set’ or ambiguity in producing the verbal conditioning effects could not be ruled out.