Roots of Theoretical Foundation

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(a) Discuss how you view human nature.
My view of human nature is from a cognitive developmental perspective. As opposed to tabula rasa, I hold the opinion that individuals learn based on their experiences and interactions with the environment. Individuals have the capacity and responsibility for their own growth and development. Tabual rasa is the theory that "individuals are born without mental content, and their knowledge is based on operant and classical forms of conditioning associated with specific stimuli and responses (Capuzzi & Gross, 2007)). While there are some innate behaviors that are present at birth (e.g., sucking, crying), other behaviors accompanying the drive to be mature have to be learned. Human development is defined as the pattern of change that begins at conception and continues through the life span. In my opinion, a lot of one's human nature comes from his or her experience (i.e., cultural, sociological influences). In order for individuals to achieve their highest potential they have to learn, and that comes from experience.

(b) Do you view people as pathological and dysfunctional or as products of environmental, social, and cultural influences?
Research suggests that a lot of dysfunction that occurs with individual or families is derived from the experience the person has with interacting environmental and social forces. The individual is unable to cope of establish meaning in their lives.

(i) How do symptoms or problematic behaviors develop?

According to Capuzzi & Gross, 2007, there is a stated assumption that behaviors are learned. Therefore, problematic behavior are developed and maintained by "external cues or re-enforcers in the environment, or by internal forces such as cognition (p. 246). Mental disorders are characterized within various concepts such as "distress, dysfunction, disadvantage, syndromal patterns and statistical deviation" (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder [DSM-IV-TR, 2000, p. XXX). On this basis, based on DSM criteria, what is considered as deviating from the "norm" is related to mental phenomena and described as abnormal or problematic behavior. For instance, due to ...