Study the table given above. Which client's difficulty is best explained by the cognitive model?
| Client | What the psychologist notes |
|---|---|
| Bilal | He became afraid of dogs after a dog bit him, and the fear grew each time he saw one. |
| Charu | She feels her life is empty because she has avoided the responsibility of giving it meaning. |
| Asha | After one friend did not reply to her message, she decided that nobody will ever like her. |
| Dinesh | His family members are overinvolved in each other's thoughts and feelings, and he finds it hard to become independent. |
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Asha
Option (1) Bilal — Incorrect. Bilal's fear began when the dog bite came together with dogs, and it grew with repeated meetings. This is learning by classical conditioning, which the behavioural model explains.
Option (2) Charu — Incorrect. Charu's empty life comes from avoiding the responsibility to give meaning to her existence. This is the existentialist view within the humanistic-existential model.
Option (3) Asha — Correct. Asha draws a broad, negative conclusion from one small event. This is overgeneralisation, an illogical way of thinking. The cognitive model says abnormal functioning can result from such cognitive problems.
Option (4) Dinesh — Incorrect. Dinesh comes from an enmeshed family, where members are overinvolved in each other's lives. The socio-cultural model links such family structures to difficulty in becoming independent.
NCERT (2026-27): “FACTORS UNDERLYING ABNORMAL BEHAVIOUR … |