Motivation and emotion/Book/2015/Menstrual cycle and emotion/Emilia's case study

Emilia's case study

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Case Study

Social learning theory

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From the age of 13, Emilia always heard her mum complain about:

  • bad periods
  • moodiness
  • crying for no reason
According to the Social Learning Theory, Emilia is more likely to experience the negative symptoms associated with PMS purely because she has been primed to expect them and may assume that they are the norm. Furthermore, if Emilia ever experienced her mum receiving something of benefit as a reaction to negative menstrual symptoms, e.g. chocolate when complaining of moodiness, she may display the symptoms purely to receive the reward.