Relational framework theory is a theory about language and cognition that serves as an experimental basis for acceptance and engagement therapy (ACT). From the point of view of relational framework theory, behavior and language are intrinsically linked.
This framework provides a functional explanation of some of the discoveries of cognitive language research and provides the basis for studying phenomena in a monistic way.
Is this a theory that aspires to study the call?Mental processes, operationally and experimentally.
To understand what a relational framework is, it is necessary to know that human beings not only learn from direct experiences, people also learn indirectly, connecting stimuli in addition to their physical properties.
This added linguistic value of stimuli would condition their ability to govern relationships and functions.
To link and transform both cognition and language, there are three properties:
Mutual links, multilink combinations, and function transformations are components of a broader relational response model that relational framework theory (RFT) calls “relational framework”.
The concept is used to explain how we learn to make associations derived from relationships between stimuli.
Relationship frameworks can be combined to generate verbal rules that govern behavior, this process allows people to organize, predict, and control the realization of consequences based on context, so future situations can be anticipated without having experienced them.
Each learning context presents multiple stimuli with the potential to acquire the value of the keys that govern the development of relational frameworks. The RFT distinguishes between two subtypes of contextual keys:
In this theoretical context, it can be said that certain properties of language make psychological suffering very common.
One would be precisely the ability to literally believe what our thoughts, emotions and feelings say and act accordingly.
So if a person considers himself a trash can and you think it’s worthless, he’ll probably limit your attitude a lot, so we’d see how many people give up achievable goals because they think they’re out of reach.
The theory of relational frames has deepened this fact, explaining the main types of verbal regulation (Luciano and Wilson, 2002):
Increase is a verbal rule that alters the strengthening properties of a stimulus that works accordingly, that is, it increases or decreases the probability that the stimulus will influence behavior.
For example, when they go through an ice cream parlor, someone says, “What’s the quality of an ice cream now?”When we hear or read this prayer, we feel, to some extent, the taste and freshness of the ice, which increases the likelihood of eating it.
Verbal regulations allow us to regulate our behaviors according to the context, but they can also have different adverse effects:
Relational framework theory has led to the development of an analysis system that offers many advantages:
The principles are accessible for direct observation, especially under laboratory conditions and have been approved in all empirical trials to which they have been subjected.
Clinical applications have proven effective and many potential applications are still being developed.