a concept that states that psychosomatic symptoms can be acquired through observation, imitation and modeling. A person is influenced by the behavioral and emotional patterns that he observes in the environment, especially in the family. If a child witnesses a parent expressing psychological discomfort through constant physical complaints, he or she may understand that the body is a means of expressing internal pressure. Reinforcement processes also play a key role, as pathological behaviors can become ingrained if the patient receives attention or social support when symptoms appear. According to this theory, treatment is aimed at changing environmental reinforcements and changing learned behavioral patterns.