Abnormal Psych Exam 1 Flashcards
What are the criteria used to determine whether a behavior represents abnormality?
The criteria include:
* Statistical infrequency
* Violation of social norms
* Subjective distress
* Dysfunction in daily life
* Impairment of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Subjective distress and dysfunction are considered the most critical criteria.
Briefly describe the history of psychosurgery as a treatment for
psychological disorder. Include a discussion of why it was used, how it got
going, what earlier findings were used to justify use of psychosurgery on
humans, what the effects were, etc. Is it still used today? For what and why?
Psychosurgery was used to destroy some region of the brain to get rid of severe and otherwise unmanageable disorders. It was used when it seemed that there was no other option for people with mental disorders. Initially, it showed positive results but the side effects were significant. Side effects were changes to personality and cognitive impairments. It declined in use, but today it is used rarely and in very advanced practices.
Initially showed positive results but had significant side effects.
Describe the basic components (e.g., id) of personality in Freud’s tripart
theory and how they are responsible for different types of motivation. What
are the basic motivations (and instincts) in psychoanalysis?
The three basic components are Id, Ego, and Superego. The Id operates on the pleasure principle, pursuing gratification of illogical, emotional, and irrational needs. The Ego opeates based on the reality principle. It mediates between the impulsive desires of the Id and the moral constraints of the Superego. It is logical and rational. The Superego operates under the morality principle. It wants the individual to adhere to societal norms. The two basic instincts in psychoanalysis are Eros (life instncts) which focus on survival, pleasure, and reproduction. The second one is Thanatos (death instincts) which are aggressive and desire power, harm, or self-destruction.
Each component is responsible for different types of motivation.
Describe Freud’s psychosexual stages of development, including the
critical issues involved at each stage of development
Freud’s psychosexual stages of development include the oral stage which has to do with forceful feeding. Overfeeding can lead to oral passiveness (trusting, dependency) and underfeeding which can lead to oral aggressiveness (aggressive, dominating). The second stage is the anal stage which has to do with toilet training. Too harsh of toilet training leads to anal rententive (tidiness, obsessiveness, mean, stubborn) and too lax leads to anal expulsive (untidiness, generosity). The third stage is the phalic stage, which is where an abnormal family set-up leads to an unusual relationship with mother and father. This results in vanity, self-obsession, sexual anxiety, inadequacy, inferiority, and envy. The last stage is the genital stage, which is settling down in a loving one-to-one relationship with another. This leads to being well-adjusted, mature, being able to love and be loved. Sexual instinct is directed to heterosexual pleasure.
Eros focuses on survival and pleasure, while Thanatos involves aggression and self-destruction.
Why is repression the major defense mechanism responsible for
psychopathology, according to Freud? In answering this question, describe
the process by which conscious experience becomes unconscious (hint:
suppression to repression). Does the data support Freud’s emphasis on
repression as the cause of psychopathology, broadly speaking? Explain
According to Freud, repression is the major defense mechanism responsible for psychopathology because it reduces intrapsychic tension in the short-term but may result in neurosis if over-used. Repression begins with recognition of a painful or tension-provoking thought/emotion (reaction). The second step is suppression: pushing tension-provoking thoughts out of awareness (consciously). The third step is repeated suppression: repression (automatic), what was conscious becomes unconscious. The 4th step is when a thought or emotion is activated, reaction (anxiety) is felt without understanding why. Scientific studies have not consistenly found a direct link between repressed material and psychopathology.
Each stage involves critical issues affecting personality development.
Describe Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and how it relates to self-
actualization. In addition, what method is used by humanistic therapists and
why could it be useful for some clients/patients?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs begins with psychological needs: food, water, warmth, rest. The second tier is safety needs: security, safety. The third tier is belongingness and love needs: intimate relationships, friends. The fourth tier is esteem needs: prestige and feeling of accomplishment. The top tier is self-actualization: achieving one’s full potential, including creative activities. Each tier must be achieved in order to achieve self-actualization. The humanistic theory is used by humanistic therapists. With the humanistic theory, therapists convey empathy and unconditional positive regard. The major technique used is reflective listening. It can be used to create an environment where patients work through lower level needs in order to achieve self-actualization.
It involves a process from recognition to suppression to repression.
What is Moral Therapy and the Mental Hygiene movement? How are
they similar and different? What is a basic assumption regarding the genesis
and trajectory of mental disorders that drove both approaches?
The moral therapy- patients should be treated as normal as possible. Education is important, restraints eliminated, and social interaction encouraged and reinforced. - -improvements in up to 75% of patients
-declined, leading to the mental hygeine movement.
-mental hygeine- further reforms on mental institutions, led to influx of patients.
- both approaches- maladaptive behaviors arise from social, cultural, and learning factors.
Each tier must be achieved to reach self-actualization.
What was the thinking and historical antecedents behind calling major
depression "tired housewife syndrome" in the 1950s?
The thinking behind calling major depression “Tired Housewife Syndrom” was a way to explain the emotional distress that women experienced during WW2 as they were reinforced into their roles of caregivers and homemakers. Women were naturally suited for and fulfilled by domestic duties, any dissasfaction was a “personal issue”.
It led to improvements in many patients but eventually declined.
Why is the supernatural view important to study/consider, even though it
is not a scientific way of knowing?
Understanding the supernatural view is important to understand because it remains a significant aspect of human culture and psychology. It helps us understand different and cultural views on mental health, which allows for more respectful care and awareness of its impact on society today.
It framed dissatisfaction as a personal issue rather than a societal problem.
What is the “Just World” Fallacy and how may it represent a lingering
belief tied to the supernatural perspective?
The “Just World” fallacy is the belief that good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people. It may represent a lingering belief tied to the supernatural perspective because it aligns with the idea that higher powers control or influence life events based on moral behavior.
It reflects a supernatural perspective on moral behavior.
Briefly describe the case of Adolf Hitler, including major life events,
symptoms, and likely diagnoses. (Do not forget the distinction between
primary and secondary diagnoses.)
Adolf Hitler’s life was full of trauma, including an abusive father, the death of his brother and parents, and early failures like being rejected from art school. He showed signs of severe depression, violent outbursts, hallucinations, and paranoia, believing he was “special” and “protected.” He also had intense fears, strange sexual preferences, and a deep distrust of others. These symptoms point to possible Major Depressive Disorder and Schizoaffective Disorder, with potential secondary diagnoses of PTSD from his war experience and Paranoia.
Possible diagnoses include Major Depressive Disorder and Schizoaffective Disorder.
Describe the history of sedatives ("downers") for the treatment of
conditions, especially mental health issues. Be sure to mention major
therapeutic agents discussed in class. (5 pts)
Downers were used in the 1900s to treat mental health issues like anxiety and insomnia. These are medications like sedatives, tranquilizers, and anxiolytics. Phenobarbital is a sedative and anticonvulsant. Downers were used to treat anxiet, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ADHD, etc.
They were used for various disorders including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Describe the brief history of anti-psychotic medication and the major types
that are used today. How are those types related to positive and negative
symptoms of schizophrenia (define positive and negative symptoms or give
examples)? Finally, how did anti-psychotic medication contribute to
deinstitutionalization
Thorazine was the first anti-psychotic medication used in the 1950s to treat schizophrenia. Haldoperidol was used in the 2970s. These are typical medications that treat positive symptoms, added bahaviors like delusions, paranoia, etc.). Atypical medications are more effective when treating negative symptoms (lack of normal functioning: impaired speech, social withdrawal). An atypical medication is zyprexa. Anti-psychotics allowed for people to maage their symptoms, specifically people with schizophreni, outside of hospitals.
Anti-psychotics contributed to deinstitutionalization by allowing outpatient management of symptoms.
Name and describe the functions of four neurotransmitters involved in
psychopathology. What disorders (e.g., anxiety) or functions (e.g.,
reinforcement) are they most associated with?
Serotonin regulates mood, sleep, and appetite. Low levels are linked to depression, andxiety, and OCD. Dopamine is involved in reward, motivation, and motor control. Imbalances are associated with schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease. Norepinephrine affects alertness and arousal and plays a role in stress responses. Low levels are linked to depression, high levels are associated with anxiety. GABA reduces neural activity. It is involved in axiety disorders and insomnia.
Low levels are associated with anxiety and OCD.
Give a brief history of de-institutionalization from the 1950s to present.
De-institutionalization began in the 1950s. The goal was to move people with illnesses from psychiatric hospitals to community-based care using new medications and treatments. This process faced problems like insufficient community resources, which led many individuals to end up in jails or on the streets. Say something about the documentary and the attempt to help people while they are in jail but failing.
Many ended up in jails or on the streets due to inadequate support.
Describe, compare and contrast the diathesis-stress and reciprocal gene-
environment interactionist models for explaining individual differences in the
manifestation of psychopathology. Use examples to illustrate the major
points of each theory.
The diathesis-stress model says that the additive of stress and diathesis equals the probability of the occurrence of a disorder. An example is that a person with a genetic vulnerability for schizophrenia may experience a traumatic event that triggers symptoms. The reciprocal gene-environment stress model says that stress and diathesis have a multiplicative and interactive relationship where the product of the two equals the probability of the occurrence of a disorder. An example is people with a genetic predisposition to depression might be more likely to engage in behaviors that increase stressful situations, increasing their symptoms. Both models offer valuable insights to how people may develop psychopathology The diathesis-stress model emphasizes that the stress in the environment triggers vulnerability, while the reciprocal gene-environment interactionist model highlights how genetic factors can shape the environment and vice versa.
An example is genetic vulnerability triggering symptoms after a traumatic event.
What three psychometric properties must we consider in evaluating the
usefulness of a test? Define and give an example of each.
The first property is reliability which is the consistency of a measure. An example is a personality test should give similar results if taken by the same person multiple times. The second property is validity which is the accuracy of a measure or how well it measures what it was designed to measure. An example of validity is a math test should measure mathematical ability, not reading skills, to be valid. The third property is standardization which is the application of standards and norms to ensure consistency across different measures. An example of this is an IQ test being given in a consistent environment with instructions.
Each property is defined and exemplified for effective test evaluation.
What is an objective and a projective test and how do these differ, giving
an example of each? What are the underlying assumptions behind each type
of test use? Which method is considered better, or more useful, and why?
An objective test is a test with clear, fixed answers like multiple choice and true/false questions. It measures specific traits or abilities in an ubased way. An example is the MMPI. It is assumed that objective tests will measure behavior directly and are considered more reliable and valid (better). A projective test is unstructured and aims to discover a person’s unconscious needs, motives, anc conflicts. An example is inkblot tests. It is thought that through these tests unconscious processes influence responses.
It is considered more reliable and valid than projective tests.
Define and describe the distinction between proximal and distal causes,
using an example.
Proximal causes are precipitating events/situations that trigger or maintain symptoms. An example is stress at work. Distal causes are personal history: events that originally may have been responsible for initial development of symptoms. An example is early sexual or physical abuse. Proximal causes directly lead to/trigger a reaction while distal causes can be long-term factors that contribute to an outcome.
Examples include work stress (proximal) and childhood abuse (distal).
