Anxiety, Social Psych, Love Flashcards

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1
Q

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

A

Persistent, excessive worry and anxiety for no obvious reason, lasting 6 months or more.

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2
Q

What are the symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

A

Constant anxiety and worry about multiple things, difficulty sleeping or insomnia, autonomic nervous system arousal (sweating, heart palpitations, fidgeting), and ‘free-floating’ anxiety (not linked to a specific stressor or threat).

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3
Q

What is the prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

A

More common in females than males, more common in white individuals, and has a genetic component.

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4
Q

What is Panic Disorder?

A

Recurrent panic attacks with intense fear and anxiety about future attacks.

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5
Q

What are the symptoms of Panic Disorder?

A

Panic attacks often mistaken for heart attacks and fear of having future attacks can worsen the condition.

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6
Q

What is the prevalence of Panic Disorder?

A

More common in females than males.

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7
Q

What are the biological explanations for Panic Disorder?

A

Increased right-sided activation in the limbic system , genetic component, and smokers have twice the risk and greater symptom severity during attacks.

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8
Q

What is the cognitive explanation for Panic Disorder?

A

Panic attacks are misinterpreted physiological symptoms (e.g., racing heart) as life-threatening, leading to further panic.

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9
Q

What outcomes can Panic Disorder trigger?

A

May trigger agoraphobia (fear of being in public spaces).

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10
Q

What are the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

A

Intrusion (flashbacks, intrusive dreams, hallucinations), avoidance (avoidance of reminders or discussions of the trauma), negative alterations in cognition and mood (survivor guilt, self-blame, emotional numbness), and alterations in arousal and reactivity (hypervigilance, explosive emotional reactions, exaggerated startle response).

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11
Q

What is the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

A

Seen in 8% of the population and more common in females than males.

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12
Q

What are the biological factors of PTSD?

A

Overactive sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and genetic predisposition.

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13
Q

What psychological factors affect PTSD?

A

Strong social support reduces the risk of developing PTSD, while prior trauma history increases vulnerability.

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14
Q

What environmental factors contribute to PTSD?

A

High stress of the event (e.g., war, assault) and systemic issues like racism and inequality increase risk.

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15
Q

What are the treatment challenges for PTSD?

A

Issues with SNS regulation make recovery more difficult.

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16
Q

What is a phobia?

A

Intense fear of a specific object or situation, often recognized as excessive, but uncontrollable.

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17
Q

What are simple phobias?

A

Fear of specific objects or situations (e.g., heights, spiders).

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18
Q

What is the prevalence of phobias?

A

More common in females than males.

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19
Q

What are the explanations for phobias?

Evolutionary
Psychodynamic
Behavioral
Cognitive

A

Evolutionary (fears were necessary for survival)
Psychodynamic (anxiety displaced onto an object)
Behavioral ( learned through traumatic experience)
Cognitive ( exaggerated beliefs about danger)

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20
Q

What is Social Anxiety Disorder?

A

Intense fear of being judged or evaluated negatively in social situations.

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21
Q

What is the prevalence of Social Anxiety Disorder?

A

Affects 12% of the population.

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22
Q

What is the brain activation pattern in Social Anxiety Disorder?

A

Increased right-sided activation in the brain during social interactions.

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23
Q

What is Agoraphobia?

A

Fear of being in public spaces where escape might be difficult or help unavailable during a panic attack.

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24
Q

What is the prevalence of Agoraphobia?

A

Affects 1% of the population.

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25
Q

How is Agoraphobia related to Panic Disorder?

A

Often develops in individuals with a history of panic attacks.

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26
Q

What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

A

Recurrent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and compulsive behaviors performed to reduce anxiety caused by those thoughts.

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27
Q

What are obsessions and compulsions in OCD?

A

Obsessions are unwanted, disturbing thoughts, while compulsions are behaviors performed to alleviate the distress caused by the obsessions.

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28
Q

What is the prevalence of OCD?

A

Affects about 2% of the population, more common in teens and young adults, with equal prevalence in men and women.

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29
Q

What are the explanations for OCD?

Psychodynamic
Behavioral
Cognitive

A

Psychodynamic (unresolved conflicts during the anal stage)
Behavioral (compulsive behaviors reduce anxiety)
Cognitive (difficulty managing intrusive thoughts)

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30
Q

What are OCD-related disorders?

A

Hoarding Disorder (difficulty discarding items), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (preoccupation with perceived body flaws), Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder), and Excoriation (skin-picking disorder).

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31
Q

What are the treatments for OCD?

A

Behavioral therapies (e.g., exposure and response prevention), cognitive therapy (challenging distorted thoughts), and biological treatments (anti-anxiety medications like SSRIs and anti-obsessional drugs).

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32
Q

What are the behavioral therapies for anxiety disorders?

A

Systematic Desensitization (gradual exposure), flooding (immediate exposure), and social learning (observational learning).

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33
Q

What are the biological treatments for anxiety disorders?

A

Anti-anxiety drugs (e.g., benzodiazepines) for short-term relief and SSRIs for treating anxiety disorders, especially OCD.

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34
Q

What are the conditioning explanations for anxiety disorders?

A

Classical conditioning (anxiety learned by associating neutral stimuli with fear) and stimulus generalization (fear of one object leads to fear of similar objects).

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35
Q

What are the cognitive explanations for anxiety disorders?

A

Anxiety-prone individuals are hypervigilant, interpreting ambiguous stimuli as threats and remembering threatening events.

36
Q

What are the biological factors contributing to anxiety disorders?

A

Certain genes associated with conditions like GAD and OCD, epigenetics (anxiety inherited due to genetic predispositions), and brain overactivity in the amygdala.

37
Q

What are the causes of Schizophrenia?

A

Genetic factors (heritability around 50% in identical twins), brain abnormalities (enlarged ventricles, reduced brain tissue), neurotransmitter imbalances (dopamine and glutamate), prenatal factors (oxygen deprivation, maternal infections), and psychological/environmental factors (early trauma, family dysfunction).

38
Q

What are the symptoms of Schizophrenia?

A

Positive symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thoughts), negative symptoms (lack of emotional expression, social withdrawal), cognitive symptoms (difficulty with attention, memory), and impaired theory of mind.

39
Q

What is the prevalence of Schizophrenia?

A

Affects about 1 in 270 people worldwide, 1% of the population, equally distributed between genders.

40
Q

What are the treatment options for Schizophrenia?

A

Antipsychotic medications (first-generation and second-generation) and psychosocial treatments (CBT and family therapy).

41
Q

What is the outcome for individuals with Schizophrenia?

A

Recovery is possible for some, but many experience lifelong symptoms; early intervention improves long-term prognosis.

42
Q

Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD)
definition

A

A psychological disorder in which an individual experiences physical symptoms that suggest a medical condition but are not explained by medical causes. These symptoms can be distressing and cause significant impairment in functioning.

43
Q

Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD)
Symptoms

A

Medically unexplained illnesses such as pain, fatigue, or gastrointestinal issues.
Preoccupation with bodily sensations.
Frequent visits to doctors or hospitals without finding a clear cause.
Often co-occurs with anxiety or depression.

44
Q

Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD)
Prevalence

A

More common in females than males.
Often begins in adolescence or early adulthood.

45
Q

Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD)
Cultures

A

In some cultures, like China, anxiety is more often expressed through physical symptoms rather than verbalizing emotions. This can make somatic symptoms appear more prominent.
The disorder may present differently depending on cultural norms and expectations regarding health.

46
Q

Personality disorders are categorized into three main clusters based on shared characteristics.

A
  1. Odd/eccentric behavior
  2. Dramatic, Emotional, or Erratic Behavior
    Antisocial Personality Disorder: Lack of empathy, disregard for the law, and impulsivity.
  3. Anxious or Fearful Behavior
    OCPD
47
Q

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
Definition

A

Pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, often including criminal activity and a lack of remorse.

48
Q

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
Symptoms

A

Lack of conscience or empathy for others.
Impulsivity and irresponsibility.
Little fear or anxiety in dangerous situations.
Manipulative, deceitful behavior.
May be associated with criminality and aggressive behavior.

49
Q

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
Prevalence

A

More common in males than females.
Symptoms often appear before age 15 and persist into adulthood.
Associated with a history of conduct disorders in childhood.

50
Q

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
Biological explanations

A

Genetics: Certain genes related to impulsivity and low self-control increase the risk of ASPD.

Brain:
Smaller amygdala (affecting emotional processing and empathy).
Reduced activity in the frontal lobes (impulse control).

Autonomic Nervous System:
Individuals with ASPD show lower autonomic nervous system arousal, making them less responsive to threats.

Neurotransmitters and Hormones:
Lower stress hormones in adolescence are linked to later violent behavior.

51
Q

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
Outcome

A

About 50% of individuals with ASPD may engage in violent or criminal behavior.

Treatment is challenging, and individuals may not respond well to traditional therapeutic methods.

52
Q

Eating Disorders
Prevalence

A

Affecting millions in the U.S., eating disorders are more common in females than males.

Often co-occurs with anxiety, depression, and perfectionism.

30 million Americans experience an eating disorder at some point in their lives.

53
Q

Eating Disorders
Types

A

Ana
Bulimia
Binge eating disorder

54
Q

Anorexia Nervosa
Definition
Symptoms
Prevalence
Outcome

A

Definition: Severe restriction of food intake, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image.

Symptoms: Extreme weight loss, underweight, starvation, excessive exercise.

Prevalence: Less than 1% of the population, more common in female adolescents.

Outcome: High mortality rate, but ⅔ of individuals recover with treatment.

55
Q

Bulimia Nervosa
Definition
Symptoms
Prevalence
Outcome

A

Definition: Binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, or use of laxatives.

Symptoms: Binge eating, guilt, vomiting, scarring on fingers (due to self-induced vomiting), enamel erosion on teeth.

Prevalence: Affects 1.5% of the population, more common in female adolescents.

Outcome: Treatment is often effective, with ⅔ of individuals recovering.

56
Q

Binge-Eating Disorder
Definition
Prevalence

A

Definition: Binge eating without purging or compensatory behaviors, leading to weight gain and feelings of guilt.

Prevalence: Approximately 2.7 million Americans.

57
Q

Approaches to Understanding Eating Disorders
Environ
Bio
Social

A

Environmental:
More common in competitive, high-achieving, and protective environments.
Cultural pressures (thin ideals in Western cultures, fat as a sign of wealth in some societies).

Biological:
Genetic: About 50-60% heritability for anorexia.

Social:
Cultural ideals of beauty and thinness play a large role in shaping eating behavior.

58
Q

Cognitive Dissonance

A

The internal state of tension that arises when one’s actions conflict with their beliefs.

Festinger and Carlsmith: Demonstrated that people often change their attitudes to align with their actions to reduce dissonance.

59
Q

Primacy Effect

A

We tend to remember the first pieces of information best, especially in forming first impressions.

60
Q

Schemas

A

Mental frameworks that help us organize and interpret information about the world.

61
Q

Self-fulfilling Prophecy

A

When our beliefs about others cause us to act in ways that make those beliefs come true.

62
Q

Internal Attribution

A

Believing a behavior is due to someone’s personality.

63
Q

External Attribution

A

Believing a behavior is due to external circumstances.

64
Q

Covariation Model

A

Considers consensus, distinctiveness, and consistency when making attributions.

65
Q

Consensus - attributions

A

If others are acting this way

Low consensus - internal attribution
High consensus - external attribution

66
Q

Distinctiveness - attributions

A

If the behavior only happens in one situation vs. more

Low distinctiveness - happens in lots of situations - internal attribution
High distinctiveness - happens in little situations - external

67
Q

Consistency - attributions

A

If the behavior happens repeatedly in the same situation

Low consistency - external attribution
High consistency - internal/external attribution

68
Q

Actor-Observer Bias

A

We tend to make internal attributions for others but external attributions for ourselves.

69
Q

Solomon Asch’s Line Study

A

Demonstrated how individuals conform to group opinions even when they know they are wrong.

70
Q

Obedience

A

Changing one’s behavior in response to direct commands from an authority figure.

71
Q

Milgram’s Study

A

Found that 65% of participants were willing to administer lethal shocks 450 voltz to others when instructed by an authority figure.

72
Q

Social Facilitation

A

Improved performance on simple tasks when others are present.

73
Q

Social inhibition/impairment

A

Worse performance in difficult tasks in the presence of others.

74
Q

Social loafing

A

Tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts

75
Q

Group Polarization

A

The tendency for group discussion to lead to more extreme positions.

76
Q

Groupthink

A

The tendency for group members to prioritize harmony and consensus over realistic decision-making, leading to poor outcomes.

77
Q

Explicit Prejudice

A

Conscious and openly expressed negative attitudes.

78
Q

Implicit Prejudice

A

Unconscious biases that influence behavior subtly.

79
Q

Ingroup Bias

A

Favoring members of one’s own group.

80
Q

Outgroup Bias

A

Negative attitudes toward members of other groups.

81
Q

Contact Hypothesis

A

Interaction between groups can reduce prejudice if conditions (equal status, common goals) are met.

82
Q

Altruism

A

Helping others with no expectation of reward.

83
Q

Reciprocal Altruism

A

Helping others with the expectation of future help.

84
Q

Kin Selection

A

Helping relatives in order to increase the chances of shared genetic material surviving.

85
Q

Factors that contribute to romantic attraction include

A

Proximity: Being physically close increases the likelihood of forming relationships.

Mere Exposure Effect: Repeated exposure to a person or stimulus increases attraction.

Similarity: People are drawn to those with similar interests, backgrounds, and values.

Physical Attractiveness: People tend to be attracted to those who are physically attractive.

86
Q

Types of Romantic Love:

A

Passionate Love: Intense, often sexual attraction that is common in the early stages of a relationship.

Companionate Love: Deep, lasting affection that grows over time.

87
Q

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love:

A

Intimacy (Motivational): Emotional closeness and connection.

Passion (Emotional): Sexual attraction and desire.

Commitment (Cognitive): The decision to maintain a relationship.