Ch. 3 Causal Factors And Viewpoints Flashcards

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1
Q

Correlate

A

A variable (X) that is associated with an outcome of interest (Y)

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2
Q

Risk Factor

A

Only if X is shown to occur before Y

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3
Q

Variable Risk Factor

A

If X can be changed

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4
Q

Fixed Marker

A

If X cannot be changed

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5
Q

Variable Marker

A

Changing X does not lead to a change in Y

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6
Q

Causal Risk Factor

A

Changing X leads to a change in Y

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7
Q

Study of causes and risk factors for abnormal behavior includes:

A
  1. Necessary, sufficient, and contributory causes
  2. Feedback and bidrectionality in abnormal behavior
  3. Diathesis-stress model
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8
Q

Etiology

A

Factors that are related to the development (or cause) of a particular disorder

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9
Q

Necessary cause

A

A condition that must exist for a disorder to occur
(E.g alcohol use disorder: access to alcohol; PTSD; traumatic event)

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10
Q

Sufficient Risk Factor

A

A condition that guarantees the occurrence of a disorder all on its own
No matter how much you change the environment, the disorder will happen

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11
Q

Contributory cause

A

A condition that increases the probability of developing a disorder but that is neither necessary nor sufficient for it to occur
Studied the most in psych science

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12
Q

Distal Causal Factors

A

May contribute to or cause a disorder, but not for awhile

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13
Q

Proximal Risk Factor

A

Immediate, following closely after psychological event

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14
Q

Reinforcing contributory cause

A

Factor that maintains a disorder

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15
Q

Causal Pattern

A

More than one causal factor involved

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16
Q

Two-way (Bidirectional) Influences

A

Effects can serve as feedback that can influence causes

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17
Q

Diathesis-Stress Model

A

Combination of diathesis + stress to cause disorder

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18
Q

Diathesis

A

Relatively distal, necessary, or contributory cause; not sufficient to cause disorder

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19
Q

Stress

A

Response of individual to taxing demands
Could be distal or proximal
Necessary or contributory
Not sufficient on its own

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20
Q

Additive Model

A

The diathesis and the stress simply add up, or sum together
(E.g no/ low diathesis and high stress could still cause disorder and vice versa)

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21
Q

Interactive Model

A

Some amount of diathesis must be present before stress will have any effect

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22
Q

Protective Factors

A

Buffers against the likelihood of negative outcomes, including for people who are @ risk

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23
Q

Resilience

A

Ability to successfully adapt to very difficult circumstances
Greater protective factors create greater resilience

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24
Q

Biological Perspective

A

We try to understand how factors such as genetics, neurobiology, and hormonal responses can influence psychopathology

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25
Q

Sociocultural Perspective

A

Understand how social and cultural factors can influence the way that we think about abnormal behavior

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26
Q

Biopsychosocial Viewpoint

A

Acknowledges that biological, psychological, and social factors all interact and play a role in psychopathology and treatment

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27
Q

Biological Perspective’s 4 Major Categories of Biological Factors relevant to Maladaptive Behavior

A
  1. Genetic Vulnerabilites
  2. Brain dysfunction + neural plasticity
  3. Neurotransmitter + hormonal abnormalities in the brain or other parts of the CNS
  4. Temperament
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28
Q

Genes

A

Very long molecules of DNA that are present at various locations on chromosomes
Carries of the info that we inherit from our parents
Exist in alleles

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29
Q

Chromosomes

A

Chain-like structures within a cell nucleus that contains the genes

30
Q

Polymorphism

A

Naturally occurring variations of genes

31
Q

Polygenic

A

Caused by the action of many genes together in additive or interactive fashion

32
Q

Genotype

A

Total genetic endowment

33
Q

Phenotype

A

Observed structural and functional characteristics (physical traits, behavioral tendencies, etc)

34
Q

Genotype-Environment Interaction

A

Sensitivity or susceptibility to environments by people who have different genotypes

35
Q

Genotype-Environment Correlation

A

When the genotype shapes the environmental experiences a child has

36
Q

Passive Effect

A

How larger environment interacts w/ someone’s genotype, changing phenotype

37
Q

Evocative Effect

A

Someone’s genotype may cause them to behave in ways that evoke certain reactions from other people and the environment
These reactions from others reinforce the genotype

38
Q

Active Effect

A

Natural tendency to seek out and build environment that compliments one’s traits- thereby enhancing those traits

39
Q

Behavior Genetics

A

Field that studies the heritability of mental disorders and other aspects of psychological functioning such as personality and intelligence

40
Q

Family History or Pedigree Method

A

An investigator observes samples of relatives of each pro and or index case (carrier of disorder in question) to see whether the incidence increases in proportion to the degree of hereditary relationship.
Normal population compared as a control.

41
Q

Main Limitation of family history method

A

People closely related genetically also tend to share similar environments

42
Q

Twin method

A

The use of identical and non identical twins to study genetic influences on abnormal behavior

43
Q

Concordance rate

A

The percentage of twins sharing a disorder or trait

44
Q

The Adoption Method

A

Comparison of biological and adoptive relatives with and without a given disorder to assess genetic versus environmental influences

45
Q

Many genetic effects on psychological characteristics ___________ with age.

A

Increase

46
Q

Shared Environmental Influences

A

Those that would make children in a family more similar, whether the influence occurs within the family (family discord and poverty) or in the environment (two- high quality schools, with one twin going into each)

47
Q

Nonshared Environmental Influences

A

Those in which the children in a family differ (unique school experiences, unique features of upbringing in home: treating one child differently than the other)

48
Q

Linkage Analysis

A

Genetic research strategy
Occurrence of a disorder in an extended family is compared with a genetic marker for a physical characteristic or biological process that is known to be located on a certain chromosome

49
Q

Association Studies

A

Genetic research strategy
Comparing frequency of certain genetic markers known to be located on certain chromosomes in people with and without a particular disorder

50
Q

Neural Plasticity

A

Flexibility of the brain in making changes in organization and function in response to pre- and postnatal experiences, stress, diet, disease, drugs, maturation, and so forth

51
Q

Positive Effects of Prenatal Experiences in Rat Experiement

A

Rats housed in complex, rich environments had offspring less negatively affected by brain injury early in development than those without same positive prenatal experiences

52
Q

Negative Effects of Prenatal Experiences in Monkey Experiment

A

Pregnant monkeys exposed to unpredictable loud sounds had infants that were jittery and showed neurochemical abnormalities

53
Q

Formation of new neural connections after birth is dramatically effected by ____________ a young organism has.

A

Experiences

54
Q

Rats reared in enriched environments show __________ and ________ cell development in certain portions of the cortex as well as more __________ per neuron.

A

Heavier; thicker; synapses

55
Q

Developmental Systems Approach

A

Acknowledgement that genetic activity influences neural activity, which in turn influences the environment and that these influences are bidirectional

56
Q

Brief Description of Communication of Neurons

A

Transmissions of electrical impulses travel from the cell body or dendrites of one neuron down the axon.
Neurotransmitter substances are released into the synapse then act on the postsynaptic membrane of the dendrite of the receiving neuron, which has specialized receptor sites where the NT substances pass on their message
The NTs can stimulate that postsynaptic neuron to either initiate an impulse or inhibit impulse transmission.

57
Q

Synapse

A

A tiny fluid-filled space between the axon endings of one neuron and the dendrites or cell body of another neuron

58
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

Chemical substances that are released into the synapse by the presynaptic neuron when a nerve impulse occurs

59
Q

What is monoamine and what does it do?

A

It is an enzyme that quickly destroys NTs

60
Q

What does the reputable mechanism do?

A

Returns NT substances to storage vesicles in the axon endings by reabsorbing or effectively sucking them back up into the axon ending

61
Q

Most researchers ________ that imbalances in NTs are only part of the causal pattern involved in the etiology of most disorders

A

Agree

62
Q

Possibilities of NT imbalances

A

-Excessive production and release into the synapses
-Deactivation of release in the synapse by reputable or degradation by certain enzymes
-receptors in postsynaptic neuron may be abnormally sensitive or insensitive

63
Q

Chemical Circuits

A

Clusters of neurons sensitive to a particular NT, forming neural paths between different parts of the brain

64
Q

Five most studied NTs in relation to psychopathology

A

Norepinephrine, Dopamine, Serotonin, Glutamate, and Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

65
Q

Class of NTs called Monoamines. Why are they in this class?

A

Norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin
Each synthesized from a single amino acid

66
Q

Functions of Norepinephrine

A

Emergency reactions our bodies show when we are exposed to an acutely stressful or dangerous situation
Attention, Orientation, Basic motives

67
Q

Functions of Dopamine

A

Pleasure and cognitive processing
Implicated in schizophrenia and addictive disorders

68
Q

Functions of Serotonin

A

Effects how we think and process information from our environment
Behaviors and moods
Important role in emotional disorders like anxiety or depression and in suicide

69
Q

Medications used to treat various disorders have the ________ as their site of action.

A

Synapses

70
Q

Agonists

A

Medications that facilitate the effects of a NT on the postsynaptic neuron

71
Q

Antagonists

A

Medications that oppose or inhibit the effects of a NT on a postsynaptic neuron

72
Q

Hormones

A

Chemical messengers secreted by a set of endocrine glands in our bodies