CH.2 Flashcards
integrative approach to psychopathology
multidimensional integrative approach
approach to the study of psychopathology that holds psychological disorders are always the products of multiple interacting causal factors
genes
long deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule, the basic physical unit of heredity that appears as a location on a chromosome
diathesis-stress model
hypothesis that both an inherited tendency (a vulnerability) and specific stressful conditions are required to produce a disorder
vulnerability
susceptibility or tendency to develop a disorder
gene-environment correlation model
hypothesis that people with a genetic predisposition for a disorder may also have a genetic tendency to create environmental risk factors that promote the disorder
epigenetics
the study of factors other than inherited DNA sequence, such as a new learning or stress, that alter the phenotypic expression of genes
neuroscience
study of the nervous system and its role in behavior, thoughts, and emotions
neuron
individual nerve cell responsible for transmitting information
soma- cell body
dendrites- receive messages
axon- sends messages
axon terminals- buds at end of axon from which chemical messages are sent
synapses- small gaps btwn neuron
action potentials
short periods of electrical activity at the membrane of a neuron, responsible for the transmission of signals within the neuron
terminal button
the end of an axon (of a neuron) where neurotransmitters are stored before release
synaptic cleft
space between nerve cells where chemical transmitters act to move impulses from one neuron to the next
neurotransmitters
chemical that crosses the synaptic cleft between nerve cells to transmit impulses from one neuron to the next. relative excess or deficiency of neurotransmitters is involved in several psychological disorders
excitatory
causing excitation. activating
inhibitory
causing inhibition. suppressing
hormone
chemical messenger produced by the endocrine glands
brain cirtuits
neurotransmitter current or neural pathway in the brain
agonist
in neuroscience, a chemical substance that effectively increases the activity of a neurotransmitter by imitating its effects
antagonist
in neuroscience, a chemical substance that decreases or blocks the effects of a neurotransmitter
inverse agonist
in neuroscience, a chemical substance that produces effects opposite those of a particular neurotransmitter
reuptake
action by which a neurotransmitter is quickly drawn back into the discharging neuron after being released into a synaptic cleft
glutamate
amino acid neurotransmitter that excites many different neurons, leading to action
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
neurotransmitter that reduces activity across the synaptic cleft and thus inhibits a range of behaviors and emotions, especially generalized anxiety
serotonin
neurotransmitter involved in processing of information and coordination of movement, as well as inhibition and restraint. it also assists in the regulation of eating, sexual, and aggressive behaviors, all of which may be involved in different psychological disorders. its interaction with dopamine is implicated in schizophrenia
norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
neurotransmitter active in the central and peripheral nervous systems, controlling heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration, among other functions. because of its role in the body’s alarm reaction, it may also contribute generally and indirectly to panic attacks and other disorders.
dopamine
neruotransmitter whose generalized function is to activate other neurotransmitters and to aid in exploratory and pleasure-seeking behaviors (thus balancing serotonin). a relative excess of dopamine is implicated in schizophrenia (although contradictory evidence suggests the connection is not simple), and its deficit is involved in Parkinson’s disease
cognitive science
field of study that examines how humans and other animals acquire, process, store, and retrieve information
learned helplessness
Martin Seligman’s theory that people become anxious and depressed when they make an attribution that they have no control over the stress in their lives (whether or not they do in reality).
modeling (or observational learning)
learning through observation and imitation of the behavior of other individuals and consequences of that behavior
prepared learning
ability adaptive for evolution, allowing certain associations to be learned more readily than others
implicit memory
condition of memory in which a person cannot recall past events despite acting in response to them
flight or fight response
biological reaction to alarming stressors that musters the body’s resources (for example, blood flow and respiration) to resist or flee a threat.
emotion
pattern of action elicited by an external event and a feeling state, accompanied by a characteristic psysiological response
mood
enduring period of emotionality
affect
conscious, subjective aspect of an emotion that accompanies an action at a given time
circumplex model
a model describing different emotions as points in a 2-dimensional space of valence and arousal
equifinality
developmental psychopathology principle that a behavior or disorder may have several causes
one-dimensional model
explain behavior in terms of a single cause
could mean a paradigm, school, or conceptual approach
tend to ignore info from other areas
Central nervous system (CNS)
brain and spinal cord
processes all relevant info from sense organs
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
somatic (muscles) and autonomic (cardio and internal functions) branches
lobes
Frontal- planning of movements, recent memory, some aspects of emotion
Parietal- body sensations
Temporal- hearing, advanced visual process
Occipital- vision
Describe one-dimensional models
Explain behavior in terms of a single cause
Could mean a paradigm, school, or conceptual approach
Tend to ignore information from other areas
What is the “diathesis” in the diathesis-stress model?
Inherited tendency to express traits/behaviors
What is the Gene-environment correlation model?
Outcomes are a result of interactions between genetic vulnerabilities and experience
What is the role of the midbrain?
Coordinates movement with sensory input
Contains parts of the reticular activating system (RAS)
Describe the autonomic branch of the peripheral nervous system
Involuntary processes
Sympathetic and parasympathetic branches
Regulates cardiovascular system & body temperature
Also regulates the endocrine system and aids in digestion
What are the functions of neurotransmitters?
Chemical messengers that transmit messages between brain cells
What are the main types of neurotransmitters?
Serotonin (5-HT) Glutamate Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) Norepinephrine Dopamine
genetic contributions to psychopathology
determines psysical characteristics
importance of contextual factors
phenotype vs. genotype
nature of genes
hindbrain
regulates automatic processes
medulla- heart rate, blood pressure, respiration
pons- regulates sleep stages
cerebellum- physical coordination
midbrain
coordinates movement with sensory input
contains parts of reticular activating system (RAS)
limbic system
helps regulate emotional experiences and expressions, and ability to learn and control impulses hippocampus cigulate gyrus septum amygdala
forebrain
most sensory, emotional, and cognitive processing
cerebral cortex contains two specialized hemispheres
contains 80% of neurons
