Chap 1: Abnormal Behaviors Past and Present Flashcards
Scientist Practitioner Model
Those who practice in psychology must participate in or at least consume research (treatment requires up to date information and should be empirically supported)
Primary differences between psychologists and psychiatrists
Earn different degrees (MD vs. Ph.D)
MDs have no training in psychotherapy
MDs write prescriptions
Psychologists emphasize research
Incidence
The number of new cases diagnosed during a specific time
Prevalence
The number of people diagnosed with a disorder at any given time
Course
The typical short and long term patterns of a particular diagnosis
May be: chronic, episodic, time-limited
Prognosis
The anticipated course and likely outcome of a diagnosis
Etiology
The study of the origins of a certain diagnosis
Comorbidity
Simultaneous presence of two or more chronic illnesses in one patient
Validity
Whether or not a test is measuring what it claims to be measuring
Reliability
Whether or not a method of measuring will achieve the same results when used on the same subject multiple times
Confounding Variable
A third, unplanned variable that may affect results of a study
Independent variable
Manipulated variable in an experiment
Dependent variable
The variable influenced by the affect of the IV
Control Group
Group not exposed to manipulation of a variable in an experiment
Experimental group
Group receiving study manipulation
Correlation and causation
Correlation DOES NOT equal causation
Three elements associated with determining abnormal behavior
Deviance, distress, dysfunction
Also, danger
Consequences of deinstitutionalization
Homelessness, short visits rarely provide patient with a full or even partial recovery
Overuse of ad hoc hypothesis
A loophole to explain away negative findings
Element of pseudoscience
Absence of self-correction
Not admitting when something has been falsified, continued use of old irrelevant data
Element of pseudoscience
Exaggerated claims
Ex: in one week you can be addiction free and never go back
Element of pseudoscience
Over reliance on anecdotes
Testimonials do not equal scientific support
Element of pseudoscience
Psychobabble
Use of flowery or scientific sounding language and people will flock to you
Element of pseudoscience
Presenting problem
The symptoms or complaints the client comes in with when first starting treatment
Historical Treatments for Disorders
Exorcism, hydrotherapy, scaring evil spirits away with snakes etc.
Hippocrates’s four humors
Yellow bile, black bile, blood, phlegm
Theorized that an imbalance of these fluids causes disorders
Philippe Pinel
Pioneer of reform of treatment of those with disorders
Moral treatment
Emphasis of moral guidance, humane and respectful techniques for treatment
Pioneered by Benjamin Rush and Dorothea Dix
Somatogenic perspective
Physical causes for abnormal behavior
Psychogenic perspective
Abnormal behavior caused by psychological variables
Influenced by Mesmer and Freud
Naturalistic observation
Systematic and well-planned, but without control over the situation
Enter an environment and observe
Controlled observation
Takes place in a lab, used widely in research, control of what’s being observed
Case Studies
Intensive study of one individual, not generalizable, cannot prove or disprove a theory
Epidemiology
Research method focusing on prevalence, distribution, and consequences of disorders
Cross-Sectional Research
Different people at different stages of life are studied at the same time
Longitudinal Studies
The same people are studied at multiple time points across their lifespan
Genotype
A collection of genes relate to the construct of interest (in psych, it would be intelligence)
Phenotype
How genotype are expressed in the environment
Heritability
How much of a trait is attributable to genetic differences as opposed to environmental influence
Clinical description
The combination of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that define any specific disorder
