Chap 4: Studying Abnormality Flashcards
What is a theoretical concept?
Are inferred from observable data. They provide advantages ie. bridging temporal gaps and summarizing observed relationships.
What is operationism?
proposed each concept take as its meaning a single observable and measurable operation. This gave way to flexible position that theoretical concept can be defined by sets of operations or effects.
What are some pros and cons of case studies?
They play an important role by including much more detail than other forms of studies.They are useful when they negate an assumed universal relationship or law. However, they may lack a degree of control and objectivity that other research methods have and fare less well as evidence in support of a particular theory but clinicians over sime may notice similarities of cases and formulate hypotheses. Casestudies are excellent ways of examining behaviour of single individuals and generating hypotheses that can later be evaluated by controlled research. It is unable to provide satisfactory evidence concerning cause-effect relationships.
Describe Thigpen and Cleckley’s description of Eve?
Thigpen, and Cleckley described a client Eve who had 3 distinct personalities. She had dissociative identity disorder. She wrote a book challenging their case. She resolved her disorder by realizing her alternate personalities were true aspects of herself. She stated it was a coping mechanism to deal with witnessing deaths of adults in her childhood.
What did Kanner do?
Kanner did work with disturbed children and noticed some shows a similar constellation of symptoms and proposed infantile autism which was later confirmed.
What does Stiles advocate for?
Stiles advocates for theory-building case studies - adequate theory must be able to account for commonalities across case studies as well as unique elements of particular case - there should be a close match between theoretical and case descriptions.
What did Earls and Lalumiere find?
Earls and Lalumiere did case study on 54 year old man in prison for cruelty to animals - sexual activity with horses. Felt strong emotional and romantic connection to them. He put his arm in horses vagina, punctured the wall and killed it because it had shown interest in a stallion and he was jealous. This showed unique and specific manifestations of a disorder and they found another similar case leading them to the fact zoophilia may not be as rare as first thought.
What do Mackrill and Iwakabe advocate for?
Mackrill and Iwakabe present case for usefulness of them for training novice psychotherapists because they add to evidence base for psychotherapy and counselling policy, practice and training because of the ability to record sessions and the ability to then be evaluated by others to gain valuable insight.
What was Watson, Goldman and Greenberg’s book on?
book was based on case studies of successes vs. failures in emotion focused therapies.
What is qualitative research?
Qualitative research focuses on unique and rich experiences of a small group of people studied in depth. Descriptive accounts with subjective emphasis on individual are focus. Quantitative research focuses more on data and numbers. Qualitative research is subject to same criticisms as case studies but can show important phenomena that reflect issues and themes that matter to people.
What is a grounded theory analysis?
A grounded theory analysis is an extensive and systematic approach that involves beginning from ground up without hypotheses. They emerge eventually as categories come into focus.
What is epidemiology? How is this important for abnormal psych? What 3 features does it focus on determining?
Epidemiology is study of frequency and distribution of disorder in a population. Data are gathered about rates of disorder and its possible correlates in large sample or population. This info can then give general picture of disorder, how many people it affects, whether it is mor common in a gender and whether its occurrence varies with social and cultural factors. Focus on determining 3 features of disorder> 1. Prevalence. 2. Incidence - number of new cases occur in a period 3. Risk factors.
What was Ontario Mental Supplement Study?
Ontario Mental Supplement Study examined relation between selected risk factors and mental disorder in people living in community. They found parental mental disorder and severe abuse.
What does knowledge about risk factors provide?
Knowledge about risk factors can give clues to cause of disorders. The study of risk factors in epidemiological research examines relationships among variables and is example of correlational method.
What is the correlational method?
Correlational method - establishes whether there is a relationship between or among two or more variables. Variables being studied are measured as they exist in nature. Distinguishes from experimental research where variables are manipulated and controlled by researcher.
