chapter 1 Flashcards
what is a psychological disorder?
psychological dysfunction associated with distress or impairment in functioning that is not a typical or culturally expected response
what is a phobia?
any psychological disorder characterized by marked and persistent fear of an object or situation
define psychopathology
scientific study of psychological disorders
what are scientist-practioners
mental health professionals that are expected to apply scientific methods to their work.
what are the duties of a scientist-practitioner?
- they must keep current in the latest research on diagnosis and treatment, they must evaluate their own methods for effectiveness
- they may generate their own research to discover new knowledge of disorders and their treatments
what is a presenting problem?
the original complaint reported by the client to the therapist.
- The actual treated problem may sometimes be a modification derived from the presenting problem
define clinical description.
the details of the combination of behaviours, thoughts, and feelings of an individual that make up a particular disorder
explain prevalence.
number of people displaying a disorder in the total population at any given time (compare with incidence)
what is lifetime prevalence?
the number of people in the population who have ever had the disorder
explain incidence.
the number of new cases of a disorder appearing during a specific time period (compare with prevalence)
what does a course refer to?
the pattern of development and change of a disorder over time
what is a prognosis?
the predicted future development of a disorder over time
define Etiology.
the cause or source of a disorder
define the term psychosocial.
social and cultural factors (such as family experience) and psychological influences
define moral therapy
a 19th century psychosocial approach to treatment that involved treating patients as normally as possible in normal environments
what is the mental hygiene movement?
a mid-20th-century effort to improve the care of the mentally disordered by informing the public of their mistreatment
what is a psychoanalysis?
psychoanalytic assessment and therapy, which emphasizes exploration of, and insight into, unconscious processes and conflicts, pioneered by sigmund freud
define behaviourism
an explanation of human behaviour, including dysfunction, based on principles of learning and adaptation derived from experimental psychology
define unconscious .
part of the psychic makeup that is outside the person’s awareness
what is catharsis?
a rapid or sudden release of emotional tension thought to be an important factor in psychoanalytic therapy
explain the psychoanalytic model
a complex and comprehensive theory originally advanced by Sigmund freud that seeks to account for the development and structure of personality, as well as the origin of abnormal behaviour, based primary on inferred inner entities and forces
define id.
In psychoanalysis, the unconscious psychical entity present at birth representing basic drives
define ego.
In psychoanalysis, the physical entity responsible for finding realistic and practical ways to satisfy id drives
define superego
in psychoanalysis, the physical entity representing the internalized moral standards of parents and society
what are intrapsychic conflicts?
in psychoanalysis, the struggles among the id, ego, and superego
what are defence mechanisms?
common patterns of behaviour, often adaptive coping styles when they occur in moderation, observed in response to particular situations
- in psychoanalysis, these are thought to be unconscious processes originating in the ego
what are the psychosexual stages of development?
in psychoanalysis, the sequence of phases a person passes through during development
- each stage is named for the location on the body where id gratification is maximal at that time
define neuroses
obsolete psychodynamic term for psychological disorder thought to result from unconscious conflicts and the anxiety they cause
what is ego psychology?
derived from psychoanalysis, this theory emphasizes the role of the ego in development and attribute psychological disorders to failure of the ego to manage impulses and internal conflicts
what is free association?
a psychoanalytic therapy technique intended to explore threatening material repressed into the unconscious
- the patient is instructed to say whatever comes to mind without censoring
define dream analysis
a psychoanalytic therapy method in which dream contents are examined as symbolic of id impulses and intrapsychic conflicts
what is a psychoanalyst?
a therapist who practises psychoanalysis after either an M.D. or Ph.D. degree and then receiving additional specialized postdoctoral training
define transference
a psychoanalytic concept suggesting that clients may seek to relate to the therapist as they do important authority figures, particularly their parents
explain psychodynamic psychotherapy
contemporary version of psychoanalysis thats still emphasizes unconscious processes and conflicts but is briefer and more focused on specific problems
what is self-actualizing?
the process emphasized in humanistic psychology in which people strive to achieve their highest potential against difficult life experiences
describe person-centered therapy
therapy method in which the client, rather than the counsellor, primarily directs the course of discussion, seeking self-discovery and self responsibility
what is unconditional positive regard?
acceptance by the counsellor of the client’s feelings and actions without judgement or condemnation
what is a behavioural model?
explanation of human behaviour, including dysfunction, based on principles of learning and adaptation derived from experimental psychology
what is classical conditioning?
a fundamental learning process first described by ivan Pavlov
- an event that automatically elicits a response is paired with another stimulus event that does not
- after repeated pairings, the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus that by itself can elicit the desired response
define extinction.
the learning process in which a response maintained by reinforcement in operant conditioning or pairing in classical conditioning decreases when that reinforcement or pairing is removed; also the procedure of removing that reinforcement or pairing
what is introspection?
an early, nonspecific approach to the study of psychology involving systematic attempts to report thoughts and feelings that specific stimuli evoked
define systematic desensitization
a behavioural therapy technique to diminish excessive fears, involving gradual exposure to the feared stimulus paired with a positive coping experience, usually relaxation
define behaviour therapy
an array of therapy methods based on the principles of behavioural and cognitive science as well as principles of learning as applied to clinical problems.
- It considers specific behaviours rather than inferred conflict as legitimate targets for change
define reinforcement
In operant conditioning, consequences for behaviour that strengthen it or increase its frequency
- positive reinforcement involves the contingent delivery of a desired consequence; negative reinforcement is the contingent escape from an aversive consequence
- unwanted behaviours may result from their reinforcement or the failure to reinforce desired behaviours
what is shaping?
in operant conditioning, the development of a new response by reinforcing successively more similar versions of that response
- both desirable behaviours may be learned in this manner
define neurosis (neuroses plural)
obsolete psychodynamic term for psychological disorder thought to result from unconscious conflicts and the anxiety they cause
