Chapter 1: Overview of Perspectives

Question 1

What is abnormal psychology?

Answer 1

The branch of psychology that addresses and escribes the treatments and causes of abnormal behavioral patterns.

Question 2

What are the six definitive questions that must be asked to determine whether the behavior is abnormal?

Answer 2

1. Is it unusual?
2. Does it violate social norms?
3. Is the behavior a faulty interpretation of reality?
4. Does the behavior cause personal stress?
5. Is teh behavior maladaptive?
6. Is the behavior dangerous?

Question 3

What four key terms are used to describe abnormal psychology?

Answer 3

Deviant, different, disordered, bizarre.

Question 4

What sort of factors exist when considering the classification of abnormal behavior? (2)

Answer 4

Culture and context.

Question 5

What percentage of Canadians will suffer a mental disorder at some point in their lives?

Answer 5

33%

Question 6

What is the prevalence of anxiety disorders in adults?

Answer 6

30%

Question 7

What is the prevalence of mood disorders in adults?

Answer 7

20%

Question 8

What is the prevalence of substance abuse disorder in adults?

Answer 8

15%

Question 9

What is the prevalence of any disorder in adults?

Answer 9

46%

Question 10

What 8 factors are taken into account when considering the causation of a disorder?

Answer 10

1. Age.
2. Education.
3. Childhood Traumas.
4. Life Events.
5. Current Stress.
6. Lack of social supports.
7. Gender.
8. Physical Health.

Question 11

What is the Demonological Model? What was the suggested treatment?

Answer 11

Abnormal behavior was thought to be caused by spirits trapped in the brain or witchcraft.

Treatment: exorcism, trephining, witch trials.

Question 12

What is the Medical Model?

Answer 12

Hippocrates believed that disorders were caused by illnesses of the body/humors.

Question 13

What is the biological perspective? What are two examples of disorders?

Answer 13

Mental disorders are diseases of the brain caused by underlying defects and abnormalities. Identified first by Kreaplin.
Dementia Praecox (schizophrenia) and General Paresis (syphilis)

Question 14

What is the Psychological Perspective?

Answer 14

Organic factors cannot alone explain abnormalities, so behavior was thought to be caused by something else.

Question 15

What is the Sociocultural Perspective?

Who was the lead psychologist in this perspective?

Answer 15

Abnormalities are rooted in the social ailments of society, such as poverty and lack of education/opportunity.

Thomas Szasz.

Question 16

What percentage of homeless people have had a mental health problem in their life?

Answer 16

67% (2/3)

Question 17

What is the reticular activating system?

Answer 17

Region of the brain that regulates sleep, attention, and states of arousal.

Question 18

What is the psychodynamic model?

Answer 18

Developed by freud, suggests that the structure of the mind is divided into the Id, ego, and superego. Also understanding that psychological development occurs through sexual fixation stages, development of Oedipus complexes, and the configuration of defense mechanisms.

Question 19

What is behaviorism?

Answer 19

The theory that behavior is adjusted and formed through a stimulus-response relationship (operant conditioning.)

Question 20

What is the humanistic-Existential Model?

Answer 20

Emphasizes on the personal freedom human beings have in making life decisions, features self-actualization, unconditional positive regard, emotional intelligence.

Question 21

What is the sociocultural perspective?

Answer 21

Considers the impact of social and cultural factors on behavior; the disorder is caused by the failure of society not the failure of the individual.

Question 22

What is the downward drift hypothesis?

Answer 22

The prevalence of mental disorders increases with the decline in social status, opportunity, economic standing, and education.

Question 23

What is the interactionist perspective?

Answer 23

The theory that no one perspective can account for the complex forms of abnormal behavior.

Question 24

What two models are included in the interactionist perspective?

Answer 24

Diathesis-stress model: disorders are caused by predisposition and environmental factors.

Biopsychosocial model: disorder is the result of internal and external systems interacting.

Question 25

What is the overall perspective on treatment?

Answer 25

The overall perspective on treatment is that psychotherapy is effective in treating abnormal behavior, and that long-term treatment is better than short-term treatment and medication. However, 5% of individuals do get worse with treatment.