Chapter 15 Flashcards
Abnormal behavior
Behavior that is deviant, maladaptive, or personally distressful over a relatively long period of time.
Deviant
A behavior does not conform to accepted social standards (atypical)
Maladaptive
Maladaptive behavior interferes with a person’s ability to function effectively in the world. (dysfunctional)
Personally distressing
The person engaging in the behavior finds it troubling (despair). Like women who vomits after meals.
Medical model
The view that psychological disorders are medical diseases with a biological orgin.
What is the psychological approach?
Emphasizes the contributions of experiences, thoughts, emotions, and personality characters in explaining psychological disorders.
What is the sociocultural approach?
Emphasizes that the social contexts in which a person lives, including the individual’s culture. Important for deviance.
What is the biopsychosocial model?
Interactions of biological factors, psychological factors (childhood), and sociocultural factors (gender) can influence abnormal behavior.
Diathesis-stress model
Also called vulnerability-stress hypothesis. Theory suggesting that preexisting conditions, such as genetic characteristics, personality dispositions, or experience, may put a person at risk of developing a psychological disorder.
DSM-5
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental disorders; the major classification of psychological disorders in the US.
What are the advantages to DSM-5?
- Provides a common basis for communication
- Help clinicians make predictions
- Naming the disorder can provide comfort
What are the disadvantages to DSM-5?
- Stigma (shame, negative reputation)
- Medial terminology implies internal cause
- Focus on weaknesses, ignores strengths.
Anxiety disorders and what are the types
Uncontrollable fears that are disproportionate and disruptive. Generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder.
How is generalized anxiety disorder diagnoses and what are the symptoms?
persistent anxiety for at least 6 months, and inability to specify reasons for the anxiety.
What are the causes of generalized anxiety disorder?
Biological factors: genetic predisposition, GABA (the brain’s brake pedal) deficiency, respiration
Psychological and sociocultural factors: harsh self-standards, critical parents, negative thoughts, trauma
Panic Disorder: diagnosis and symptoms
Recurrent, sudden onsets of intense terror that often occur without cause or warning.
Causes of panic disorder?
Biological factors: genetic predisposition
Psychological factors: Conditioning to CO2, high concentration=fear
Sociocultural factors: gender differences
Specific phobia: diagnosis and symptoms
An irrational, overwhelming, persistent fear of a particular object or situation.
Specific phobia: causes
Psychological factors: learned
Biological factors: genetic predisposition
Social anxiety disorder: diagnosis and symptoms
Intense fear of being humiliated or embarrassed in social situations.