Chapter 15 Flashcards
Abnormal psychology
Psychological study of mental illness.
Does a person have thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that are maladaptive?
Maladaptive
Causing distress to oneself or others.
Impairing day-to-day functioning.
Increasing the risk of injury or harm to oneself or others.
Cluster A personality disorder
Odd and Eccentric behavior.
Individuals tend to perceive and interpret the world in an abnormal (inaccurate) way.
Thoughts are expressed in a manner that makes forming close relationships difficult.
Cluster A personality disorder
PDP
Cluster B personality disorder
Characterized by ‘emotional intensity’, and emotional outbursts that impair social functioning.
Dramatic, erratic behavior.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BDP)
Very similar to bipolar.
Individuals switch between extreme positive and negative emotions.
Relationships may involve strong feelings of attachment, fear of abandonment, and manipulation.
Unstable social relationships.
Medial frontal lobes (regulation of attention and emotional responses) smaller in BPD individuals.
May be related to deep feelings of insecurity, and severe emotional experiences early in life.
Risky, dangerous behaviors due to an attempt to cope with these behaviors.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
Characterized by an inflated sense of self-
importance and an excessive need for
attention and intense self-doubt and fear of abandonment.
May be related to disruption of a frontal lobe circuit involved with feelings of empathy.
Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)
Characterized by excessive attention seeking and dramatic behavior.
Dramatic nature makes individuals with HPD seem (excessively) comfortable in social situations –> Will go to any length to be in that spotlight –> Engage in self destructive behaviors.
Tend to be sensitive to criticism, and generally manipulative in relationships.
Distinguishes itself from other disorders by its flamboyant and exhibitionistic behaviors.
Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD)
Profound lack of empathy or emotional connection with others.
Disregard for other’s rights or feelings, a tendency to impose their own desires (sometimes violently) onto others regardless of consequences.
Don’t demonstrate remorse –> Rarely motivated to change.
Experience difficulty learning tasks that require complicated decision making and following complex rules.
Factors that may contribute:
*Troubled upbringing, trauma, abuse
*Self-defense against extreme negative emotions may affect the ability to feel empathy.
Conduct disorder –> Often a precursor to APD, demonstrate reduced activity in frontal lobes.
Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) and Psychopathy
Approx. 15-20% of people with APD could also be diagnosed with psychopathy.
Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised:
* 20 item checklist, 2 main factors.
1. Interpersonal/Emotional
2. Social Deviance (people with APD, but not psychopathy score high on this test)
Reduced amygdala and frontal lobe activation in response to aversive stimuli. Less connection between them.
Demonstrate frontal lobe (planning) activity during perspective-taking tasks, instead of empathy-related area activity.
Cluster C personality Disorders
Anxious and Fearful Behaviors.
Characterized by feelings of anxiety, nervousness that affect observable behavior.
Inhibited behavior.
Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD)
Individuals avoid social interactions, including those at school or work, because they feel inadequate and fear rejection.
Increased amygdala activity observed when judging the emotional content of negative stimuli → This increased activity positively correlated with self-reported anxiety.
Dependent Personality Disorder
Individuals have an excessive need to be
cared for. Also because of fear of abandonment.
Often require frequent assurance from others and help with everyday decision making.
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)
Individuals are unusually focused on perfection, details, productivity, etc.
May also avoid spending money or disposing of old, worthless objects. Have trouble accepting help from others.
High incidence of OCPD in patients with
Parkinson’s Disease –> Suggests role of dopamine?
Dissociative experiences
Sense of separation between person and surroundings.
Ex: Daydreaming
