chapter 2 Flashcards
Define the Multidimensional Integrative Approach
an approach to the study of psychopathology, that holds psychological disorders are always the result of multiple interacting casual factors.
what do psychological dimensions include?
casual factors from behavioral and cognitive processes
include helplessness, social learning, prepared learning and unconscious processes
What do biological dimensions include?
casual factors from fields of genetics and neuroscience
true or false?
all dimensions are segregate and have no influences among each other
False.
each dimension, biological or psychological, is strongly influences by the others and by development, and weave together in various complex and intricate ways to create a psychological disorder
what might a linear casual model hold?
that schizophrenia or a phobia is caused by a chemical imbalance or by growing up surrounded by overwhelming conflicts among family members
define systemic
implies that any particular influence contributing to psychopathology cannot be considered out of context
define Context
the biology and behavior of the individual, as well as cognitive, emotional, social, and cultural environment
because any one component of the system inevitably affects the other components.
what is a common cause of fainting?
Vasovagal Syncope
define Syncope
“sinking feeling” or “swoon” due to low blood pressure
what is a possible cause of Vasovagal Syncope?
an overreaction of mechanisms that compensates for sudden increases in blood pressure by lowering it
true or false
the tendency to overcompensate seems to be inherited?
True
this may account for the high rate of blood-injury-injection phobia in families
How do people with severe syncope reaction tendencies cope with their reactions?
in various ways, including tensing their muscles whenever they are confronted with blood
what happens when you tense your muscles?
it very quickly raises blood pressure and prevents the fainting response
what would be the most important point when adopting a one-dimensional casual model to the cause of blood-injury-injection phobia?
to cause blood-injury-injection phobia, a complex interaction must occur between behavioural and biological factors
true or false
a strong syncope individually reaction causes blood-injury-injection phobia
false.
although inheriting a strong syncope reaction definitely puts people at risk for developing this phobia, other influences are at work as well
what physiological responses can emotions affect?
blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration
what does the baroreflex do?
it increases or decreases blood pressure in an effort to maintain a stable blood pressure in the body
true or false?
being supported when someone experiences symptoms is always a helpful way to deal with a psychological disorder.
False.
This is not always helpful because the strong effects of social attention may actually increase the frequency and intensity of the reaction.
what is a developmental critical period?
a period when we are more or less reactive to a given situation or influence than at other times.
what is applied muscle tension?
a simple behavioural technique that reduces vasovagal reactions by maintaining blood pressure
what are Genes?
Genes are very long molecules of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) at various locations on chromosomes within the cell nucleus
what do the first 22 pairs of chromosomes provide?
they provide programs for the development of the body and brain, and the last pair called the sec chromosomes
what do the last 22 pairs of chromosomes provide and what are they called?
they are called sex chromosomes because they determine an individual’s sex
what is a dominant gene?
one pair of genes that determines a particular trait
what is a recessive gene?
in contrast to dominant genes, a recessive gene must be paired with another recessive gene to influence a trait
define polygenic
polygenic are influenced by many genes, each contributing only a tiny effect, all of which in turn, may be influenced by the environment
the same is true to be said for psychiatric disorders
describe the shape of a double helix
shaped like a spiral staircase
- two spiral intertwined turning in opposite directions
what may help us predict fairly accurately how many offspring will develop a certain trait, characteristic, or disorder, depending on whether one or both of the parents carry the gene?
The Mendelian laws of genetics
true or false?
polygenic interactions are often quite simply.
False.
Polygenic interactions can be quite complex.
what procedures do genetic scientists use to look for patterns of influence across genes?
they use sophisticated procedures such as quantitative genetics and molecular genetics.
what do quantitative genetics estimate?
estimates the effects of genes in explaining individual differences (heritability) without necessarily telling us which genes are responsible for which effects.
what do molecular genetics focus on?
focuses on examining the actual structure and functioning of genes with increasingly advanced technologies (ex: DNA Microarrays)
What are DNA Microarrays for?
these technologies allow scientists to analyze thousands of genes at once and identify broad networks of genes that may be contributing to a particular trait
true or false?
red blood cells contain our genetic structure
false
all cells contain our entire genetic structure EXCEPT for red blood cells.
only a small proportion of genes, however, in any one cell are turned on or expressed
what do specialized cells influence?
some influence liver function and other affect personality
what does the absence of normal maternal behaviour of “licking and grooming” prevent?
it prevents the genetic expression of a glucocorticoid receptor that modulates stress hormones
true or false
heritability accounts for specific cognitive abilities
True
this includes abilities such as memory or ability to perceive spatial relations, ranged from 32 to 62 percent.
during adult hood, what do genetic factors determine?
genetic factors determine stability in cognitive abilities
during adult hood, what do environmental factors determine?
environmental factors are responsible for any changes
what role do genetic factors play in psychological disorders?
genetic factors make some contribution to all psychological disorders but account for less than half of the variability
true or false?
adverse life events, such as chaotic childhood, can actually overwhelm the influence of genes.
true.
where do contributes to psychological disorders come fro?
many genes, each having relatively small effect
what did Erik Kandel suggest?
he suggested that the genetic structure of cells may actually change as result of learning, if genes that were interactive or dominant interact with environment in such a way that they become active
in other words: the environment may occasionally turn certain genes on
True or False?
The brain once maturity is reach is set/hardwired.
False.
The brain and its functions are “plastic”, subject to continual change in response to the environment, even at the level of genetic structure.
what are two models of gene-environment interactions relate to psychopathology that have received the most attention?
1) the diathesis stress model
2) the reciprocal gene-environment model
define the diathesis stress model.
the hypothesis that both an inherited tendency (a vulnerability) and a specific stressful conditions are required to produce a disorder
what is a diathesis?
a condition that makes a person susceptible to developing a disorder
define vulnerability.
susceptibility or tendency to develop a disorder
