Chapter 2 Models Of Abnormal Behavior Flashcards
Discuss the one dimensional model for mental disorders
(a) biological views (including genetics and other physiological explanations);
(b) psychological issues, rooted in the invisible complexities of the human mind;
(c) dysfunctional
social relationships, including stressful interactions with family members and peers;
(d) sociocultural influences, including the effects of discrimination and stressors
related to race, gender, and socioeconomic status
What are models
an analogy used by
scientists, usually to describe or
explain a phenomenon or process
they cannot directly observe
What is a A Multipath Model
of Mental Disorders
Is a model that provides an organizational framework for understanding the numerous influences on the development of mental disorders, the complexity of their interacting components, and the need to view disorders from a holistic framework
What is the biopsychosocial model
perspective suggesting that
interactions between biological,
psychological, and social factors
cause mental disorders.
What are the limitations of the biopsychosocial model
there is limited focus on how factors interact to produce illness;
(b) the model provides little guidance regarding how to treat the disorder; and
(c) the
model neglects the powerful influences of culture
What are sociocultural influences
factors such as gender, sexual orientation, spirituality, religion, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity or culture that can exert an effect on mental health
What are the assumptions based on the multipath model
No one theoretical perspective is adequate to explain the complexity of the
human condition and the development of mental disorders.
• There are multiple pathways to and influences on the development of any single
disorder. Explanations of abnormal behavior must consider biological, psychological, social, and sociocultural elements.
• Not all dimensions contribute equally to a disorder. In the case of some disorders,
current research suggests that certain etiological forces have the strongest influence on the development of the specific disorder. Additionally, our understanding
of mental disorders often evolves as further investigation provides new insights
into contributing factors.
• The multipath model is integrative and interactive. It acknowledges that factors may combine in complex and reciprocal ways so that people exposed to the
same influences may not develop the same disorder and that different individuals
exposed to different factors may develop similar mental disorders.
• The biological and psychological strengths and assets of a person and positive
aspects of the person’s social and sociocultural environment can help protect against
psychopathology, minimize symptoms, or facilitate recovery from mental illness.
What are the assumptions about biological factors causing mental illness
1.Characteristics that make us who we are—our physical features, susceptibility to illness, and physiological response to stress, to name a few—are embedded in the genetic material of our cells. Additionally, many of our personal
qualities result from complex interactions between our biological makeup and
the environment.
- Thoughts, emotions, and behaviors involve physiological activity occurring
within the brain; changes in the way we think, feel, or behave affect these
biological processes and, over time, can change brain structure. - Many mental disorders are associated with inherited biological vulnerability
and/or some form of brain abnormality. - Medications and other biological interventions used to treat mental disorders
influence various physiological processes within the brain.
What role does the brain play in abnormalities
a) regulating activities necessary for our survival (such as breathing and heartbeat);
(b) receiving and interpreting sensory information (from both inside and outside our bodies);
(c) transmitting
information to our muscles and other organs; and
(d) coordinating our responses
to incoming stimuli.
What are 3 parts of the brain
the forebrain—responsible for higher-level mental processes;
• the midbrain—involved with basic functions such as hearing and vision, motor
movement, alertness and sleep/wake cycles, and temperature regulation;
• the hindbrain—the most primitive brain region; designed for self-preservation
and survival; responsible for instinctive behavior, balance and equilibrium, and
basic bodily functions such as heartbeat, respiration, and digestion.
Define resilience
The ability to recover from stressful or challenging circumstances where using our strengths and relying on positive support within environment can decrease likihood of developing a mental disorder
What role does the brain play in the biological dimension
It regulates activities necessary for survival
Recieving and interpreting sensory information
Transmitting info to muscles and other organs
Coordinating our response to incoming stimuli
What are the 3 cross sectional parts of the brain and thier respective functions
Forebrain-responsible for higher mental processes
Midbrain-involved with basic functions such as hearing and vision motor movement alertness sleep wake cycle and temperature regulation
Hindbrain-most primative region designed for self preservation and survival responsible for instinctive behavior balance and equilibrium basic bodily functions like heartbeat respiration and digestion.
What is the structure and function of the forebrain
Contains structures associated with thought perception intelligence language personality imagination planning organisation and decision making.
Contains the cerebrum and Cerebral cortex which consists of layers of specialized nerve cells that transmit info to other nerve cells muscles gland cells throughout the body.
Give the structure and function of the cerebral cortex
The prefrontal cortex is responsible for executive functioning which helps manage attention behavior and emotions so that we reach short term and long term goals.
What is the limbic system
It is a group of structures associated with emotion decision making formation of memories.
The amygdala helps facilitate recall of our emotional memory and responses to potential threat. It activate in response to thoughts and imagination as well as real world stimuli
The hippocampus helps to form organise and store memory include evaluating STM and sending emotionally relevant memories to cerebral cortex for LTM storage and assistance of recall of emotions associated with specific memories.
What are the function of the autonomic nervous system
Coordinates basic functions like digestion and respiration when at rest and also regulates autonomic physical response associated with emotional reactions such as flight or fight response.
The hypothalamus regulates bodily drives like hunger thirst and sexual response as well as body condition like temperature and circadian rhythms.
Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis is a system activated under conditions of stress or emotional arousal.
Describe the enteric nervous system ENS
An independent neural system involved with digestion capable of signaling the brain regarding stress and Other emotions.
What factors influence changes in our brain
Interaction with people places and events.
Our thoughts and emotional reactions
Biological factors like health nutrition intake exercise patterns
Define neuroplasticity
The process by which the brain changes to adapt to environmental change or compensate for injury
What is heredity
The genetic transmission of personal characteristics
Define psychopharmacology
The study of how psychotropic medications affect psychiatric symptoms including thoughts emotions and behavior.
Explain the psychodynamic model
Views mental disorders as result of childhood trauma anxiety and unconscious conflicts developed by Sigmund Freud
What are defence mechanisms and it’s characteristic
Defense mechanism is an ego protection strategy that shelters the person from anxiety operates unconsciously and distorts reality
What is psychoanalysis and the associated methods
Therapy whose goal is to uncover repressed material to help clients achieve insight into inner motivation and desires and to resolve childhood conflict that affect current relationship.
Free association: psychoanalytic technique in which client asked asked to say whatever comes to mind for purpose of revealing unconscious thought
Dream analysis: psychoanalytic technique focused on interpretation of hidden meaning behind dreams.
Resistance: during psychoanalysis a process in which client unconsciously attempts to impede analysis by preventing the exposure of repressed material
Transference: process where client undergoing psychoanalysis reenacts early conflict by applying to analysts feelings and attitudes that person has towards others
What are Behavioural model
Model of psychopathology concerned with the role of learning in abnormal behavior
Discuss the classical conditioning paradigm
Classical conditioning is a process in which response to new stimuli are learned through association
Unconditioned stimulus UCS is the stimulus that elicit an unconditioned response
Unconditioned response UCR is the unlearned response made to an unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned stimulus CS is the previously neutral stimulus that has acquired some properties of another stimulus with which it’s been paired.
Conditioned response CR is a learned response to a previous neutral stimulus that has acquired properties of another stimulus with which it’s been paired.
Extinction: decrease or cessation of a behavior due to gradual weakening of a classically or operantly conditioned response
Discuss the operant conditioning paradigm
Operant conditioning: theory of learning that holds that behavior are controlled by consequences that follows them
Operant behavior: voluntary and controllable behavior like walking that operates on an individual environment
Reinforcer: anything that influence the frequency or magnitude of behavior
Positive reinforcement: desirable actions or rewards that increase the likelihood that certain behavior will follow
Negative reinforcement: increasing the frequency or magnitude of behavior by removing something aversive
The observational learning paradigm
Observational learning theory: suggest that an individual can acquire new behavior by watching other people perform them
Modeling: process of learning by observing model and imitation
Behavioural therapy
Exposure therapy: a treatment approach based on extinction principles to feared objects or situation
Systematic desensitisation: treatment technique involving repeated exposure to a feared stimulus while a client is in a competing emotional or physiological state like relaxation.
What is the A-B-C theory of emotional disturbance
It aims to describe how people develop irrational thoughts. A is an event fact or someone behavior or attitude. C is the person’s emotional reactions. A never causes C but B the person’s beliefs about A causes C.
What is a schema
A preconscieved world view based on certain underlying assumptions which is the framework from which we automatically organise and give meaning to info
Define mindfulness
Maintaining conscious attention to the present including negative emotions or thoughts with an open accepting and nonjudgmental attitude
Expand on Dialectical Behavioural therapy DBT
Interrelated to
Mindfulness: learning to tolerate and accept your emotions by observing them objectively and nonjudgmental
Distress tolerance: viewing oneself and circumstances in an objective and dispassionate way so you can take productive actions rather than being pulled into emotional reactions
Emotional regulation: identifying and labelling emotions rather than being emotionally reactive learning to change negative thoughts and increase positive emotions
Interpersonal effectiveness: improving skills in dealing with difficult interpersonal situations like learning to make request assertively
Define psychological flexibility
The ability to mentally and emotionally adapt to situational demands
What are cognitive models
Explanation based on assumption that conscious thought mediates an individual emotional state or behavior in response to stimulus
What is the humanistic perspective
The optimistic viewpoint that people are born with the ability to fulfill their potential and that abnormal behavior results from disharmony between person’s potential and self concept
Define self actualisation
An inherent tendency to strive towards the realization of one’s potential
What is the existential approach
A set of philosophical attitudes that focus on human alienation the individual in the context of human condition and personal responsibility to others as well as oneself.
How does existencialism differ from humanism
Existentialist focus on the irrationality difficulty and suffering all human encounters in life
Humanists attempt to understand the subjective world of clients through empathy while existentialist believe we must be viewed within the context of the human condition
Humanists emphasize that we have the responsibility to determine our life path while existentialist stress that we have responsibility not only to ourselves but to others
What important assumptions does the social relational model make
Healthy relationship are important for optimal human development and functioning
Social relationships provide intangible benefits
When relationship prove dysfunctional or are absent the individual may be vulnerable to mental distress
Define the family systems model
Explanation that assumes that the behavior of one family member directly affect the entire family system
What are the 3 distinct beliefs underlying family system approach
Our personality development is influenced by our family’s characteristics especially the way our parents interact with us
Mental illness in an individual reflects unhealthy family dynamics
Therapy must focus on the family systems rather than individual
