Chapter 3: Models of Abnormality Part 2

Question 1

Behavioral theorists believe

Answer 1

in principles of learning: behaviors change in response to your environment

Question 2

Several forms of conditioning

Answer 2

• operant condition
• modeling
• classical conditioning

Question 3

Operant Conditioning

Answer 3

you learn behavior by getting certain rewards or consequences to certain actions

Question 4

Modeling

Answer 4

Individuals learn responses by observing other and repeating their behavior

Question 5

Classical Conditioning

Answer 5

temporal association
when two events occur closely together in time, they become fused in a person’s mind and before long, the person responds the same to both events

Question 6

Classical conditioning and phobia formation

Answer 6

a phobia can be formed when the thing that is feared now was in close contact to something that was very scary.
for instance, a boy gets scared by a dog every time he walks by his neighbor’s house, there’s also a sandbox there too, so the boy not only develops a fear of dogs but a phobia of sand as well

Question 7

`Behavioral therapies

Answer 7

Identify behaviors that are causing a person’s problems and try to replace them with appropriate ones

Question 8

Systematic desensitization for phobias

Answer 8

clients are taught to react normally instead of with intense fear to objects they dread
1st: teach skill of relaxation
2nd: construct a hierarchy of fears from least to greatest
3rd: Have a client imagine each one of these or actually confront
Do this as many times as needed until phobia is gone

Question 9

Assessing behavioral therapies

Answer 9

strengths: ~15% of therapists use this approach, can be tested in labs
Weaknesses: how can you say all improper functioning result from bad learning?, therapies do not always extend to real life or last after therapy, has been told to be too simplistic

Question 10

Cognitive Model

Answer 10

Ellis and Beck claimed that we must look at a person’s perceptions, thoughts that run through their mind, and the conclusions they are leading to.

Question 11

Cognitive model and abnormal functioning

Answer 11

faulty assumptions and attitudes that are disturbing and inaccurate as well as illogical thinking
- over-generalization: draws broad negative conclusions on the basis of a single insignificant event. ex: a girl takes a test and gets 2 answers wrong. She thinks she is stupid because of these two wrong answers

Question 12

Cognitive therapies

Answer 12

people can overcome their problems by developing new ways of thinking

Question 13

Beck’s cognitive therapy

Answer 13

goal of therapy is to help clients recognize and restructure their thinking

Question 14

Assessing Cognitive Model

Answer 14

strengths: ~31% use this model, focuses on human thoughts, researchable, therapy is very effective in many settings
weakness: are the cognitive abnormalities the cause or result?, does not help all people, ACT therapies has developed off of this

Question 15

Humanistic-existentialist Model

Answer 15

a combination of two models

1. humanistic: believe humans naturally are inclined for positivity and “good”
2. existentialist: does not believe ppl are naturally inclined to good. believe we have a choice to either face up to responsibilities or hide from them-leading to depression,etc.

Question 16

Roger’s client-centered therapy

Answer 16

used when a client grew up without unconditional positive regard, so they developed no unconditional self-regard and instead sets up conditions of worth for themselves.
- clinicians create a supportive climate in which clients feel able to look at themselves honestly and acceptingly. displaying 3 important qualities 1. unconditional positive regard 2. accurate empathy 3. genuineness

Question 17

Existential theories and therapy

Answer 17

ppl are encouraged to accept responsibility for their lives and problems
Try to help client recognize their freedom so they may choose a different course and live with greater meaning

Question 18

Assessing the Humanistic-Existential Model

Answer 18

strengths: taps into psychological factors, optimistic and pleasing to people
weaknesses: too difficult to research

Question 19

The Sociocultural Model

Answer 19

abnormal behavior is best understood in light of the broad forces that influence an individual

Question 20

Family-Social theory and abnormal functioning

Answer 20

says that a person is directly affected by family, social, community. says 3 factors: social labels, social networks, family structure and communication

Question 21

Social labels and roles

Answer 21

On being sane in insane places: Rosenhan experiment. 8 normal functioning ppl checked themselves into a mental hospital reporting symptoms of schizophrenia. After diagnosis they said they were not experimenting symptoms but staff kept them there longer. Staff also reported to treating them differently as if they were really sick even thought they exhibited no serious symptoms

Question 22

Social connections and supports

Answer 22

how well do they communicate with others? What kind of signals do they send or receive from others?

Question 23

Family structure and communication

Answer 23

certain family structures are very likely to produce abnormal functioning in individual members
- emeshed structure: when members of family are grossly overinvolved in one another’s activitie, feelings, thoughts which can lead people to struggle to be independent

Question 24

Group Therapy

Answer 24

group of ppl with similar problems together they share insights, feelings and advice
-self-help group is without a clinician and shown to be helpful

Question 25

Family therapy

Answer 25

meets with all members of therapy and points out problem behaviors and interactions and helps the whole family to change its ways

Question 26

Couple therapy

Answer 26

two individuals work through problems that focus on structure and communication patterns
- can be used with a child and parent

Question 27

Community treatments

Answer 27

allow clients with severe psychological difficulties to receive treatment in familiar social surroundings as they try to recover

Question 28

culture

Answer 28

set of values, attitudes, beliefs, history and behaviors shared by a group of people and communicated from one generation to the next

Question 29

Assessing sociocultural model

Answer 29

strengths: treatment formats offered by sociocultural model sometimes succeed where traditional approaches have failed
weakness: research findings are often difficult to interpret, inability to` predict abnormality in specific individuals

Question 30

Integration

Answer 30

Biopsychosocial theories: abnormality results from the interaction of genetic, biological, developmental, emotional, behavioral, cognitive, social, cultural and societal influences
- diathesis stress approach says that people must first have a biological, psychological or sociocultural predisposition to develop a disorder and must then be subjected to episodes of severe stress