Clinical Psychology Flashcards
Primary data strengths
Reliable as can easily be replicated as the researcher knows how the procedure and data collection was carried out.
More up to date.
Best data form to use for surveys etc. as is collected from the target population of the time.
Primary Data weaknesses
Subjective and they can try and make their data fit their hypothesis.
More costly and time consuming as have to gathered from scratch.
Secondary Data Strengths
Saves time and expense. Data is already available just needs to be analysed.
Provides a much larger database of data available to use.
Sometimes the only source of data. For example historical documents and large scale past trends.
Seconday Data Weaknesses
Researcher cannot personally check the reliability.
No control over how the data was collected and so know nothing about the accuracy or errors.
Data may be out of date.
Predictive validity
effective treatment means the diagnosis was valid
Etiological validity
Group of people suffering from same disorder will have same factors causing it
Concurrent Validity
Symptoms that form part of the disorder but are not part of the diagnosis should be found even if it is not necessary for diagnosis for the person to have them. Such as lack of personal relationships in a schizophrenic person. Aren’t diagnosed because of it but supports the diagnosis as are factors.
Criterion Validity
Using other classification systems to test if one has diagnosed correctly.
Animal Study Strengths
Using animals is more convenient and practical because they reproduce more rapidly. Also shorter life spans allow life span affects to be studied far more easily.
Some theories say animals and humans share many similar characteristics so they can be seen as being generalisable.
Animals can be used when humans can’t for ethical reasons.
Animal Study Weaknesses
Some say evolution doesn’t exist and so results are not generalisable as they share no characteristics.
Studies have been accused of being anthropomorphic (assume animals think and reason the same as humans) but may be wrong.
Can’t assess an animals suffering (ethically studies be bad).
Animal lab lack ecological validity.
Twin Studies Strengths
Used to identify trends in families.
Provides controlled evidence for the nature side of the nature vs. nurture debate.
Twin Studies Weaknesses
Have problems with designs as a 50% concordance rate could be seen as being due to genetgics and as a result may mask or disregard other causes.
Don’t show cause or effect.
Difficult to find a large sample.
Assumes both twins have an identical environment (in some cases).
Statistical definition of abnornality
The assumption that human characteristic is spread in a normal way across the general population. When it is plotted on a graph it will form a curve of normal distribution. The bottom and top 2.5% of this curve would be classed as being abnormal. It is on the criteria for diagnosing mental retardation.
Statistical definition evaluation
Doesn’t tell the difference between desirable and non-desirable behaviour.
There’s a clear cut-off point between normal ands abnormal so those who just miss the criteria could miss out on needed support.
However the cut off point and way it is set up makes it objective taking away the bias subjective nature of other definitions of abnormality.
Some behaviours which are abnormal in a clinical sense are so common that this method could see them as normal such as depression and anxiety.
Social Norms definition of abnormality
Unwritten rules in society about the behaviour we expect. Someone behaves in a way that goes against this then they are seen as abnormal and their behaviour makes people feel threatened, anxious and even uncomfortable.
