Conceptualizations Of Human Behaviour

Question 1

Why is there a focus on the deficit view? (Positive-negative asymmetry effect, fundamental negative bias, fundamental attribution error)

Answer 1

• Positive-negative asymmetry effect: Negative stim and info are more likely to capture our attention
• Fundamental negative bias: When a behav stands out, is considered negative, and occurs in vague context; we tend to make dispositional attributes
• Fundamental attribution error: Tendency to believe that other people’s behavs are caused by dispositional attributes rather than situational

Question 2

Criteria used to determine whether behaviour is problematic (4)
- Why are none necessary or sufficient on their own

Answer 2

• Atypicality (frequency): Just bcuz something is rare, doesn’t mean it’s bad (like talent)
• Maladaptive (function): Just bcuz behav violates norms doesn’t mean it’s bad; depends on the context
• Psychological distress (effects): There are disorders that involve lack of stress (like bipolar disorder and mania)
• Impairment in functioning: Someone may have disorder but still be high functioning in most environments

Question 3

What are the ways the DSM has tried to improve distinguishing typical and problematic behav? (4)

Answer 3

• More inclusive language
• Development, course, cultural consideration sections
• Cultural formulation interview (allows clinician to understand patient’s cultural background, language, and other cultural considerations)
• Dimensional models

Question 4

Jahoda’s 6 characteristics of a mentally healthy person

Answer 4

• Personal attitude towards self including self-acceptance, self-esteem, accuracy of self-perception
• Pursuit of one’s potential
• Focused drives that are integrated into one’s personality
• Identity and values that contribute to sense of autonomy
• World perceptions that are accurate and not distorted because of subjective needs
• Mastery of enviro and enjoyment of love, work, play

Question 5

Four-Front Approach by Wright
- The 4 pieces of info to gather
- What does it consider
—
VIA system by Peterson
- Ppl may exhibit what (4)
- Mental health difficulties may stem from what
—
Ivey & Ivey’s developmental counselling and therapy
- Uses what conceptualization
- Pathological behavs are what kind of response to life events
- What do they suggest

Answer 5

1) Deficiencies and undermining characteristics of the person
2) Strengths and assets of the person
3) Lacks and destructive factors in the environment
4) Resources and opportunities in the environment
- Considers the individual’s perspective on their own strengths and deficits, which allows for a more culturally competent understanding
—
1) Right amount of strength
2) Opposite of strength
3) Absence if strength
4) Exaggerated version of strength
- May stem from underusing or overusing strengths
—
- Here-and-now conceptualization
- Logical responses to life events
- Take small steps to account for positive and negative functioning + Change language for describing client functioning (Ex: What is not working vs What is working?)

Question 6

Primary vs Secondary prevention
Primary vs Secondary enhancement

Answer 6

Primary: Before problem appears
Secondary: After problem appears
—
Primary: Establish optimal functioning and satisfaction
Secondary: Sustain and build upon already optimal functioning and satisfaction

Question 7

Heller et al.’s 5 suggestions for successful implementation of primary prevention
- Head Start
- Caveats of primary prevention (3)

Answer 7

• Give targeted populations knowledge about risky behav to prevent
• Program should be attractive (let ppl know benefits)
• Program should teach problem-solving skills and how to resist regression
• Provide social support and approval
• Ongoing evaluation of effectiveness
  —
• Focuses on poor children; provide them w/ lvl of preparation similar to what more advantaged peers experience
• Includes educational supports, nutritious meals, medical screenings, parental training
• BUT positive results not seen in all groups bcuz there’s lack of diversity (only focusing on impoverished of majority group instead of minority)
  —
• Illusion of uniqueness (belief that good things will happen to them and bad things will happen to other ppl)
• Hard to convince ppl program is worth it
• Takes a while to examine results

Question 8

Common components of secondary prevention (3)
- Caveats (3)
- Bandura’s self efficacy model (4)
- Seligman’s attributional retraining (ABCD)
- Hope therapy

Answer 8

• Hope is underlying process
• Pathways and agency thinking
• Gol-focused positive psychotherapy (working w/ clients to set goals and figure out how to achieve + give belief that they can)
  —
• Problems w/ seeking and sticking w/ therapy
• System not always effective when treating individuals from minority
• Lack of research on minority groups
  —
  BANDURA:
  Clients learn efficacy beliefs thru:
• Actual performance accomplishments in the problematic area
• Modelling another person who’s coping effectively
• Verbal persuasion by the helper
• Controlling negative cognitive processes by learning to implement positive moods
  —
  SELIGMAN:
• Adversity (event), Belief (maladaptive beliefs caused by event), Consequence (symptoms result from maladaptive beliefs), Disputation (challenge beliefs to change it into more adaptive ones to change consequences)
  —
  HOPE:
• Similar as Seligman’s but increases hopeful thinking NBC

Question 9

Ways to encourage primary enhancement (3)
Lyubomirsky, Sheldon & Schkade’s positive activity model

Answer 9

• Meditation
• Savouring (appreciating positive exps)
• Therapeutic lifestyle change (TLC) (ex: getting more healthy lvls of sleep or exercise)
  —
  Deliberately practicing simple, intentional, and regular activities meant to mimic healthy thoughts, behavs and goals of happy ppl can boost happiness
• How often/when activities done and personality traits may impact how much they boost us

Question 10

Lomas’ LIFE model
- Dimensions
- Examples

Answer 10

Way to classify types of positive psych interventions
- Scales of subjective-objective and collective-individual

• Thoughts and feelings (ex: gratitude): Subjective, individual
• Relationships (ex: family counselling): Subjective, collective
• Physiological outcomes (ex: exercise): Objective, individual
• Systems, laws (ex: public health campaigns): Objective, collective