Individual Differences Flashcards
What was the aim of study 2 in Rosenhan?
To see if hospitals who had been told they were to be approached by pseudo-patients would be able to tell sane from insane
What was the aim of study 3 in Rosenhan?
To investigate patient-staff contact
Describe the participants used in Rosenhans study
It was an opportunity sample
S1- hospital staff&patients
- 8 pseudo patients (various occupations e.g painter, housewife)
S2 - Hospital staff
S3 - staff from 4 of the 12 hospitals used in study 1
-staff at a college campus
What method was used in Rosenhans study?
Field experiment
S1&s3
S2 also collected data using participant observation
What ethical issues may occur in Rosenhans study?
Hospitals/staff deceived
Protection- may undermine confidence in doctors
However
Pseudo patients gave fully informed consent/volunteered
What quantitative data was collected in Rosenhans study?
S1- num of participants admitted/discharged
S2- num of faulty diagnosis
S3 - num of social interactions
What qualitative data was collected in Rosenhans study?
S1-pseudo patient observation
•feeling powerless, depersonalised
S3-
What was the aim of study 1 in Rosenhan?
To see if people could get themselves admitted to a psychiatric hospital
What practical applications can be made from Rosenhans study?
•reduce abuse of power in mental institutions
•change num of professionals used to diagnose disorders
-cant rely in one individual
•reduce stickiness of labels
•assess criteria used to diagnose mental illness
Assess the ecological validity of Rosenhans study
High-field exp, natural behaviour
Covert- few demand characteristics in s1&3
What controls were used in s1 for Rosenhans study?
All pseudo patients behaved normally besides showing the same symptoms of hearing voices
What controls were used in s2 for Rosenhans study?
None
What controls were used in s3 for Rosenhans study?
Young female asked staff on a uni campus various questions
E.g im looking for a psychiatrist
Describe the IV and DV in Rosenhans study 1
Iv- patients pretence to get into hospitals
Dv- psychiatrist admission of patient and the strength of diagnostic label
Describe the IV and DV in Rosenhans study 2
Iv-false info given to hospital
Dv-number of patients which staff suspected as being pseudo
Describe the IV and DV in Rosenhans study 3
Iv-patient or visitor
Dv-level of contact between staff and subject
What 2 changed could be made to Rosenhans study?
1) make it a self report questionnaire instead of a field experiment
2) make it cross cultural to identify cultural sim/diff
Additional evaluation to Rosenhans study(strengths)
Pros
•sample- range of occupations/states/hospitals/age/gender
So can infer cause and effect (results due to product of flaws in psychiatric profession not other factors)
•methodology- field experiment
Allowed pseudo patients to experience ward from patients perspective
Additional evaluation points to Rosenhans study (weaknesses)
Cons:
•observer bias
Pseudo patients aware of aim so may pay particular attention/emphasise mistreatment (rosenhan his own pps)
•unreliable
Interactions after admission not controlled
Diff to record data accurately whilst participating
Was Rosenhans study longitudinal or snapshot?
LONGITUDINAL
S1- 52 days
S2- 3 months
Long enough to show change over time
What can you conclude from rosenhans experiment?
P-We cant distinguish sane from insane all of the time, once labelled there is an expectation of the individuals behaviour to be due to this
E-7/8 patients in study 1 were admitted &diagnosed as schizophrenic
C-may be better to treat mentally ill patients in community healthcare schemes with behavioural diagnosis rather than institutions with sticky labels
Define depersonalisation
Where people aren’t treated as individuals, lack of respect
When is powerlessness and depersonalisation show in Rosenhans study ?
Study 3 lack of eye contact 10/1283 nurses Supported by qual data •observed inhumane treatment •toilets no doors(privacy) •medical records available to any staff
What is the difference between a type 1 and type 2 error (Rosenhan)
Type 1- researcher diagnosis sick person as healthy (false neg)
Type 1- diagnose healthy person as sick (false positive)
Describe the individual differences approach
Examines how individuals differ in their thinking, feeling and behaviour
Describe 3 key criteria used to define abnormality
Deviates from norm
Doesn’t conform to social demand
Painful to individual
Explain 2 issues with defining abnormality
All 3 criteria sometimes appear in ‘normal’ people
Normality is culturally defined
What is meant by a diagnostic label
Social sigma
Misunderstanding of ‘mental illness’
Fear of it
Discrimination eg employment
What are the key features of schizophrenia
Pos symptoms- additional to norm eg hallucinations
Neg symptoms- reduction in norm eg lack of motivation
What is meant by the medical model of abnormality?
See mental disorders as an illness with psychological causes treated with medication
What is meant by the anti-psychiatric movement?
Mental illness doesn’t have a physical cause, don’t fit society therefore treated with institutionalisation not medication
Thigpen and Cleckly is…
A case of multiple personality