Individual Differences-AbnormaIity Flashcards
Identify the three ways of defining abnormality
- Deviation from Social Norms
- Failure to Function Adequately
- Deviation from Idea Mental Health
Explain & Evaluate Deviation from Social Norms
• Standards of acceptable behaviour are set by a social group (i.e. social norms).
•Anything that deviates from acceptable behaviour is considered ‘abnormal’.
•What is acceptable may change over time.
Limitations:
X Susceptible to abuse e.g. excluding people.
X Deviance is hard to identify because it is related to context and degree.
X Cultural relativism- DSM includes culture-bound syndromes, acknowledging cultural differences in what is considered normal.
Explain & Evaluate Failure to Function Adequately
Not being able to cope with the demands of everyday life e.g. go to work, eat in public, wash clothes.
• Abnormal behaviour interferes with day-to-day living.
• Individual judges when their behaviour becomes ‘abnormal’.
Limitations:
X Who judges? Patient may feel quite content even when their behaviour is dysfunctional.
X Dysfunctional behaviour may sometimes be adaptive e e.g. depression elicits help from others.
X Cultural relativism- what is considered adequate differs from culture to culture so may result in different diagnoses when applied across cultures.
Explain & Evaluate Deviation from Ideal Mental Health
Johanda (1985) identified six categories on mental health:
1. Self-attitudes: having high self-esteem.
2. Personal growth and self actualisation: the extent to which an individual develops their full capabilities.
3. Integration: being able to cope in a stressful situation.
4. Autonomy: being independent.
5. Having an accurate perception of reality .
6. Mastery of the environment: ability to love, function at work and in interpersonal relations.
Limitations: Who can achieve all these criteria? Is mental health the same as physical health? Cultural relativism as it reflects individualist cultures desire for autonomy.
Explain the Biological (Medical) Model of Abnormality
• Mental disorders explained in terms of malfunctioning of biological systems.
• ‘Medical model’ because mental disorder regarded and treated like physical illness.
Causes of Abnormality:
1. Genes-effects demonstrated through high concordance rates for mental disorders in identical twins.
2. Neuroanatomy- the structure of the brain e.g. Case of Phineas Gage.
3. Biochemistry -the levels of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain e.g. correlation between psychosis and high levels of dopamine.
4. Viral Infection in the womb e.g. Torrey identified link between influenza and schizophrenia.
Explain the Psychodynamic Approach of Abnormality
Freud was the first to propose a psychological cause for mental illness and suggest that behaviour can be unconsciously motivated.
• Individual’s abnormal behaviour determined by underlying psychological conflicts of which they are unaware. (Three levels of the mind: unconscious, preconscious and unconscious).
• Unresolved conflicts between the psyche (id, ego and superego) result in defence mechanisms which may be expressed as mental disorders.
• Defence mechanisms e.g. repression, regression, denial, displacement.
• Early experiences, e.g. traumas can lead to later disorders. (Links to psychosexual stages e.g. anal expulsive personalities over share their feelings).
Explain the Behavioural Model of Abnormality
This model suggests that mental disorders are caused by learning maladaptive behaviours, via conditioning or observational learning.
• Classical conditioning: through association. Phobias were associated with fear or anxiety sometimes in the past.
• Operant conditioning: through reinforcement, can be positive or negative. Behaviour that is reinforced if repeated.
• Social learning theory: learned by seeing others rewarded and punished. An individual’s social context may provide many opportunities for behaviours to be observed and imitated.
Explain the Cognitive Model of Abnormality
Abnormality is caused by faulty thinking, this may be through: Cognitive deficiencies (lack of planning) or Cognitive distortions (processing information inaccuracy)
Ellis (1962)- A B C model A refers to an activating event. B is the belief which may be rational or irrational. C is the consequence- rational beliefs lead to healthy emotions (E.G amusement) whereas irrational beliefs lead to unhealthy emotions (E.G fear or panic).
Beck (1963)0 cognitive triad Beck identified a ‘Cognitive Triad’ of negative, automatic thoughts linked to depression.
• Negative views about the world, oneself and the future.
Evaluate the Biological Model
It has a scientific basis in biology and a lot of evidence shows that biological causes can produce psychological symptoms.
It is ethical because it does not blame individuals.
Biological therapies can help to relieve conditions that were previously untreatable e.g. Schizophrenia.
X Ethical concerns- drugs can produce addiction and may Not treat the underlying cause.
X Some disorders may not be linked to a physical problem.
X Diathesis-stress model can explain the role of biology and experience.
Evaluate the Psychodynamic Model
This approach does not blame individuals.
Case studies of little Hans and Anna O support the theory.
First explanation of how the cause of mental illness can be psychological.
Effective treatments from this approach such as psychoanalysis.
X Concepts are abstract and difficult to define.
X Difficult to prove or disprove the theory.
X Theory is based on Freud’s subjective interpretations of his own patients.
Evaluate the Behavioural Model
It is a scientific approach with clear testable concepts which have been supported in many experiments.
Behavioural therapies can be effective for treating phobias, eating disorders, obsessions and compulsions.
Research support from Bandura and Watson.
X Ignores the role of genetics and biology, how survival value and brain functioning effect behaviour- some phobias are more likely to develop because we are biologically prepared.
X Ignores the influence of cognitions- how thought processes contribute to disorders.
X Behavioural therapies aren’t effective for all disorders.
Evaluate the Cognitive Approach
Cognitive therapies have been successful for treating depression anxiety, stress, and eating disorders.
The cognitive model is useful for disorders like depression and anorexia.
It considers the roles of thoughts and beliefs which are greatly involved in these disorders.
X Cognitive therapies take a long time and are costly. They may be more effective when combined with other approaches as well (Behavioural therapy).
X It is generally not clear whether the distorted thinking is an effect or the disorder or the cause.
X Faulty cognitions may be the consequence of a disorder rather than the cause.
X Blames the individual rather than situation.
Explain Biological Therapies (Drugs)
Antipsychotic drugs (e.g. Chlorpromazine): used to combat the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. They work by blocking the action of dopamine to the brain. Antidepressant drugs (e.g. SSRIs): Increase availability of serotonin by blocking its reabsorption. Anti-anxiety drugs: Benzodiazepines are used to treat anxiety and stress by slowing down the activity of the central nervous system. They do this by increasing the action of GABA.
Evaluation of Biological Treatments
Drug Therapy
Often produces rapid beneficial effects when used to treat depression, anxiety and schizophrenia.
Easy to use and best used in conjunction with psychotherapy.
Benzodiazepines are very effective at reducing anxiety. Also have few side effects when used over a short period of time.
X Relapse is more common after drug therapy than after other types of therapy.
X Drugs don’t deal directly with the problems underlying any given mental disorder.
X Addictive with side effects e.g. aggression with SSRIs.
X Drug dependence with patients finding it hard to cope without drugs.
Explain Biological Therapies (Electroconvulsive Therapy ECT)
- Electroconvulsive/ETC is generally used in severely depressed patients.
- ETC can either unilateral ECT (electrodes on one temple+ or bilateral (electrodes on both temples)
- Patients are given a short acting anaesthetic and muscle relaxant before the shock is administered, oxygen is also administered.
- Small amounts of currents (0.6 amps) are passed through the brain lasting for about half a second.
- The seizure lasts for about a minute.
- ETC is usually given 3 times a week for up to 5 weeks. Although we are not sure why it works, most agree that it alters the way the chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) are acting in the brain so helps being about a recovery.
