Lecture 1 Textbook Flashcards
Subjective Distress
Psychological pain or distress that may indicate a mental disorder, such as depression or anxiety.
Maladaptive Behavior
Behavior that interferes with an individual’s well-being, such as self-harm or withdrawal from social situations.
Statistical Deviance
Behavior that is rare or deviates from the norm, but not necessarily harmful or abnormal.
Violation of Standards of Society
Behavior that violates cultural or social norms, such as breaking laws or acting in ways that disturb society.
Social Discomfort
Behavior that causes discomfort or unease in others, such as sitting in an empty row of seats when others are present.
Irrationality and Unpredictability
Behavior that is unexpected, illogical, or makes no sense to others, such as disordered speech or irrational actions.
Dangerousness
Dangerous behaviors (e.g., self-harm, aggression) are often associated with mental illness, but dangerousness alone does not define a disorder.
Advantages of Classification Systems
Provides common language for clinicians, structures information, and facilitates research by organizing disorders into meaningful categories.
Disadvantages of Classification Systems
Leads to loss of individual details, contributes to stigma, and affects self-concept due to labeling.
Prevalence
The proportion of a population affected by a specific disorder at a given time, e.g., 1-year or lifetime prevalence rates.
Incidence
The number of new cases of a disorder that occur in a specific time period, often lower than prevalence rates.
Comorbidity
The occurrence of two or more mental disorders in the same individual, more common in those with severe mental disorders.
Case Studies
In-depth studies of individual cases that provide valuable insights but are often subject to bias and limited in generalizability.
Self-Report Data
Data collected by asking individuals to report their own symptoms or experiences; however, it may be biased due to self-presentation or misunderstanding.
Observational Approaches
Methods that involve directly observing behavior or physiological responses, such as heart rate or brain activity, to understand mental disorders.
Sampling and Generalization
Sampling involves selecting a group of participants to study, while generalization refers to applying the study’s results to a broader population. Convenience sampling often uses easily accessible groups like college students.
Internal vs. External Validity
Internal validity ensures the study is methodologically sound and free of errors. External validity refers to the extent the findings can be generalized to other contexts and populations.
Criterion and Comparison Groups
A criterion group is the group being studied (e.g., individuals with a disorder), while a comparison group is similar but lacks the disorder. These groups help test hypotheses.
Correlational Research Designs
Correlational studies assess the relationship between variables but do not establish causality. A correlation coefficient (r) measures the strength of the relationship between two variables.
External Validity
How generalizable study findings are to other contexts or populations.
Internal Validity
The extent to which study results are reliable and free from errors.
Effect Size
A measure of the strength of a relationship between two variables.
Single-Case Experimental Design
Focuses on one individual to study behavioral changes due to interventions (ABA/ABAB).
Meta-Analysis
A method of combining results from multiple studies to draw more reliable conclusions.
Mental Hygiene Movement
Focused on community care and treatment outside of institutions.
Led to challenges like homelessness and insufficient care for former patients.
Brain Pathology
The link between physical brain conditions and psychological symptoms.
Psychoanalysis
Freud’s method for treating abnormal behavior by exploring unconscious motives and using techniques like free association and dream analysis.
Hypnosis
A technique used by Freud to uncover repressed memories and explore unconscious thoughts.
Psychoanalytic Perspective
The view that unconscious processes, often stemming from childhood, influence abnormal behavior.
