Module 69: Abnormal Behavior

Question 1

Somatic Symptom Disorder

Answer 1

A psychological disorder in which the symptoms take a somatic (bodily) form w/o apparent physical cause
- vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, difficulty in swallowing, severe & prolonged pain

Question 2

Conversion Disorder

Answer 2

A disorder in which a person experiences a very specific physical symptom that is not compatible with recognized medical or neurological conditions

• lose sensation in a way that makes no neurological sense
• paralysis, blindness, or inability to swallow

Question 3

Illness Anxiety Disorder

Answer 3

A disorder in which a person interprets normal physical sensations as a symptoms of a disease
- sympathy or temporary relief from everyday demands may reinforce such complaints

Question 4

Dissociative Disorders

Answer 4

Controversial, rare disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated (dissociated) from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings
- results may be a fugue state (not knowing who you are, perhaps accompanied by travel or relocation to anew place), a sudden loss of memory of change in identity, often in response to an overwhelming stressful situation

Question 5

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Answer 5

A rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities (formerly called multiple personality disorder)

• characterized by 2 or more distinct identities - each with its own voice & mannerism - seem to control a person’s behavior at different times
• original personality denies any awareness of the other(s)

Question 6

What did Psychologist Nicholas Spanos’ experiment suggest about Dissociative Identity Disorder?

Answer 6

Perhaps dissociative identities are simply a more extreme version of the varied “selves” we normally present - as when we display a goofy, loud self while hanging out with friends, and a subdued respectful self around grandparents

Question 7

How has the increase in diagnosis caused doubt about the disorder?

Answer 7

• skeptics also find it suspicious that the disorder has such a short and localized history (1930-1960 the humber of North American DID diagnoses averaged 2 per decade)
• 1980s the disorder contained the first formal code for this disorder, the number had exploded to more than 20,000
• some think the rise in popularity of Sybil is responsible for the rise in cases

Question 8

What research supports the diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder?

Answer 8

• researchers cite findings of distinct body and brain states associated with differing personalities
• abnormal brain anatomy and activity; brain scans show shrinkage in areas that aid memory and detection of threat
• heightened activity appears in brain areas associated with the control and inhibition of traumatic memories

Question 9

How do psychodynamic and learning perspectives view DID?

Answer 9

• both psychodynamic and learning perspectives have interpreted DID symptoms as a way of coping with anxiety
• psychodynamic: DID symptoms as defenses against anxiety caused by eruption of unacceptable impulses - second personality enables the discharge of forbidden impulses
• learning theorists: behaviors reinforced by anxiety reduction

Question 10

Personality Disorders

Answer 10

Inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning
- three clusters characterized by anxiety, eccentric behavior or dramatic and impulsive behavior

Question 11

What are the three clusters of personality disorders? Descriptions

Answer 11

Anxiety: such as a fearful sensitivity to rejection that predisposes the withdrawn avoidant personality disorder

Eccentric or Odd: such as the emotionless disengagement of schizotypal personality disorder

Dramatic or Impulsive: such as the attention-getting borderline personality disorder, the self-focused narcissistic personality disorder, the callous, and often dangerous, antisocial personality disorder

Question 12

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Answer 12

A personality disorder in which a person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing even towards friends and family members; may be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist
- can display symptoms by age 8; lack of conscience becomes plain before 15 as they begin to lie, steal, fight, or display unrestrained sexual behavior

Question 13

Is there a correlation between emotional intelligence and antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 13

people with antisocial personality disorder may show lower emotional intelligence - the ability to understand, manage, and perceive emotions

Question 14

What is a characteristic of antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 14

Extreme lack of conscience

Question 15

Do all criminal have antisocial personality disorder

Answer 15

Many criminal do NOT fit the description of antisocial personality disorder, they’re not impulsive and they care for family and friends

Question 16

What are the genetic factors in antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 16

• genetic vulnerability of people w/ antisocial and unemotional tendencies appears as low arousal in response to threats
• awaiting averse events (electric shock & loud noises) they show little autonomic nervous system arousal

Question 17

Is activity in the frontal lobes a factor?

Answer 17

Researchers have found reduced activation in murderer’s frontal lobes
- this brain area helps brake down impulsive, aggressive behavior

Question 18

Anorexia Nervosa

Answer 18

A feeding and eating disorder in which a person (usually an adolescent female) maintains a starvation diet despite being significantly underweight; sometimes accompanied by excessive exercise

• significantly below normal weight but feel fat, fear being fat, diet obsessively, sometimes exercise excessively
• binge-purge-depression cycle

Question 19

Bulimia Nervosa

Answer 19

A feeding and eating disorder in which a person’s binge eating (usually of high-calorie foods) is followed by inappropriate weight-loss promoting behavior, such as vomiting, laxative use, fasting, or excessive exercise
- within or above normal ranges

Question 20

Binge Eating Disorder

Answer 20

A feeding and eating disorder characterized by significant binge-eating episodes, followed by distress, disgust, or guilt, but w/o the compensatory behavior (purging, fasting or excessive exercise) that marks bulimia nervosa

Question 21

Note

Answer 21

Low self-esteem, perfectionism, concern with others’ perceptions, and cultural pressure - which include body ideal that vary across time and place, often perpetuated through media - interact with stressful life experiences and genetics to produce eating disorders

Question 22

Paranoid Personality Disorder

Answer 22

Odd/Eccentric

• often have extreme feelings of paranoia
• feel everyone is out to get them
• hyper aware of danger
• mistrust others/ don’t get close to others

Question 23

Schizoid Personality Disorder

Answer 23

Odd/Eccentric

• characterized by social detachment and restricted emotions
• prefer solitude
• tend to miss social cues
• cold or aloof

Question 24

Schizotypal personality disorder

Answer 24

Odd/Eccentric

• believes in odd things (fairies/magic)
• magical thinking
• awkward in social situations
• experience perceptual and cognitive distortions
• irrational behavior
• has many similarities to Schizoid & Schizophrenia

Question 25

Borderline Personality Disorder

Answer 25

Dramatic

• mood swings/ instability
• big problem with mood and sense of self
• may engage in risky and impulsive behavior (drugs & self-harm)
• splitting: feelings towards a person swings drastically

Question 26

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Answer 26

Dramatic

• center of attention
• very uncomfortable when not the center
• excessively express their emotions
• easily influenced by others

Question 27

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Answer 27

Dramatic

• inflated ego
• feel special and unique
• preoccupied by fantasies of power and have a powerful sense of entitlement
• devastated by normal human limitations

Question 28

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Answer 28

Dramatic

• utter lack of empathy
• engage in criminality
• impulsive
• not all become criminals though

Question 29

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Answer 29

Anxious

• avoids others
• sensitive to criticism
• chronic fear of rejection
• completely avoid social situations and relationships
• no desire to make friends
• don’t feel good enough

Question 30

Dependent Personality Disorder

Answer 30

Anxious

• depends on others
• needs a lot of attention and care from others
• fears losing relationships in their lives
• clingy

Question 31

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder

Answer 31

Anxious

• perfectionist
• obsessed with order, control, getting things done right
• struggle to work with others (needs to be their way)
• tight with money
• different from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (anxiety disorder)