P1: Psychopathology

Question 1

Outline one or more ways in which behaviourists treat phobias (6)

Answer 1

Systematic desensitisation:
* based on classical conditioning – counterconditioning
* relaxation training – fear and relaxation cannot coexist (reciprocal inhibition)
* formation of anxiety hierarchy
* gradual exposure (stepped approach) leading to eventual extinction.
Flooding:
* immediate exposure to phobic stimulus
* exhaustion of phobic response
* prevention of avoidance

Question 2

Outline what is meant by ‘agentic state’ as an explanation for obedience. (2)

Answer 2

 when a person acts on behalf of an authority figure/person of higher status
 the actor feels no personal responsibility/does not feel guilty for their actions
 the opposite of an autonomous state in which people act according to their own principle

Question 3

Jenny is a psychology teacher who works with six other teachers in the department.
Jenny believes strongly that homework should not be graded as it distracts students from
reading verbal feedback on their work. She would like her colleagues to stop grading
work. The other members of the department do not agree but have told Jenny they are
willing to have a meeting about it.
Using your knowledge of minority influence, explain how Jenny might be able to persuade
the rest of the department to accept her view. (6)

Answer 3

1)Address
2)Minority influence is a form of social influence where the minority persuade others to adapt their beliefs, there are 3 main process; commitment, consistency and flexibility which eventually lead to snowball effect (social change)
3) Jenny..
-should demonstrate consistency by not deviating from her view that not grading work is a good idea despite social pressure – she could point out that this is a view that she has held throughout her teaching career
-should demonstrate commitment by placing herself at some risk/inconvenience – she may
volunteer to field criticisms from students, parents, other departments, etc. This will draw more attention to her ‘cause’ (augmentation principle)
-over time, the rest of the department may become ‘converted’ (snowball effect) – for example, if
Jenny’s students start to perform particularly well

Question 4

Outline two behavioural characteristics of depression (4)

Answer 4

• change in activity levels – increased lethargy (lack of energy)/ withdrawal from activities that were
  once enjoyed (anhedonia); neglecting personal hygiene; increased activity levels/agitation
• disruption to eating behaviour – increased or decreased eating/weight gain or loss

Question 5

Outline and evaluate one or more neural explanations of obsessive-compulsive disorder (8)

Answer 5

AO1=
* the role of neurochemicals such as serotonin and dopamine – levels associated with abnormal
transmission of mood-related information/obsessive thoughts
* structural deficits – abnormal functioning in the parahippocampal gyrus which processes unpleasant
emotions; hyperactivity in the basal ganglia linked to repetitive actions (compulsions); the orbito-frontal
cortex ‘the worry circuit’ – the caudate nucleus-thalamus loop, inability to filter small worries in OCD so
worry circuit is overactive
* damage to neural mechanisms due to breakdown of immune functioning, e.g. via Lyme’s disease

AO3=
* success of drug treatments, e.g. SSRIs, suggests that low serotonin is a causal factor
* not all patients respond to drug treatment which casts doubt on the explanation’s validity
* issue of causation – neurochemical imbalances/structural abnormalities in the brain may be a
symptom rather than the cause of the illness

Question 6

Briefly outline one way that a cognitive psychologist might treat depression by challenging
irrational thoughts

Answer 6

Possible content:
* rational confrontation; ABCDE model – D for dispute, E for effect (reduction of irrational thoughts);
shame attacking exercises; empirical and logical argument (Ellis)
* patient as scientist; data gathering to test validity of irrational thoughts; reinforcement of positive
beliefs (Beck).

Question 7

Describe the biological approach to treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). (4)

Answer 7

• use of drug therapy to ‘correct’ imbalance of neurochemicals, eg serotonin, to reduce symptoms
  associated with OCD
• SSRIs – prevent the reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin in the brain, continue to stimulate the
  postsynaptic neuron
• timescale – 3–4 months of daily use for SSRIs to impact upon symptoms
• alternatives to SSRIs – tricyclics, SNRIs
• other drugs – benzodiazepines for general relaxation and reduction of anxiety