Paper 1 - Psychopathology

Question 1

What are the 4 separate definitions for psychological abnormality ?

Answer 1

Statistical infrequency
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health

Question 2

What is statistical infrequency and its use of distribution curves ?

Answer 2

• A behaviour is seen as abnormal if it is statistically uncommon, or not seen very often in society.
• Using data from statistics to see if behaviour is common or uncommon (abnormal)
• Uses a distribution curve to show establish what is normal behaviour with majority of people in the middle = normal and relatively few people on the end so are abnormal

Question 3

What is the defintion of deviation from social norms ?

Answer 3

• Standards of acceptable behaviour (rules) set by society through collective judgment
• Include implicit and explicit rules
• If you don’t follow these rules = abnormal

Question 4

What is the definition of failure to function adequately ?

Answer 4

• Where an individual is unable to meet the demands of everyday life and their behaviour becomes abnormal Eg. Hygiene, nutrition, sustain friendships or a job
• Causing suffering and distress to the individual themselves, and those around them such as their friends and family

Question 5

What researchers looked into failure to function adequately and what did they add to the definition ?

Answer 5

• David Rosennam and Martin Seligman
• More ways to identify inadequate functioning : non - adherence to social norms, irrational, dangerous behaviour towards themself or others

Question 6

What is the defintion of deviation from ideal mental health and who proposed the idea?

Answer 6

• Marie Jahoda
• Identified six criteria for ideal mental health, individuals who fail to meet these standards can be provided help and support

Question 7

Give and explain the 6 aspects part of the ideal mental health criterion ?

Answer 7

1. Positive self-attitude: Having self-respect and a positive self-concept.
2. Self-actualisation: Experiencing personal growth and development. Becoming everything one is capable of becoming.
3. Resistance to stress: Having effective coping strategies and being able to cope with stress-provoking situations.
4. Autonomy: Being independent, self-reliant and able to make personal decisions.
5. Accurate perception of reality: Perceiving the world in a non-distorted fashion. Having an objective and realistic view of the world.
6. Environmental mastery: Being competent in all aspects of life and able to meet the demands of any situation. Having the flexibility to adapt to changing life circumstances.

Question 8

What is the definition on of a phobia and what aspects does it affect you ?

Answer 8

• Type of anxiety disorder, involves an irrational, persistent and overwhelming fear of an object or situation
• Affects the way the person thinks, feels and acts

Question 9

What are the three behavioural characteristics of phobias ?

Answer 9

Panic - crying, screaming, running away and freezing
Avoidance - interferes with the sufferers normal routine, occupation, social activities and relationships
Endurance - person chooses to remain in the presence of the feared stimulus

Question 10

What are the three cognitive characteristics of phobias ?

Answer 10

Selective Attention - person finds it difficult to look away from object of fear
Irrational Beliefs - hold irrational beliefs in relation to the feared stimulus
Cognitive Distortions - persons perception of phobic stimulus is inaccurate and unrealistic

Question 11

What are the two emotional characteristics of phobias ?

Answer 11

Anxiety - unpleasant state of high arousal makes it difficult for sufferers to relax or experience positive emotion
Fear - immediate, intense response sufferers experience in the presence of or anticipation of the feared stimulus

Question 12

What is a specific phobia?

Answer 12

An irrational, persistent, and overwhelming fear of a specific object or situation.

Question 13

How does specific, social phobia and agoraphobia affect quality of life?

Answer 13

Avoidance of the feared object or situation can have a detrimental effect on quality of life and the phobia can make the person experience anxiety

Question 14

What is the most common category of phobia?

Answer 14

Specific phobia

Question 15

What is social phobia?

Answer 15

It is an irrational, persistent, and overwhelming fear of social situations.

Question 16

When does social phobia usually begin, and does it have a clear trigger?

Answer 16

It typically begins in adolescence and often has no obvious trigger.

Question 17

What is agoraphobia?

Answer 17

It is an irrational, persistent, and overwhelming fear of being in a place or situation that would be difficult or embarrassing to escape from, or where help might not be available during a panic attack.

Question 18

What kinds of places are commonly feared by individuals with agoraphobia?

Answer 18

Public places such as shopping centers or public transport.

Question 19

What does the behavioural approach suggest about phobias?

Answer 19

The behavioural approach suggests that phobias are learned through classical and operant conditioning.

Question 20

Who proposed the two-process model and what are the two stages of the two-process model ?

Answer 20

Mowrer. This model suggests that phobias are acquired through classical conditioning, maintained through operant conditioning

Question 21

How does classical conditioning explain the acquisition of phobias?

Answer 21

When a neutral stimulus is associated with a traumatic incident

Question 22

What was the aim of Watson & Rayner’s study?

Answer 22

To demonstrate how a phobia can be acquired through classical conditioning

Question 23

Explain the procedure followed in the Watson & Rayner study ?

Answer 23

Participant = Little Albert
In the first phase of the experiment tested his reaction to a range of stimuli including a rat, a dog and a rabbit = not frightened by any of these (NS). Initially the only stimuli that triggered a fear reaction (UCR) was the noise (UCS) produced when a steel bar was struck by a hammer
During the conditioning phase when Little Albert reached for a white rat, Watson struck the steel bar with a hammer. This was repeated seven times over two weeks.

Question 24

What were the findings of Watson & Rayner’s study?

Answer 24

Little Albert developed a fear of white rats.
He also showed fear responses to other white or fluffy objects (e.g., cotton, Santa Claus mask, rabbit), demonstrating stimulus generalisation.

Question 25

How does negative reinforcement maintain phobias?

Answer 25

• By avoiding the feared stimulus, the sufferer avoids fear
• The sufferer will therefore repeat the behaviour of avoiding the feared stimulus due to negative reinforcement
• This means that the sufferer will fail to face their fear, so their phobia will be maintained

Question 26

How has the behavioural approach been applied to the treatment of phobias?

Answer 26

It has led to two behavioural treatments:
1. Systematic desensitisation (SD)
2. Flooding

Question 27

How does systematic desensitisation work?

Answer 27

The patient is gradually introduced to the feared stimulus while practicing relaxation techniques, eventually becoming desensitised to the fear.

Question 28

What are the three processes involved in systematic desensitisation?

Answer 28

Desensitisation hierarchy
Relaxation
Exposure

Question 29

What is the desensitisation hierarchy?

Answer 29

A series of situations related to the feared stimulus, arranged from least to most frightening, created by the patient and therapist.

Question 30

What relaxation techniques might a patient learn during systematic desensitisation?

Answer 30

Breathing exercises
Progressive muscle relaxation

Question 31

How is exposure used in systematic desensitisation?

Answer 31

The patient works through the desensitisation hierarchy step by step, practicing relaxation techniques at each stage.

Question 32

What determines when a patient can move to the next stage in the hierarchy?

Answer 32

The patient must master a stage, meaning they can remain relaxed while exposed to it.

Question 33

How do you know when the treatment is complete?

Answer 33

The patient can move through the entire hierarchy without fear, meaning they are desensitised.

Question 34

What is flooding as a treatment for phobias?

Answer 34

Flooding is a behavioural therapy where the patient is exposed to their feared stimulus directly and intensely for an extended period of time.

Question 35

How does flooding differ from systematic desensitisation ?

Answer 35

Flooding does not involve gradual exposure. Instead, it exposes the patient to the most frightening situation immediately.

Question 36

How does flooding work to reduce fear?

Answer 36

The fear response (fight-or-flight) has a time limit.
As the fear response naturally decreases over time, the patient learns that no harm will occur.
This leads to extinction, where the association between the feared stimulus and fear is broken.

Question 37

How is flooding typically carried out?

Answer 37

The patient is exposed to the feared stimulus in a safe and controlled environment for a prolonged period until their fear diminishes.