Paper 1 - Psychopathology AO3 Flashcards
1
Q
Give a limitation of statistical infrequency regarding its definition ?
A
- Defintion has been cristicised
- Not all statistically infrequent behaviors indicate a psychological disorder; for example, having an IQ over 150 is very rare but considered desirable.
- Limitation of the concept of statistical infrequency, and means that it can never be used alone to diagnose psychological disorders.
2
Q
Give a strength of statistical invrewucny regarding its RLA ?
A
- Real life applications
- Eg. Diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder requires an IQ score below 70 (bottom 28%)
- Shows its usefulness in diagnosis of some disorders
3
Q
Give a strength of deviation from social norms regarding its criterion ?
A
- Useful criteria in clinical practice particularly psychiatry
- eg. Antisocial personality disorder is defined as faultier to conform to culturally acceptable behaviours eg. Aggression and recklessness
- Valuable in psychiatry
4
Q
Give a limitation of deviation from social norms regarding cultural differences ?
A
- Social norms vary across cultures
- For instance, in the UK, dogs are held as pets, so killing and eating a dog would be considered abnormal. However, in China, dogs are commonly seen as food and widely eaten.
- Suggests that judgments about social deviance are related to culture, so behaviours considered abnormal in one culture may not be seen as abnormal in another
5
Q
Give a strength of failure to function adequately regarding is ability to give help?
A
- Use criteria in mental health diagnosis to detrmine wether patient requires practical help
- In the UK approximately 25% of individuals will experience mental health issues and usually when they fail to function adequately they will seek help
- Ensure mental health issues and services are targeted to those that need it
6
Q
Give a limitation of failure to function adequately regarding cultural differences ?
A
- Influenced by cultural differences
- What is considered a failure to function in one culture may be seen as adequate functioning in another
- Suggests that failure to function adequately cannot offer a complete definition of abnormality because it is related to culture
7
Q
Give a strength of deviation of ideal mental health regarding its approach ?
A
- Comprehensive approach to defining abnormality
- Broad criteria to distinguish mental health disorder, they can be discussed with a variety of professionals
- Facilitates discussion about psychological issues with different professionals
8
Q
Give a limitation of deviation of ideal mental health regarding its ambiguity ?
A
- Lack of clarity regarding how many criteria must be missing to classify someone as abnormal
- If only one criterion needs to be absent, then most people would be considered abnormal, as very few individuals meet all six criteria
- Definition is incomplete and requires further clarification to determine what is abnormal
9
Q
Give a strength of the two process model ?
A
- Important implications for the treatment of phobias
- Explains how phobias are maintained through the process of negative reinforcement
- Highlights the importance of exposing patients to their feared stimuli during treatment = practical values
10
Q
Give a limitation of the two process model regarding the inability to condition someone ?
A
- It is not always possible to condition an individual to fear a neutral stimulus
- For example, Bregman (1934) found that it was not possible to condition infants aged 8–16 months to fear wooden blocks, even after pairing them with a loud noise.
- This suggests that the two-process model oversimplified
11
Q
Give a limitation of the two process model regarding development of phobias from traumatic incidences ?
A
- Cannot explain why not everyone who experiences a traumatic event develops a phobia.
- For example, not everyone who is bitten by a dog develops a phobia of dogs. This limitation can be addressed by the diathesis-stress model, which suggests that individuals are born with a genetic vulnerability to developing a phobia. However, the phobia will only manifest if triggered by a traumatic event, such as a dog bite.
- Two-process model does not provide a complete explanation
12
Q
Give a limitation of the two process model regarding development of phobias ?
A
- Not everyone with a phobia can recall a specific traumatic incident that triggered it
- For example, Sue et al. (1994) found that different phobias are acquired through different processes. This aligns with social learning theory, which suggests that phobias can be learned through observation and imitation of role models, such as parents
- Does not account for alternative explanations like modeling in the acquisition of phobias.
13
Q
What is a strength of systematic desensitisation including Gilroy et al. (2003)?
A
- Evidence supporting its effectiveness as a treatment for phobias.
- Gilroy et al. (2003) studied 42 arachnophobic patients who underwent three 45-minute sessions of SD. When compared to a control group that was taught relaxation techniques but did not experience exposure, the SD group was found to be less fearful at both 3 months and 33 months after treatment.
- Effects are also long-lasting, making it a reliable treatment for phobias.
14
Q
What is a limitation of systematic desensitisation including Ohman et al. (1975)?
A
- Not effective at treating all phobias. - For example, Ohman et al. (1975) found that SD is not as effective at treating phobias that have an underlying evolutionary survival component (e.g. fear of snakes, rats, heights).
-Most effective at treating phobias acquired through a traumatic incident, cannot be used for all phobias
15
Q
What is a strength of flooding including Choy et al. (2007)?
A
- Effective treatment
- For example, Choy et al. (2007) reported that flooding is more effective than SD at treating phobias and quicker than cognitive treatments for phobias
- Supports the use of flooding as a behavioural treatment for phobias
