Psychiatry definitions

Question 1

Define tangentiality

Answer 1

Replies to questions asked, but the responses are off-point or irrelevant. Answers usually diverge from the topic asked about

Question 2

Define neologism

Answer 2

The creation of new words

Question 3

Define denial as a defence mechanism

Answer 3

Not accepting reality. For example, if someone is diagnosed with a serious health condition (e.g., HIV or cancer) they may refuse to accept this

Question 4

What is Fregoli syndrome?

Answer 4

The delusional belief that one or more familiar persons, repeatedly change their appearance

Question 5

Describe imprinting

Answer 5

Any kind of phase-sensitive learning - learning that occurs at a particular age or stage in life - that is rapid and apparently independent of the consequences of behaviour

Question 6

Define reaction formation as a defense mechanism

Answer 6

Unacceptable emotions are unconsciously repressed and replaced by their exact opposite
E.g. A person with homoerotic desires championing and anti-LGBT+ public policy

Question 7

What is Cotard’s syndrome?

Answer 7

A delusion that can be seen in severe depression where a person may believe that they or part of themselves is dead or decaying

Question 8

Define alogia

Answer 8

Poverty of speech
Reduced quantity of speech, with brief, unelaborated responses

Question 9

Define echolalia

Answer 9

Speech will repeat the words or phrases said by the interviewer

Question 10

Describe classical conditioning

Answer 10

A learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus

Question 11

Define splitting

Answer 11

A common and immature defense mechanism where the patient is unable to reconcile both good and bad traits of a person and therefore sees them as all good or all bad.
People with this defenese mechanism tend to be prone to explosive relationships and drive most close relationships away

Question 12

What is Othello syndrome?

Answer 12

The delusional belief that a patient’s partner is cheating on them despite no proof. May spy on partner

Question 13

Define word salad

Answer 13

Confused or unintelligible mixes of random words or phrases - indicative of schizophrenia
‘bannana, penguin, green, shoe’

Question 14

Describe social learning

Answer 14

Also called modelling
Patterns of behaviour are picked up by watching other people and then assimilating their actions into behavioural repertoire

Question 15

What is Ekbom Syndrome?

Answer 15

Delusional parisitosis - characterised by the belief that the patient is infected by parasites or bugs

Question 16

What is DeClerambault syndrome?

Answer 16

Also called erotomania
Patient believes someone is in love with them, usually a celebrity. Believes this person cannot live without them
More common in women

Question 17

What is Capgras syndrome?

Answer 17

The patient believes that someone close to them, usually a loved one e.g. their partner, has been replaced by a double

Question 18

Define displacement as a defence mechanism

Answer 18

A person displaces their feelings and takes them out on a neutral person

Question 19

Define clang association

Answer 19

Speech where word choice is governed by sound rather than meaning - e.g. ‘here she comes with a cat catch rat match’

Question 20

Define sublimation as a defence mechanism

Answer 20

A mature ego defence
Person takes an unacceptable personality trait and uses it to drive respectable work which does not conflict with their values
E.g. Someone feeling extreme anger taking up kickboxing as a way to let out their feelings

Question 21

Define perseveration

Answer 21

Excessive repetition of words, ideas, or subjects. An example would be an autistic child repeating the same string of numbers again and again

Question 22

Describe operant conditioning

Answer 22

Also called instrumental conditioning
A type of learning in which the strength of a behaviour is modified by the behaviour’s consequences such as reward or punishment

Question 23

Define projection as a defence mechanism

Answer 23

A situation where a person assumes that an innocent, neutral character is responsible or equally guilty as the patient for the patients actions
e.g. a person cheating in an exam may also accuse an innocent person of doing the same

Question 24

Define identification as a defence mechanism

Answer 24

When someone models the behaviour of another, an example would be a victim of childhood abuse going on to become the abuser in later life

Question 25

Define circumstantiality

Answer 25

Excessively indirect speech where the individual gives unnecessary and often irrelevant information before arriving at the main point

Question 26

Define dissociation as a defence mechanism

Answer 26

An immature ego defence
Ones identity is temporarily and drastically modified to avoid stress of a situation. Examples - multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder

Question 27

Define fixation as a defence mechanism

Answer 27

Obsessing over an idea, object or thought as a way of coping with a stressor. Patients can often lose sight of other problems or surrounding themes as their attention becomes locked on their obsession