Psychiatry definitions Flashcards
Define tangentiality
Replies to questions asked, but the responses are off-point or irrelevant. Answers usually diverge from the topic asked about
Define neologism
The creation of new words
Define denial as a defence mechanism
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
What is Fregoli syndrome?
The delusional belief that one or more familiar persons, repeatedly change their appearance
Describe imprinting
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
Define reaction formation as a defense mechanism
Unacceptable emotions are unconsciously repressed and replaced by their exact opposite
E.g. A person with homoerotic desires championing and anti-LGBT+ public policy
What is Cotard’s syndrome?
A delusion that can be seen in severe depression where a person may believe that they or part of themselves is dead or decaying
Define alogia
Poverty of speech
Reduced quantity of speech, with brief, unelaborated responses
Define echolalia
Speech will repeat the words or phrases said by the interviewer
Describe classical conditioning
A learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus
Define splitting
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
What is Othello syndrome?
The delusional belief that a patient’s partner is cheating on them despite no proof. May spy on partner
Define word salad
Confused or unintelligible mixes of random words or phrases - indicative of schizophrenia
‘bannana, penguin, green, shoe’
Describe social learning
Also called modelling
Patterns of behaviour are picked up by watching other people and then assimilating their actions into behavioural repertoire
What is Ekbom Syndrome?
Delusional parisitosis - characterised by the belief that the patient is infected by parasites or bugs
What is DeClerambault syndrome?
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
What is Capgras syndrome?
The patient believes that someone close to them, usually a loved one e.g. their partner, has been replaced by a double
Define displacement as a defence mechanism
A person displaces their feelings and takes them out on a neutral person
Define clang association
Speech where word choice is governed by sound rather than meaning - e.g. ‘here she comes with a cat catch rat match’
Define sublimation as a defence mechanism
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
Define perseveration
Excessive repetition of words, ideas, or subjects. An example would be an autistic child repeating the same string of numbers again and again
Describe operant conditioning
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
Define projection as a defence mechanism
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
Define identification as a defence mechanism
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
