Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Psychology Paper 1 > Psychopathology > Flashcards

Psychopathology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the definitions of abnormality?

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Example of Statistical infrequency

A

Most people have an IQ in the range of 85 to 115. Only 2% have a score below 70, those are ‘abnormal’

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Deviation from social Norms

A

Concerns behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in society.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Who chooses what is abnormal?

A

Groups of people choose to define behaviour as abnormal if it offends their sense of what is the norm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is an example of deviation from social norms?

A

APD personality is impulsive etc. we make a social judgement they are abnormal bc they don’t conform to our moral standards.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Failure to function adequately

A

Occurs when someone can no longer cope with the ordinary demands of day to day living.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What did Rosenhan & Selighan propose?

A

Signs that can be used to determine when someone isn’t coping.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the signs to determine if someone isn’t coping?

A

No longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules
Experiences severe personal distress
Behaviour becomes dangerous to themselves/others,

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Deviation from ideal mental health

A

Occurs when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Statistical infrequency

A

Occurs when an individual has a less common characteristic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What did Jahoda say shows we are in good mental health?

A

Are rational
Self actualise
Have realistic views of the world
Cope with stress.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

DOA Strength - cultural relativism

A

Norms vary from one generation/community, means a person from one may label something abnormal while that person doing it may think it’s normal. E.g. Lahore conducted study in India and found hearing voices was mostly pos, but in other western countries it would be seen as a mental abnormality - UK

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

DOA Limitation - not everyone benefits from a label

A

Someone living happy fulfilled life, no benefit to label as abnormal. E.g. someone with low IQ but is not distressed would not need a diagnosis of intellectual disability. If labelled it may have a negative effect on the way others view them or themselves.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is used to explain phobias?

A

Two process model

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Who proposed the two process model?

A

Mower

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the two process model based on?

A

Based on the behavioural approach to phobias, using classical and operant conditioning.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How does classical conditioning cause a phobia?

A

Classical conditioning involves learning to associate something of which we have no fear, with something that triggers it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How does operant conditioning link in with phobias?

A

Reinforcement increases the frequency of a behaviour. Neg= individual avoids a situation that is unpleasant. Pos= this results in a desirable consequence so the phobia is maintained.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Example of two process model being used

A

Little albert

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Who conducted the Little Albert experiment?

A

Watson and Raynor created a phobia in a 9 month old baby

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Who did they cause the phobia?

A

When the rat was presented, a loud noise was made with an iron bar. This UCS of noise produced an CR of fear.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What happened with this fear later on?

A

The conditioning then generalised to similar objects.

23
Q

What are the two ways of treating phobias?

A

Systematic desensitisation

Flooding

24
Q

What is systematic desensitisation?

A

A behavioural therapy designed to gradually reduce the phobic anxiety through classical conditioning

25
Q

Systematic desensitisation causes what?

A

Counter conditioning

Reciprocal inhibition

26
Q

Counter conditioning

A

A new response to phonic stimulus is learned and paired with relaxation

27
Q

Reciprocal inhibition

A

Impossible to be afraid and relaxed at same time, so one prevents other

28
Q

What are the three processes involved in SD?

A

Anxiety hierarchy
Relaxation
Exposure

29
Q

Anxiety hierarchy

A

A list of situations related to the phobia in order from most to least frightening

30
Q

Relaxation

A

May involved breathing exercises or mental imagery techniques.

31
Q

Exposure

A

Exposed to the phobia while in a relaxed state

32
Q

What is flooding?

A

Exposing phobias patients to their phobic stimulus with immediate exposure to the most frightening situation

33
Q

What does flooding do?

A

Stops phobic responses quickly, bc without the option of avoidance the patient learns the stimulus is harmless. This process is extinction.

34
Q

What is needed before going through with flooding?

A

Important to give fully informed consent as it is traumatic and unpleasant.

35
Q

Strength- two process model has good explanatory power

A

Explained how phobias maintained. Had important implications for therapies bc it explains why patients needs to be exposed to fear. Once prevented from avoidance behaviour, no longer reinforced and so declined.

36
Q

Strength - SD is effective

A

Gilroy et al followed up 42 patients been treated for spider phobia in 3 45min sessions. Control group treated by relaxation. 3 and 33 months = SD group less fearful. Strength bc shows SD helpful in reducing anxiety and effects are long lasting.

37
Q

Limitation - flooding less effective for some phobias

A

Complex ones like social phobias. May be bc they have cognitive aspects. E.g. a suffered thinks unpleasant thoughts of situation rather than anxiety response. May benefit more from CBT as they tackle irrational thinking.

38
Q

How do we explain OCD?

A

Genetic and neural explanations

39
Q

Genetic explanations

A

Genes are involved in a vulnerability to OCD.

40
Q

What did Lewis observe of his patients?

A

37% had OCD parents and 21% had OCD sibkings

41
Q

What does the diathesis stress model say?

A

Certain genes leave some more likely to suffer a mental disorder and stress is needed to trigger it.

42
Q

What are candidate genes?

A

Genes which create a vulnerability to OCD. One group of genes may cause OCD in one person, and a different in another.

43
Q

OCD is….?

A

Aetiologically heterogenous.

44
Q

Neural explanations

A

This is the role of serotonin which is used to help regulate mood. Love levels of serotonin cause normal transmission of mood relevant info to not take place.

45
Q

How is OCD treated?

A

Through drug therapy

46
Q

What does drug therapy do?

A

Aim to increase or decrease the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain.

47
Q

What is an example of a drug therapy?

A

SSRI’s

48
Q

What are SSRI’s?

A

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

49
Q

What do SSRI’s do?

A

Work on the serotonin system by preventing the reabsorption and breakdown. They increase the levels in the synapse and continue to stimulate the post synaptic neuron.

50
Q

Why are SSRI’s often combined with CBT?

A

The drugs reduce the emotions symptoms so they can engage mor effectively with CBT

51
Q

Limitation- environmental risk factors increasing risk of OCD

A

Cromer et al found over 1/2 of ocd patients had traumatic past event. More sever after more than 1 trauma, suggests ocd isn’t entirely genetics. May be more productive to focus on the enviro risk factors as something can be done about them.

52
Q

Strength- supporting evidence for role of neural mechanisms

A

Some antidepressants work purely on serotonin system, increasing levels of neurotransmitters. Effective in reducing ocd symptoms which suggests serotonin system involved in ocd.

53
Q

Strength - drug theory effecting at tackling symptoms

A

And improving quality of life. Soomro et al looked at studies of SSRI’s compared to placebos and SSRI’s show better results. Effectiveness greatest when combined with CBT. Symptoms decline significantly for around 70% taking SSRI’s

Psychology Paper 1 (6 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions