Psychopathology

Question 1

What are the four definitions of abnormality?

Answer 1

Statistical infrequency

Deviation from social norms

Failure to function adequately

Deviation from ideal mental health

Question 2

Explain statistical infrequency as a definition of abnormality

Answer 2

Any behaviour that is found in very few people is regarded as abnormal

Characteristics of behaviour are less common

E.g. IQ under 70 - intellectual disability disorder
IQ above 130 also unusual

Question 3

Explain ‘deviation from social norms’ as a definition of abnormality

Answer 3

Person’s behaviour deviates from the unwritten rules of their society/ cultural group - seen as abnormal

Behaviour is unexpected by other members of the group

E.g., Anti personality disorder

Question 4

Explain ‘inability to function adequately’ as a definition of abnormality

Answer 4

Individual is unable to cope with demands of everyday life

• Behaviour becomes more irrational/ dangerous
• Person suffers from severe personal distress
• No longer conforming to standard impersonal rules,
  e.g. no respect for personal space

Question 5

Explain ‘deviation from ideal mental health’ as a definition of abnormality

Answer 5

Absence of signs of mental health used to judge abnormality

Jahoda’s (1958) criteria:
- self actualisation
- cope with stress
- realistic view of world
- good self-esteem + lack of guilt

Question 6

Outline characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Answer 6

BEHAVIOURAL

• COMPULSONS ARE REPETETIVE behaviours (e.g.
  hand washing)
• COMPULSIONS REDUCE ANXIETY caused by
  obsessions (e.g. hand washing as a result of
  obsessive fear of germs)
• AVOIDANCE (avoid situations that could trigger
  anxiety, e.g. washing hands to stay away from dirt -
  can interfere with everyday life, e.g. unable to take
  trash out)

EMOTIONAL

• ANXIETY & DISTRESS
• ACCOMPANYING DEPRESSION
• GUILT & DISGUST

COGNITIVE

• OBSESSIVE THOUGHTS (90% suffer - unpleasant)
• COGNITIVE COPING STATEGIES (e.g. praying/
  meditating - manage/ reduce anxiety)
• INSIGHT INTO EXCESSIVE ANXIETY (aware obs. and
  comps. are irrational - hypervigilant of potential
  hazards)

Question 7

Outline genetic explanations of OCD

Answer 7

GENETIC VULNERABILITY
- diathesis-stress model : certain genes leave individual
more likely to develop a mental disorder
- environmental stressor required to trigger disorder

CANDIDATE GENES
- genes identified by researchers which contribute to
vulnerability for OCD
- e.g. SERT - involved in regulating serotonin
COMPT - regulates production of dopamine

OCD IS POLYGENIC
- OCD is caused by multiple genes, not just a single
one
- Taylor (2013) found up to 230 genes involved in OCD

DIFFERENT TYPES OF OCD
- Certain group of genes cause OCD in one person, but a different group of genes cause OCD in someone else

Question 8

Evaluate the genetic explanations of OCD

Answer 8

P) Strength - research support
E) e.g. Nestadt et al. (2010) reviewed twin studies -
found 68% MZ twins share OCD compared to 21%
DZ twins
E) suggests there’s genetic influence on OCD
A) however, fact that MZ twins share more things in
common than just genetics (share same
environment) compared to DZ twins is overlooked
L)

P) Limitation - too many candidate genes
E) Psychologists unsuccessful in identifying all genes
involved in OCD - maybe because several genes
appear to be involved, and each genetic variation
only increases OCD risk by a fraction
E) Therefore, genetic explanation is unlikely to be
useful as it provides little predictive value

P) Limitation - environmental factors increase risk
E) E.g. Crowder (2007) found over half of OCD patients
in sample experienced a traumatic event in past.
Also, OCD more severe in those with more than one
traumatic experience
E) Suggests that OCD origin is not entirely genetic

Question 9

Outline neural explanations of OCD

Answer 9

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