Psychopathology Flashcards
What are the 4 definitions of Abnormality?
Deviation From Social Norms (DSN)
Statistical Infrequency (SI)
Failure To Function Adequately (FFA)
Deviation From Idea Mental Health (DIMH)
What is Deviation From Social Norms?
Abnormality in this definition is a deviation from unwritten rules about how one is ‘ought’ to behave.
Strengths of DSN
- We are able to distinguish between normal and abnormal behaviour. The definition gives a clear distinction between them both.
- This definition has real life application - In the diagnosis of ASPD the symptoms of this disorder state that a persons behaviour is deviating from social norms. This applies to other disorders like schizophrenia where a person might talk to themselves. We can apply this definition in real life. making it authentic.
Weaknesses of DSN
- Cultural Relativism
- Deviation is related to context of the situation. - Person is in trunks on the beach but not in classroom. Does this make them weird?
- Definitions of Social norm can change over time. like being a gay is normalised now
What is Statistical Infrequency?
Any relatively usual behaviour or characteristic can been seen as normal and any other behaviour that is different is abnormal.
SI occurs when a person has a less common characteristic
Strengths of SI
- Real Life Application - It allows for the measurement of the severity of different symptom. Allows us to compare normal with abnormal.
- Definition is objective - No Bias based on statistics and facts.
Weaknesses of SI
- Unusual characteristics can be a positive - If u don’t fit in the 68% of the population then you are abnormal. However some have 130iq we don’t see this as undesirable.
- Not everyone unusual benefits from a label - May cause someone to view themselves differently. May believe they are abnormal - may feel inferior.
What is Failing To Function Adequately?
This definition of abnormality focuses on they everyday behaviour of an individual. A person who is suffering from FFA is unable to go through everyday stresses and cope through daily challenges.
eg, depression causes low moods so a person might be unable to get up and go to work.
Strength of FFA
- Patients Perspective - Takes in account the personal situation of the individual - considers thought sand feelings of the person. Unlike DSN which bases of social norms.
- Measurable - Can be measures with a GAF scale (general assessment of functioning)
this allows for the decision if a behaviour to be abnormal can be made in a relatively objective way.
Weaknesses of FFA
- Cultural Relativism
- Who judges
- Abnormality does not always inhibit the person functioning
What is Deviation from Ideal Mental Health?
This definition is based on not judging abnormality but looking at what normality is like showing good mental health can be through being physically healthy.
To show ideal mental health we should:
- have a high self esteem
- resistant to stress
- show empathy
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Strength of DIMH
Comprehensive Definition - Brad range of criteria for mental health including most of the reasons why someone would seek help from services.
Achievement of goals - Allows for clear goals to be set and focused on to achieve ideal mental health. allows a person to be aspirational
Weaknesses of DIMH
- Who can achieve all of these criteria all the time
- Cultural Relativism
- Subjectivity - Vague criteria so is difficult to measure so you can’t really see if someone is fulfilling the criteria. Only can really self-assess. eg (if you are resistant to stress)
What are phobias?
An excessive fear or anxiety, triggered by an object, place or situation. The extent of the fear is out of proportion to any real danger presented by the phobic stimulus.
An explanation might be trauma which leads to the conditioning of the fear then generalising to things that may be similar.
What are the 3 categories of phobias?
Specific Phobia - of an object like an animal
Social Anxiety - of a public situation (speaking publicly)
Agoraphobia - fear of being outside or public space
Behavioural characteristics of Phobias
Panic - crying, screaming or running away when in the presence of the phobias stimulus.
Avoidance - Avoid coming in contact
Endurance - Remains in presence but has high levels of anxiety
Emotional characteristics of Phobias
Anxiety - Phobias are an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is an unpleasant state of high arousal
Fear - The immediate and immensely unpleasant response people have when in presence of the phobic stimulus. Experienced for shorter periods than anxiety.
Emotional Responses are Unreasonable - The emotional responses that we experience in relation to phobic material go beyond what is reasonable.
Cognitive Characteristics of Phobias
Selective Attention to the Phobic Stimulus - This is where it is hard for the individual to look away from the phobic stimulus.
Irrational Beliefs - A phobic may hold irrational beliefs in relation to the phobic stimulus.
Cognitive Distortions - The perceptions of the phobic stimulus may be distorted - thoughts of the phobia are unpleasant and misrepresented
What is the Two Process Model?
Howard Mowrer’s 2 Process Model states that phobias are acquired through Classical Conditioning and maintained through Operant Conditioning.
What is Classical Conditioning?
Classical Conditioning is learning through association. It is when a neutral stimulus (NS) is regularly paired with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) it generates an unconditioned response (UCR) e.g. feeling of reward or fear - due to the UCS. This response will become associated with the Neutral stimulus (NS). Once this happens enough then the response becomes a conditioned response (CR) and the original NS becomes a conditioned stimulus as it evokes a natural response (CS).
Watson and raynor rassed the 11 month old
What is Operant Conditioning?
Operant conditioning is learning through the reinforcements (rewards) and punishments. Behaviours which are rewarded are likely to be repeated.
Two types of reward:
Positive reinforcement is when an individual carries out a behaviour to achieve a reward
Negative reinforcement is when an individual carries out a behaviour to avoid a negative consequence e.g. discomfort or fear.
When a phobic stimulus is avoided, fear and anxiety are also avoided - avoidance is a form of negative reinforcement (fear is seen as punishment/negative consequence)
How does operant conditioning explain the maintenance of phobias?
Negative reinforcement explains the maintenance of behaviours through avoidance. This is where a person will go to lengths to avoid their phobic stimulus as they want to avoid the negative consequence (fear), this habit leads to many never confronting their phobia and always avoiding it.
Positive reinforcement could explain the maintenance of phobias through the attention received when scared.
Strengths of the Behavioural Approach to explaining Phobias
Provides a good explanation of how phobias could be maintained over time and explains why patients need to be exposed to the feared stimulus in therapy. - once patient is prevented from avoidance, the behaviour ceases to be reinforced so it declines. - has been proven through systematic desensitisation and flooding
Supported by experimental evidence - Little Albert (loud noise + white rat)
Weaknesses of the Behavioural Approach to explaining Phobias
Not all avoidance behaviour is associated with phobias - some avoidance behaviour may be more motivated by positive feelings of safety
Doesn’t provide a complete explanation of phobias. Evolutionary factors could play a role in phobias such as snakes as these may have caused pain or even death to our ancestors. These are not learned but innate. Used as a survival mechanism - Biological preparedness
Evidence is flawed due to being unethically obtained (Little Albert) - no consent
