Psychopathology Flashcards
What are Phobias
An anxiety disorder which involve an irrational fear of that is directed towards a particular object or situation. The fear is out of proportion, and often the person with the fear acknowledges this
What are some behavioural symptoms of phobias
Avoidance
Freezing or fainting
Crying or screaming
Running away
What are some emotional symptoms of phobia
Irrational and persistent fear
Anxiety - constant panic
What are some cognitive symptoms of phobia
Selective attention to stimulus
Irrational thinking
resisting logical arguments
Recognition of irrational anxiety
What type of conditioning is used to obtain a phobia
Classical Conditioning
What type of conditioning is used to maintain phobia
Operant Conditioning
What are the different treatments for phobias
Flooding
Systematic Desensitisation
What happens in the flooding treatment for phobias
Where the patient is exposed to an extreme form of their phobia. This takes place over a small number of long sessions. Continues until adrenaline levels decrease and patient is calm
Evaluate the flooding treatment for phobias
+Cost effective, can be used in virutal reality
- Less effective for certain phobias, can be traumatic
Explain the Systematic Desensitisation treatment for phobias
Gradually expose the patient to more extreme forms of their phobia.
Give the three components to systematic desensitation
Fier heirachy (grad exposure to heirachy)
Reciprocal inhibition (not possible to be afraid and relaxed together, one emotion cancels the other)
Counterconditioning (fear (CS) is paired with relaxation, becoming the new reaction (CR)
Evaluate Systematic Desensitisation
+ Supporting studies such as McGrath (70% of patients treated)
- not effective with all phobias
- low generalisation
What are the two types of depression
Unipolar and Bipolar
What are some behavioural effects of depression
Loss of energy, changes in sleep pattern, changes in appetite, self harm suicide
What are some emotional effects of depression
Depressed mood, feeling of worthlessness, no motiviation, anger
What are some cognitive effects of depression
Poor concentration, negative mindset, absolutist thinking (black and white thinking)
What approach is used to explain depression
Cognitive
What are the cognitive explanations for depression
Thoughts and beliefs are factors in causing depression
Irrational thinking make a person vulnerable
People with depression show cognitive distortions (irrational thinking)
What cognitive theories aim to explain depression
Beck’s Cognitive Triad
Ellis’ Irrational Thinking (ABC model)
Explain Beck’s Cognitive Triad
Depressed people’s thoughts are biased towards negative interpretations. Depression is caused by negative thoughts and self-schemas which maintain the cognitive triad. These thoughts occur automatically
What is the negative triad in Beck’s cognitive triad
There are three types of negative thinking that contribute to depression: negative views of the world, the self, and the future.
What are negative self schemas
Set of beliefs and expectations which are self-blaming and pessimistic. A schema is a package of ideas and information developed through experience. A self-schema is the package of information we have about ourselves.
How do negative schemas contribute to depression
Due to the irrational perspective of the world, depressed people see the world in a more negative light leading to cognitive distortions
What are cognitive distortions
Logical errors focusing on certain aspects of the scenario while ignoring relevant info. Focusing on negatives, ignoring positives.
What are some examples of cognitive distortions
Overgeneralization - making a sweeping conclusion on the basis of one event
Minimisation - Tendency to underplay a positive even
What does the ABC model in Ellis’ model stand for
Activating event triggers…
Beliefs which are irrational. This produces…
Consequences - an emotional response
Explain the Activating Event in the ABC model
We get depressed when we experience negative events such as ending a relationship. This then goes on to trigger irrational thoughts
Explain the Belief in the ABC model
Ellis identified many irrational beliefs, such as focusing only negative or thinking we must be perfect