psychopathology Flashcards
definitions of abnormality - statistical infrequency
-most obvious way to define anything as ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ is in terms of the number of times it is observed
-behaviour that is different or rare is an infrequency
-e.g. IQ below 70 are statistically unusual and diagnosed with intellectual disability disorder
definitions of abnormality- deviation from social norms
-abnormality based on social context
-social groups make collective judgements on what is normal
-e.g. homosexuality is viewed as abnormal in some cultures but not others and was considered abnormal in ours in past
-e.g. antisocial personality disorder symptom is ‘failure to conform to lawful and ethical behaviour’
-aka they are a psychopath because they deviate from social norms
definitions of abnormality- failure to function adequately
-inability to cope with everyday living, cannot deal with demands of everyday life
-e.g. basic hygiene and nutrition
-Rosehan and Seligman (1989) proposed signs of not coping;
1. dont conform to interpersonal rules
2.severe personal distress
3.irrational or dangerous
e.g. intellectual disability disorder (describe)
definitions of abnormality- deviation from ideal mental health
-look at what is normal, identify anyone who deviates from this
-Jahoda 1958 made categories for ideal mental health:
1.no symptoms or distress
2.rational perceive ourselves rightly
3.self actualise
4.cope with stress
5.realistic world view
6.good self esteem, lack guilt
7.independent
8.sucessfully work, love and enjoy leisure
-inevitable overlap of definitions e.g. inability to keep a job may sign a failure to cope with pressures or deviation from ideal of successfully working
phobias- behavioural aspect
1.panic- may involve crying, screaming or running away from phobic stimulus
2.avoidance- effort to prevent contact with stimulus- make everyday life hard
3.endurance- remaining with stimulus, continued anxiety
phobias- emotional aspect
1.anxiety- unpleasant high arousal, prevents relaxation difficult to have pos emotions
2.fear- immediate response to phobic stimulus
3.emotional response is unreasonable- disproportionate to threat posed
phobias- cognitive aspect
1.selective attention to phobic stimulus- hard to look away
2.irrational beliefs- not truth
3. cognitive distortions- unrealistic thinking
depression- behavioural aspect
1.activity levels- reduced energy makes them lethargic
2.disruption to sleep and eating- insomnia or hypersomnia- weight inc or dec
3.aggression or self harm- due to irritability
depression- emotional aspect
1.lowered mood- worthless or empty feeling
2. anger
3.lowered self-esteem
OCD- behavioural aspect
1.compulsions are repetitive- ritualistic actions
2.compulsions reduce anxiety
3.avoidance
OCD- emotional aspect
1.anxiety and distress
2.depression
3.guilt and disgust
OCD- cognitive aspect
1.obsessive thoughts- intrusive
2.cognitive coping strategies- e.g. meditation
3.insight to excessive anxiety- awareness that thoughts and behaviour are irrational
4.poor concentration
5.attention to negative
6.absolutist thinking- exaggerated
behavioural approach to explaining phobias- role of classical and operant conditioning
-classical and operant conditioning
-Mowrer (1960) argued phobias are learnt by classical and maintained by operant
- explains ‘2 process model’
behavioural app to explaining phobias- acquisition by classical conditioning
- UCS triggers fear (fear is UCR) e.g. being bitten creates anxiety
2.NS is associated with UCS e.g. being bitten by dog, (dog did not previously create anxiety)
3.NS becomes CS producing fear (which is now CR)
-dog becomes a CS causing a CR of anxiety following the bite
behavioural app to explaining phobias- little alberts conditioned fear
-Watson and Rayner 1920 showed how fears are conditioned
1.loud noise made whenever albert played with white rat, noise(UCS) caused fear response (UCR)
2.rat (NS) did not create fear until bang and rat paired many times
-generalised to fear of other stimuli including santa beard
behavioural app to explaining phobias- maintenance by operant conditioning
-aka neg reinforcement
-takes place when behaviour reinforced or punished
-neg reinforcement= individual produces behaviour to avoid something unpleasant
-when someone avoids stimulus they escape anxiety, this reduced fear negatively reinforces avoidance behaviour
-so phobia is maintained
-include an example (clowns)
behavioural app to treating phobias- systematic desensitisation- based on classical conditioning
-aims to gradually reduce anxiety through counterconditioning
-phobia is learnt so CS produces CR
-CS paired with relaxation making it the new CR
-reciprocal inhibition= not possible to be relaxed and afraid at the same time - so one prevents another
behavioural app to treating phobias- SD- formation of anxiety hierarchy
-client and therapist design
-fearful stimuli arranged from least to most frightening
-give an example e.g. spiders
behavioural app to treating phobias- SD- relaxation practised at each hierarchy level
-relaxation techniques such as deep breathing taught
-person works through anxiety hierarchy
-exposed to phobic stimulus in a relaxed state
-takes place over several sessions starting at bottom of hierarchy
-treatment successful when relaxed at highest anxiety level
behavioural app to treating phobias- flooding- immediate exposure to stimulus
-no gradual build up
-e.g. person has spider on hand until they relax
behavioural app to treating phobias- flooding- quick learning through extinction
-without option of avoidance, person learns phobic stimulus is harmless through exhaustion of fear response
-known as extinction
behavioural app to treating phobias- flooding- ethical safeguards
-not unethical but unpleasant
-important they get informed consent
-must be fully prepared and know what to expect
cog app to explaining depression- Becks negative triad- faulty info processing
-1967
-suggested some more prone to depression because of faulty info processing
-depressed people attend to neg aspects of situation and ignore positives
-blow small problems out of proportion and think in black and white
cog app to explaining depression- Becks negative triad- negative self schema
-package of info we develop through experience
-used to interpret the world
-negative self schema means we interpret info about ourselves in a negative way
cog app to explaining depression- Becks negative triad- the 3 elements to negative triad
- neg view of the world
2.neg view of the future - negative view of the self
cog app to explaining depression- ABC model- A
-activating event
-ellis suggested depression arises from irrational thoughts
-depression occurs when we experience negative events e.g. failing test
cog app to explaining depression- ABC model- B
-beliefs
neg events trigger irrational beliefs
-ellis called belief we must always succeed ‘musterbation’
-i cant stand it is belief it is a disaster when things do not go smoothly
-utopianism- belief world must always be fair and just
cog app to explaining depression- ABC model- C
-consequences
-when activating event triggers irrational beliefs there are emotional and behavioural consequences
-e.g. if you believe you must always succeed, but fail
-the consequence is depression
