Definitions of abnormality
and evaluations
- Statistical infrequency
- if behaviour is statisctally uncommon eg, 3% of pop have a moustache .
E- mental illnesses like depression we consider to be abnormal but are statistically common therefore leading to mental illnesses being normal.
2.deviation from social norms
- unwritten rule about what’s acceptable in society eg, walking around London naked and Africa.
E- cultural relativism, social norms differ between cultures
- Deviation from ideal mental health
- person is considered abnormal of missing any principles of ideal mental health , high self esteem, self actualisation,independent,accurate views. Resist stress and master environment.
E- unrealistic criteria eg, times when people feel low like when loosing a loved one.
Failure to function adequately
- abnormal if behaviour means can’t do daily demands
E- individual differences.
OCD- cognitive, behavioural and emotional characteristics
C-obsessions (reoccurring intrusive thoughts ) “my house will burn down”
B- compulsions (repeated behaviours to ease anxiety) “hand washing”
E- anxiety that’s temporarily relived when finished compulsions.
Biological approach to explaining ocd - genetic
Genetic explanation - heritable condition, over 200 genes associated with ocd
E-nestadt twin studies, 68% of both twins having ocd between identical dna twins, ,meaning if one twin had it then 68% chance the other twin has as well. Suggesting the more genetically similar to someone who has ocd the more likely u will develope the disorder.
- Cromer , over half ocd patients had a traumatic event in past. Not totally genetic.
Biological- Neural explanation of ocd
- low serotonin levels causing ocd, through excessive reabsorption of the serotonin in synapse( regulates mood)
E, correlation not causatiom between low serotonin and ocd, even if ocd suffers have low serotonin does not mean low serotonin. Causes ocd. - ssris that increase serotonin have shown to reduce ocd symptoms.
Ocd biological treatment
Ssris- selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , increase level of serotonin in synapse as prevents it from being reabsorbed into pre synaptic neurone, better regulate mood.side effects of headaches to high blood pressure.
E- non disruptive to everyday life compared to cbt.
- short term, risk of relapse.
Phobias - cognitive emotional and behavioural characteristics
Cognitive- selective attention , find it difficult to attract attention off phobic stimulus , irrational thinking, eg. All spiders are poisonous.
Emotional- excessive anxiety
Behavioural- avoidance (afraid if lifts will always use stairs.)
- panic- fight or flight , freeze
Explains phobias - 2 process model
Phobias are learnt, formation of phobias = classical conditioning
- the object if phobia starts as neural stimulus (not afraid )
- when anxiety is provoke this is the unconditioned stimulus
-if the anxiety happens alongside the neutral stimulus they are now associated and now called a conditioned stimulus and a conditioned response.
Operant conditioning
- how phobia is maintained, negative reinforcement , avoiding the feared object so taking it away gives relief , and punishment when forced to face phobia.
Evaluations to explanations of phobias
+ little Albert, showed animals then a loud bang then together, then he had a fear of animals, supports classical conditioning.
- not all distressing experiences lead to phobias eg, not all car accidents lead to phobia of cars.
behavioural treatments for phobias (flooding , dpsystemnagic desitizatiom)
Flooding - exposing patient directly and immediately to phobic stimulus eg. Room full of snakes and hold a snake straight away.
E- cost effective and fast, but traumatic so high drop out levels.
SD- taught relaxation techniques, client makes anxiety heircahy, gradually exposes up heircachy making sure relaxed after each level them extinction happens at the top when there is no longer an association.
E- 73% successful , low drip out rate.
Cognitive emotional and behavioural characteristics for depression
C- negative thoughts, focus on negative
E- depressed, low mood
B- lack of energy and appetite and insomnia.
Cognitive approach to explaining depression becks negative triad and Ellis abc model.
Becks claimed that depression is caused by negative views of the world, negative views of yourself and the future.That people who focus on negatives are more likely to have depression.
Ellis claims that A- activating event leads to b- beliefs leads to C- consequences
E- found that patients with depression are ,or eliekly to think negatively.
-biological element to disorder (ssris)
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Identify - identity negative thoughts about the self world and future “thought catching “
Challenge- challenge irrational thought and encourage to consider other interpretations
Test- encourage to do tasks outside of sessions to test negative thoughts in own world.
E- as effective as antidepressants , but requires motivation and engagement which may not work for severe cases of depression
