Psychopathology Flashcards
Definitions of Abnormality
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health
Statistical Infrequency
Definitions of abnormality- Deviation from social norms
Standards of acceptable behaviour set by a social group
anything that deviates- abnormal
eg OCD, refuse to use cutlery at restaurants instead of bringing their own because of fear of contamination
Definitions of abnormality- Deviation from social norms AO3
-limited by cultural relativism
Definitions of abnormality- Failure to function adequately
not being able to cope with demands of everyday life
behaviour that interferes with everyday life
maladaptive behaviour, irrational behaviour, dangerous
eg depression- unable to keep a job, get up in mornings, eating habits
Definitions of abnormality- Failure to function adequately AO3
acknowledges personal experience
Definitions of abnormality- Deviation from ideal mental health
Jahoda- one of more of these criteria
1. negative self attitude
2. problems with self actualisation
3. unable to resist stress
4. lack of autonomy
5. inaccurate perception of reality
6. poor environmental mastery
Definitions of abnormality- Deviation from ideal mental health AO3
- covers a broad range of criteria
- too strict criteria
Definitions of abnormality- Statistical Infrequency
any behaviour which is rare is abnormal
on a distribution curve any behaviour that is 2 or more standard deviations from the mean is statistically rare and abnormal
OCD affects 2% of population, so is abnormal and statistically rare
Definitions of abnormality- Statistical Infrequency AO3
prac apps
used as part of diagnosis
Behavioural characteristics of phobias
Avoidance- making conscious effort to avoid contact with phobic stimulus
Panic- crying, screaming or running away from phobic stimulus
Cognitive characteristics of phobias
Persistent irrational beliefs- about the phobic stimulus
Selective attention- keeping attention on the phobic stimulus and finding it difficult to look away incase of danger
Emotional characteristics of phobias
Anxiety- exposure to phobic stimulus causes worry or distress
Fear- exposure to phobic stimulus causes terror
Behavioural approach to explaining phobias
- phobias are a learnt behaviour
Mowrer- learnt through classical conditioning, maintained through operant conditioning (two process model)
Acquire a phobia (classical conditioning)
Associate something we have no fear of (NS) with something that already triggers a fear rfesponse (UCS). Fear response triggered everytime they see or think about feared object.
Research into acquiring a phobia (classical conditioning)
Watson and Raynor- Little Albert
Presented a rat to Albert, researcher made a loud, frightening noise by banging an iron bar.
Noise- UCS
UCR-fear
Rat- NS
Rat presented with loud bang, Albert associated them together.
Rat-CS
CR- fear
Maintaining a phobia (operant conditioning)
Continuing to avoid feared stimulus, they re being negatively reinforced by reducing the anxiety they feel.
AO3 behavioural approach to explaining phobias
-criticised for environmental reductionism, reduces complex human behaviour
-prac apps, systematic desensitisation