Psychopathology Flashcards
what are the 4 definitions of abnormality
statistical infrequency, deviation of social norms, deviation from ideal mental health, failure to function
what is statistical infrequency
abnormal behavior is that statically rare/uncommon
abnormality is determined by looking at the distribution of a behavior in a society`
an example of statistical infrequency
IQ and Intellectual disability disorder
- average IQ=100
- 68% have a score in the range of 85-115
- only 2% score below 70 - abnormal and liable to receive the diagnosis of IDD
strength for statistical infrequency and the example
real-world application= used in a clinical practice as part of formal diagnosis and assessing severity of symptoms
weakness for the statistical infrequency and for the example of IQ
unusual characteristics can be positive -e.g. having low depression score `
what is failure to function adequately
occurs when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day-to-day living
who proposed signs of knowing when someone isn’t coping
Rosenhan and seligman
strength for the failure to function adequately
it represents a threshold for help- when we cease to form adequately we may seek professional help or notice and referred help by others
weakness for the failure to function adequately
discrimination and social control- easy to label non-standard lifestyles as abnormal
what is deviation in ideal mental health
occurs when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health
what are Jahoda’s ways of knowing if people have good mental health
if we….
- have no symptoms or distress
- good self-esteem
- realistic view of the world
- independence
strength for deviation from ideal mental health
comprehensive definition provides a checklist and large range of criteria
weakness for deviation from ideal mental health
different elements not equally applicable to all cultures
what is the deviation from social norms
concerns behaviors that is different from the accepted standards of behavior in a community or society
what is the antisocial personality disorder
a person with this disorder is impulsive, aggressive, and irresponsible.
strengths towards the deviation from social norms
real world application- used in a clinical practise
weakness towards the deviation from social norms
cultural and situational relativism- different cultured groups have different views on abnormal behavior
what are the DSM-5 categories of phobias- name the 3
1) specific phobia (an object/situation)
2) social anxiety
3) agoraphobia (phobia of being outside)
what are the 3 types of characteristics found within phobias
behavioral, environmental and cognitive
what are the behavioral characteristics in phobias/ how do they act
they panic, avoid and endurance
what are the emotional characteristics in phobias
they suffer from anxiety, fear, unreasonable emotional responses
what are the cognitive characteristics in phobias
selective attention, irrational beliefs and cognitive distortions
what is the systematic desensitization - linking it into behavioral approach of explaining phobias
the behavioral therapy designed to reduce an unwanted response, such as anxiety
- it aims to gradually reduce phobic anxiety through classical conditioning and creating new counter responses
what is the anxiety hierarchy
a way that was put together by clients and the therapists. A list in order from least to most frightening
what is reciprocal inhibition
the impossible that to be afraid and relaxed at the same time so one emotion prevent the other
what is exposure
the clients are exposed to public stimuli while in a relaxed state. takes place across several sessions
a strength within the behavioural approach to explaining phobias
evidence for effectiveness- SD is likely to be helpful for people with phobias as it’s effective for specific phobia, social phobia and agrophobia
another strength within the behavioural approach to explaining phobias
SD can be treat people with learning disabilities - people may become confused and distressed by the traumatic experience of flooding so SD is appropiate
who proposed the Two process model within the behaviourist approach of explaining phobias
Mowrer 1960
what does the two process model state
states that phobias are required by classical conditioning and then continue because of operant conditioning
Acquisition by classical conditioning- Watson and Rayner 1920
-‘little albert’
- created a phobia in a 9 month old baby, initially wasn’t afraid of the rat but after after they made a loud sound with a rod near his ear when he was given the rat, he became scared
what was the maintenance by operant conditioning
behaviour is reinforced or punished, reinforcement increases frequency of behaviour - true for both + and - reinforcements
a strength within the behavioural approach to explaining phobias
real world applications in exposure therapies
another strength within the behavioural approach explaining phobias
evidence linking between bad experiences and phobias- 73% of people with a fear of the dentist had experienced a traumatic experience usually involving dentistry
a limitation within the behavioural approach explaining phobias
the two process model doesn’t account for the cognitive aspects of phobias
what is flooding within the behavioural approach treating phobias
its a behavioural therapy that people with a phobia is exposed to an extreme form of a phobia stimulus in order to reduce anxiety triggered by a stimuli
why does flooding stop phobic responses quickly
as without the option of avoidance behaviour the client quickly last that phobic stimuli is harmless- called extinction
