Psychopathology Flashcards
Define statistical infrequency.
Statistical infrequency definition of abnormality when a person straight thinking or behaviour is classed as abnormal if it is rare or statistically unusual
What must you be clear about when using this definition.
You must be clear about how rare a trait or behaviour needs to be when we class it as abnormal.
How does IQ levels prove as a limitation to statistical infrequency?
A high IQ would be seen as a normal however it fails to recognise that there was a desirability of this particular behaviour.
How can the presence of abnormal behaviour in people statistically usual?
Some specific abnormal behaviour may be unusual but it is not unusual for people to exhibit some form of prolonged abnormal behaviour at some point in their lives.
How is statistical infrequency objective? And how is this good?
This provides an objective way, based on data, to define abnormality if agreed cut-off point can be identified.
Therefore it is very easy to use and very quick plus cheap.
How does statistical infrequency fail to distinguish between desirable and undesirable behaviour?
statistically speaking many very gifted individuals could be classified as abnormal using this definition due to their high IQ which would class as abnormal in this context however this would not be appropriate.
How does in frequency create abnormality even in situations of normality?
many people have a characteristics such as left-handedness have no bearing on abnormality however because they are statistically infrequent they would be classed as abnormal. Which they are not.
How does depression in elderly people form a limitation for statistical infrequency?
around about 27% of elderly people suffer from depression therefore this would make it very common (not abnormal) however that does not mean it is not a problem.
Define deviation from social norms.
Deviation from social norms occurs when a person’s thinking of behaviour is classified as abnormal it violates the unwritten rules about what is accepted or expected behaviour in particular social group.
What are the three necessary ideas to consider when usin deviation from social norms?
The degree to which a normal violated, the importance of that Norm and the value attached in a specific social group.
How is it good that deviation from social norms gives a social dimension to the idea of abnormality?
this definition is a social dimension to the idea of abnormality, which offers an alternative to ‘sick in the head individual’ is stereotype created in society usually.
How is deviation from social norms culturally specific and how does it act as a negative towards the definition.
Social norms can vary from culture to culture therefore you could be completely saying and normal in one culture but they had normal in another, for example in some Eastern cultures it is normal to hear voices in your head as they think it is spirits however in western cultures it is seen as schizophrenia.
How does deviation from social norms lack temporal validity and also temporal validity towards the future?
Social norms change over time therefore what could have been as abnormal in the past is not now and therefore people have been subjugated for no reason.
Furthermore what is classed as abnormal now could be seen as completely normal in the future and the same fate could happen to people. For example homosexuality was treated as a illness.
Define failure to function adequately.
failure to function adequately refers to abnormality that prevents the person from carrying out a range of behaviours that society would expect from them such as holding a job.
rosenhan and seligman suggested 7 criteria that a typical buffet little function adequately, name the three most important criteria.
Personal distress, unpredictability and irrationality among others.
How does the clinical use of global assessment of functioning scale apply to failure to function adequately?
The global assessment of functioning scale assesses individuals on their level of social occupational and psychological functioning in everyday tasks and life therefore abnormal behaviour would be the same classified as in this definition.
How is fillet a function adequately very easy to use and diagnose, + self diagnosis?
It provides a practical checklist of seven criteria individuals can use to check the level of abnormality and therefore could provide self diagnosis.
How can failure to function related to social factors apart from abnormality?
Things subs like ability to keep a job could be due to economic situation and not psychopathology.
How does failure to function adequately fall to cultural relativism?
What may be seen as functioning adequately in one culture may not be adequate in another this is likely to result in diagnosis in different cultures.
For example voices in the head is classed as schizophrenia in western cultures but in some remote Eastern cultures is classed as spirits talking to you.
How is failure to function adequately context dependent?
Failure to function adequately is context-dependent as not eating can be seen as failing to function adequately but prisoners on hunger strike making a protest could be seen in a different light.
Define deviation from ideal mental health identified by jahoda.
jahoda suggested six criteria necessary for ideal health and absence of any of these characteristics indicate individuals as being abnormal.
Identify the five criteria necessary for ideal mental health and outline shortly.
Resistance to stress - how well you are coping with everyday anxiety provoking situations.
Self-actualisation - Experiencing personal growth and become everything one is capable of becoming.
Sense of identity - having self-respect and positive self concept.
Autonomy - being independent self-reliant and being able to make personal decisions.
Accurate perception of reality - having an objective and realistic view on the world.
How is the difficulty of meeting all criteria in deviation from ideal mental health and limitation?
it is seen as very difficult for people to meet all criteria, and in fact very few people would be able to do so and this would suggest that very few people are psychologically healthy which is not the case.
How is deviation from ideal mental health culturally relativistic?
The ideas are culture bound, based on a Western idea of ideal mental health, and should not be used to judge other cultures.
Define OCD.
OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive and uncontrollable thoughts, coupled with the need to perform specific acts repeatedly.
How are these behaviours seen to the compulsive?
To the compulsive these behaviours are often seem to have magical qualities if they are not performing exactly something bad will happen.
Outline the cognitive side of OCD.
obsessions dominate ones thinking and are persistent and recurrent thoughts images or beliefs entering the mind uninvited which cannot be removed.
at some point during the course of this order the person has recognised the obsessions are excessive.
Outline the emotional side of OCD.
Obsessive thoughts often lead anxiety worry and distress.
Outline the behavioural characteristics of OCD.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviour responses intended to neutralise his obsessions, often involving rigidly applied rules.
Again most OCD sufferers recognise their compulsions as unreasonable but believe something bad will happen.
Outline the behavioural characteristics of OCD.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviour responses intended to neutralise his obsessions, often involving rigidly applied rules.
Again most OCD sufferers recognise their compulsions as unreasonable but believe something bad will happen.
How can the biological approach be criticised for ignoring environmental influences.
some people are not born with OCD though they might learn it from their environment through the process of classical and operant conditioning.
How is the biological approach to OCD verifiable via neuroscience research?
Neuroscience research has gathered evidence for the genetic and neurotransmitter involvement in conditions such as schizophrenia. For example the dopamine hypothesis argues that elevated levels of dopamine related to symptoms of schizophrenia these could apply to OCD.
How is the reductionist approach of biological explanations a limitation?
As the biological explanations take a reductionist approach they focus only on one factor and at present the understanding of biochemistry is oversimplified. This means other psychological factors such as cognitions are ignored.
The genetic explanation for OCD states that OCD is a polygenic condition what does this mean?
And how do family and twin studies suggest the involvement of genetic factors?
A polygenic condition is one that has the involvement of a number of genes in its development.
family and twin studies suggest the involvement of genetic factors as the prevalence of OCD in random population is about to 3% applied to the baseline that the concordance rates show, is is clear that it is genetically passed.
The sert Gene appears to be mutated in individuals with OCD how does this mutation lead to OCD.
The genetic mutation on the surgeon causes an increase in transporter proteins at the neurons membrane, as of thus it leads to an increase in their reputation serotonin in the neuron which decreases the level of serotonin in the synapse. Causing obsessions and compulsions.
