Psychopathology Flashcards
Statistical infrequency / deviation from statistical norms
Behaviour that is seen as statistically abnormal
Deviation from social norms
Behaviour that is socially deviant is regarded as abnormal
Failure to function adequately
Danger to themselves and society, unable to cope with the outside world
Deviation from ideal mental health
Mentally unhealthy, lack of contented existence
Strengths of using statistical infrequencies
Statistical infrequency is obvious and relatively easy and quick to define and notice.
Real life application: relatively easy to determine abnormality using psychodynamic tests developed by using statistical methods.
Most patients with a mental disorder will undergo some kind of measurement of their symptoms in comparison to the norm.
Limitations of statistical infrequencies
Some statistically infrequent behaviour is desirable for example a high iq.
It is hard to know how far you must deviate from the average to be considered abnormal.
Label of abnormal is often detrimental and unhelpful.
Strengths of deviation from social norms
Helps us to identify some disorders and illnesses
Limitations of deviation from social norms
Historical and cultural differences I.e certain things are socially normal in some cultures that are not in ours
Strengths of unable to function adequately
Own perspective, using Rosenhan and Seligman (1989) the client decides how they feel. This means this is accurate as they will most likely know more about their condition than a passer by.
Limitations of unable to function adequately
Who decides the acceptable level of functioning.
Some abnormal people function very well.
PRAISE, Mary Jahoda (1958)
Personal growth Reality perception Autonomy Integration Self attitudes Environmental mastery
Jahoda believed if you showed all of these qualities you had a positive mental health
Strengths of deviation from ideal mental health (praise)
Covers a broad range of criteria and covers all aspects of mental health.
Makes us aware of the different factors that can affect our mental health.
Limitations of deviation from mental health
Lack of cultural relativism as in some cultures, community values are more important.
Difficult/impossible to meet criteria eg. Self actualisation as sadly very few people reach this stage.
Possible benefits of stress as stress makes some people work better.
Sexual paraphilias
Abnormal sexual desire. Must last at least 6 months and cause significant distress to be classified by the DSM-IV.
Paedophilia
Adults who derive sexual gratification through physical and often sexual contact with pre pubertal children unrelated to them
Incest
Sexual relations between close relatives. More prevalent when mother is absent or disabled
Voyeurism
Obtaining sexual gratification by watching others in a state of undress or having sexual relations. The arousal is about the person not knowing that they are being watched.
Exhibitionism
Obtaining sexual gratification by exposing ones genitals to an unwilling stranger. Rarely have contact with the person.
Sexual sadism
Obtaining or increasing sexual gratification by inflicting pain or psychological suffering on a person
Forced rape
Sexual intercourse with an unwilling partner
Statutory rape
Sexual intercourse with a minor
Date rape
Occurs on a date and often includes the rapist drugging the victim before hand
Phobia
An anxiety disorder which interferes with daily living. Instance of irrational fear that produces a conscious avoidance of the feared object or situation.
DSM-V criteria for a phobia
- Persistent fear of a specific object or situation
- exposure to the phobic stimulus causes a rapid anxiety response
- excessive fear of the phobic object
- phobic reactions interfere significantly with the individuals working or social life
Emotional characteristics of phobias
- anxiety from the fear of the phobic stimulus
- unreasonable emotional response, disproportionate to the danger exposed