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Psychopathology Flashcards

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1
Q

Define statistical infrequency

A

Abnormal behaviour is that which is rare/uncommon/anomalous

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2
Q

What is a strength of statistical infrequency ?

A

It provides an objective definition of abnormality - Offers the prospect of clear guidelines for identifying behaviours as normal or abnormal.

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3
Q

Give 3 weaknesses of statistical infrequency

A
  • It assumes that abnormal behaviours are undesirable
  • It is hard to fix an absolute number beyond which a behaviour is classified as abnormal
  • Not all abnormal behaviours are rare
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4
Q

Define deviation from social norms

A

Abnormal behaviour is that which goes against unwritten rules in a given society

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5
Q

Give 3 examples of behaviour that is undesirable and anti-social (but quite common) and could be classed as abnormal

A

Swearing
Smoking
Shouting

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6
Q

Give 3 weaknesses of deviation from social norms

A
  • It is influenced by cultural relativism
  • It is era dependent
  • Behaviour which deviates away from social norms is not always a sign of psychopathology
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7
Q

Give a strength of deviation from social norms

A

It provides a social dimension to the idea of abnormality

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8
Q

Define failure to function adequately

A

Abnormality judged as inability to deal with the demands of everyday life

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9
Q

What 4 factors contribute to failure to function adequately ?

A
  • Personal distress (suffering)
  • Observer discomfort
  • Unpredictable behaviour
  • Irrational behaviour
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10
Q

Give 2 strengths of failure to function adequately

A
  • Includes the effect that behaviour has on other people (observer bias)
  • This definition is more realistic and credible than other explanations because it suggests that abnormality is not black or white, but various things contribute to this state
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11
Q

Define deviation from ideal mental health

A

Abnormality is that which fails to meet prescribed criteria for psychologic normality/wellbeing

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12
Q

What are Jahoda’s 6 characteristics of ideal mental health ?

A
  • Environmental mastery
  • Accurate perception of reality
  • Autonomy
  • Positive attitude towards the self
  • Self actualisation
  • Resistance to stress
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13
Q

Describe environmental mastery

A

Being competent in all aspects of life and able to meet the demands of any situation

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14
Q

Describe accurate perception of reality

A

Perceiving the world without distortion. Having an objective and realistic view

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15
Q

Describe autonomy

A

The ability to function as an individual and not depending on others

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16
Q

Describe positive attitude towards the self

A

The positive attitude should be at a good level, so that the individual feels happy with themselves

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17
Q

Describe self-actualisation

A

Being in a state of contentment, feeling that you have become the best you can be

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18
Q

Describe resistance to stress

A

An individual should not feel under stress and they should be able to handle stressful situations competently

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19
Q

Give a strength of deviation from ideal mental health

A

It identifies characteristics that people need in order to be psychologically healthy rather than identifying abnormalities

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20
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of deviation from ideal mental health

A
  • Many of the 6 criteria of ideal mental health are not important in all cultures
  • It is very hard to actually meet all the criteria on this list and they are also very subjective
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21
Q

What is the behavioural approach to explaining phobias ?

A

Mowrer’s two process model

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22
Q

What does Mowrer’s two process model consist of ?

A
  1. Classical conditioning - acquiring the phobia

2. Operant conditioning - maintaining the phobia

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23
Q

How do you acquire a phobia according to Mowrer’s two process model ?

A

A neutral stimulus that does not initially cause a fearful respond is associated with an unconditioned stimulus and its unconditioned response. This then becomes a conditioned stimulus resulting in a conditioned response.

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24
Q

What is the supporting evidence for the classical conditioning element ?

A

Watson and Raynor’s classic 1920 experiment with Little Albert

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25
Q

What did Watson and Raynor do ?

A

Watson and Raynor (1920) conducted a lab experiment where they showed a baby, Little Albert, a white rat. Watson showed Albert objects he liked first. He particularly liked the white rat. Whenever he reached out for the rat, a loud sound was made. He suddenly became afraid of the white rat due to negative association. Albert was took home for 1 month then Watson showed him the same objects again that he showed he towards. They conditioned Albert to have a fear/phobia of white rats and anything white and fluffy

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26
Q

Give two strengths of the two process model

A
  • There is experimental evidence to support the notion that you acquire phobias via classical conditioning - Watson and Raynor
  • It has been used to devise treatments to successfully treat individuals with phobias - Wolpe
27
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of the two process model

A
  • It is reductionist and assumes all behaviour is learnt from the environment
  • It is deterministic
28
Q

Who developed systematic desensitisation ?

A

Wolpe (1958,1969)

29
Q

What is the aim of systematic desensitisation ?

A

To use the principles of association to replace the anxiety response with a relaxation response to help remove the phobia

30
Q

State the first stage of systematic desensitisation

A

Functional analysis

31
Q

State the second stage of systematic desensitisation

A

Relaxation therapy

32
Q

State the third stage of systematic desensitisation

A

Graduate exposure

33
Q

What does functional analysis consist of ?

A

Working together the client and therapist construct a fear hierarchy, arranged from least to most anxiety produced.

34
Q

What does relaxation training consist of ?

A

The client is taught different techniques for relaxing.

35
Q

What does graduated exposure consist of ?

A

Over the course of 6 to 12 sessions, the client is gradually brought into contact with their phobic object or situation.

36
Q

What are the two types of exposure ?

A

In vitro - the client imagines exposure to the phobic stimulus
In vivo - the client is actually exposed to the phobic stimulus

37
Q

Give 2 two strengths of systematic desensitisation

A
  • It is more ethical than other treatments for phobias (I.e. flooding)
  • It has been used successfully to treat individuals with phobias (Wolpe)
38
Q

What did Wolpe do ?

A

He successfully used systematic desensitisation to treat an 18 year old male with severe hand washing compulsion. The disorder invoked a fear of contaminating others with urine.

39
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of systematic desensitisation

A
  • It may not be treating the underlining cause of the phobia
  • It is not appropriate treatment for all types of phobias
40
Q

What is the aim of flooding ?

A

To expose the sufferer to the phobic object or situation for an extended period of time in a safe and controlled manner.

41
Q

What happens in flooding before exposure ?

A

The client is taught relaxation techniques to help control their anxiety response

42
Q

What is the first part of flooding ?

A

Immediate direct exposure

43
Q

What is the second part of flooding ?

A

Prevention from avoidance

44
Q

What is the third stage of flooding ?

A

Continued exposure until the fear is extinguished

45
Q

Give 2 strengths of flooding

A
  • It has been successfully used to treat individuals with phobias (Wolpe took a girl who was scared of cars and drove her around for 4 hours)
  • It is time and cost effective
46
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of flooding

A
  • It is unethical as it is highly traumatic and causes a high level of anxiety
  • It may not be treating the underlying cause of the phobia
47
Q

What did Nedstadt et al (2000) do ?

A

Found that first degree relative of OCD sufferers had am 11.7% chance of developing the disorder to a 2.7% risk in the general population I.e. 5 times more likely to suffer from OCD if it runs in the family

48
Q

What is the role of the COMT gene in relation to OCD ?

A

The COMT gene is a gene that regulates the function of dopamine. The mutated variation of the COMT gene found in OCD individuals causes a decrease in the COMT activity and therefore a higher level of dopamine

49
Q

What is the role of SERT gene in relation to OCD ?

A

The SERT gene (serotonin transporter) appears to be mutated in individuals with OCD. The mutation causes an increase in transporter proteins at a neuron’s membrane. This leads to an increase in the re-uptake of serotonin into the neutron which decreases the level of serotonin in the synapse.

50
Q

Give 2 strengths of the genetic explanations of OCD

A
  • There is research support for the role of genes in the development of the disorder (Nesdadt’s 2010 twin study)
  • It is extremely scientific meaning it avoids subjective interpretation associated with alternative explanations of OCD
51
Q

What did Nesdadt’s (2010) do ?

A

Twin studies into OCD found that a concordance rate of 67% for MZ (identical twins) but only 31% for DZ (fraternal twins). Therefore, strongly suggesting a genetic influence for OCD

52
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of the genetic explanation of OCD

A
  • Twin studies because it is not a 100% concordance rate suggesting that there are alternative explanations for OCD
  • It lacks predictive value because up to 230 different genes may be involved in OCD
53
Q

What is the neuro-chemical expanantion for OCD ?

A

The role of serotonin

54
Q

What did Hu (2006) do ?

A

Hu compared serotonin activity with OCD sufferers and non-OCD sufferers and found that OCD sufferers had lower levels of serotonin compared to non-OCD suffered, which therefore supports the view that neurochemicals are associated with the disorder

55
Q

What part of the brain is specifically associated with OCD ?

A

The orbital frontal cortex (OFC) specifically the caudate nucleus

56
Q

What happens if the caudate nucleus is damaged ?

A

If the caudate nucleus is damage and fails to suppress theee messages minor worried become blown out of proportion and turn into obsessions that need to be acted upon in the form of compulsions

57
Q

What did Ursu and Cater (2009) do ?

A

Monitored brain activity in 15 OCD

Attention using fMRI scans and found hyperactivity in the orbital frontal cortex

58
Q

Give 2 strengths of the neuro-chemical explanation for OCD

A
  • Evidence to support (Hu (2006))

- Scientific

59
Q

Give 3 weaknesses of the neuro-chemical explanation for OCD

A
  • Reductionist
  • Deterministic
  • Lack of cause and effect
60
Q

Give 2 strengths of the neuro-physiological explanation for OCD

A
  • Evidence to support (Ursu and Carter)

- Scientific

61
Q

Give 3 weaknesses of the neuro-psychological explanation for OCD

A
  • Deterministic
  • Reductionist
  • Lack of cause and effect
62
Q

What did Soomro et al (2009) do ?

A

Found that participants in all 17 different studies reviews showed significantly more improvement with SSRIs than controls receiving a placebo drug

63
Q

Give 2 strengths of the biological treatment of OCD

A
  • Research to support their effectiveness in reducing the symptoms of OCD (Soomro et al)
  • They are relatively cheap in comparison to psychological therapies and are also relatively easy for the patient to engage with
64
Q

Give 2 weaknesses of the biological treatment for OCD

A
  • Although symptoms may often improve with SSRIs they do not generally disappear, which means that the drug treatments for OCD are only partially successful
  • unpleasant side effects (Nausea, headaches, insomnia etc.)

Psychology (11 decks)

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