Psychopathology Exam Q knowledge Flashcards
Describe the statistical infrequency and failure to function adequately definitions of
abnormality
evaluate the deviation of mental health
defined as behaviour or characteristics that are rare
* occupies the extreme ends of a normal distribution curve,
* example is a low iq score as the statistics show it is unlikely and it is defined as a disability
failure to function adequately:
abnormality is defined as the inability to cope with everyday living
behaviours such as not being able to hold down a job
Personal suffering, distress, and causing distress to others are factors.
Someone with depression struggling to get out of bed and communicate with family and friends would be considered abnormal.
deviation from mental health:
According to Jahoda, abnormal behavior is defined by the absence of ideal characteristics, including an accurate view of reality, the ability to resist stress, and the ability to master one’s environment.
: One weakness of Jahoda’s definition is the unrealistic criteria proposed. It may classify individuals experiencing temporary stress, as abnormal, regardless of the circumstances beyond their control.
Ethnocentrism refers to the tendency to judge other cultures based on the standards of one’s own culture. In the context of abnormality, it leads to considering collectivist cultures abnormal based on criteria aligned with individualistic cultures.
Outline one limitation of systematic desensitisation as a treatment for phobias
Systematic desensitization helps patients unlearn their phobias through counter-conditioning.
Patients create a fear hierarchy and practice relaxation techniques.
They work through the hierarchy gradually while staying relaxed.
however:
Ineffective for phobias not developed through personal experience for example
Some phobias have an evolutionary basis, limiting the effectiveness of sd
* SD is time-consuming, when compared to alternatives such as flooding, as the person with the phobia
needs to be trained in relaxation techniques and gradual exposure can take many sessions
Discuss the genetic explanation for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Genetic explanations for OCD suggest that it is inherited, as individuals receive specific genes from their parents that influence the onset of the disorder.
OCD is a polygenic condition, meaning that several genes are involved.
Taylor (2003) suggests that as many as 230 genes may be involved
The COMT gene is linked to OCD. It produces a substance which regulates dopamine and is more common in patients with OCD.
The diathesis-stress model suggests that genetic vulnerability is inherited, but OCD is triggered by a stressor in the environment, providing an alternative explanation to solely genetic factors.
evidence:
. Billett et al. (1998) found that monozygotic twins have double the risk of developing OCD compared to dizygotic twins if one twin has the disorder.
. Lewis (1936) family studies found that a significant percentage of patients with OCD had parents or siblings with the disorder.
The biological explanation of OCD is considered reductionist as it simplifies the disorder to a single gene or brain chemical, overlooking cognition and learning.
Identify two behavioural characteristics of depression.
two characteristics of OCD
Describe the biological approach to treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Neural explanatons
- changes in sleep patterns: sleeping less (insomnia)/sleeping more (hypersomnia)
- changes in eating patterns: eating more/eating less
-obsessive thoughts
-insight into irrationality of thoughts
treating OCD:
use of drug therapy to ‘correct’ imbalance of neurochemicals, like serotonin, to reduce symptoms associated with OCD
* SSRIs – prevent the reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin in the brain, also stimulates the postsynaptic neuron
* 3–4 months of daily use for SSRIs to impact upon symptoms
* alternatives to SSRIs – tricyclics, SNRIs
Neural explanations propose that abnormal levels of neurotransmitters are implicated in OCD. Lower levels of serotonin are associated with OCD. Evidence comes from research on antidepressants (SSRIs) that increase serotonin levels, showing effectiveness in treating OCD.
Biological Reductionism
Definition: The biological explanation of OCD reduces the complex human behavior to a single gene or brain chemical, overlooking other factors like cognition and learning in the development of OCD.
statistical infrequency evaluate
Flashcard 2:
Term: Objective
Definition: The mathematical nature of this definition makes it clear what is defined as abnormal and what is not, without any bias or opinion involved.
Flashcard 3:
Term: Useful Overview
Definition: This definition considers the entire population, providing a useful insight into the overall picture of a particular characteristic.
Flashcard 4:
Term: Weakness - Inflexible
Definition: This definition is inflexible because it defines abnormality as scores in the top and bottom 2.5% of the population, which may not include behaviors deemed abnormal by diagnostic manuals for mental illness.
Flashcard 5:
Term: Weakness - Abnormal Behaviors Can Occur Frequently
Definition: The definition fails to acknowledge that certain behaviors considered abnormal, such as depression, can occur frequently in the population.
Flashcard 6:
Term: Weakness - Culture
Definition: The definition does not consider cultural differences, assuming that the population of the world follows a normal distribution, which may not be the case. This limitation means abnormality could be widespread in one culture compared to others.
Discuss the two process model (behavioural approach for phobias)
two process mode
classical conditioning
operant conditioning
little albert experiment
sd
flooding
cbt
evolutionary factors
biological preparedness
Term: Two-Process Model
Definition: The two-process model suggests that phobias are acquired through classical conditioning (learning by association) and maintained through operant conditioning (negative reinforcement).
Flashcard 2:
Term: Classical Conditioning
Definition: Classical conditioning is a process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus, leading to a conditioned response. In the context of phobias, it involves learning to fear an object or stimulus through association with a trigger to a fear response.
Flashcard 3:
Term: Operant Conditioning
Definition: Operant conditioning is a process in which behaviors are strengthened or weakened based on the consequences they produce. In the case of phobias, negative reinforcement occurs when avoidance behaviors reduce anxiety, reinforcing the avoidance and maintaining the phobia.
Flashcard 4:
Term: Little Albert Experiment
Definition: The Little Albert experiment conducted by Watson and Raynor in 1920 demonstrated classical conditioning in the formation of a phobia. Little Albert was conditioned to fear white rats, showing that classical conditioning plays a role in acquiring phobias.
Flashcard 5:
Term: Systematic Desensitization
Definition: Systematic desensitization is based on the principles of classical conditioning and has been successfully used to treat phobias.
Flashcard 6:
Term: Flooding
Definition: Flooding is a therapy technique that involves exposing individuals to the feared stimulus in a highly intense and prolonged manner, preventing avoidance and disrupting the negative reinforcement. It aims to help individuals overcome their phobias.
Flashcard 8:
Term: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Definition: Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a treatment approach that combines cognitive and behavioral techniques to address psychological disorders, including phobias
Flashcard 9:
Term: Evolutionary Factors
Definition: Evolutionary factors suggest that some phobias may have an innate component due to their survival instincts. This challenges the two-process model’s assumption of phobias being solely learned through conditioning, highlighting the role of biological preparedness.
Flashcard 10:
Term: Biological Preparedness
Definition: refers to the idea that humans are predisposed to develop fears and phobias of stimuli that have posed threats to survival . It suggests that certain phobias may be innate rather than learned through conditioning.
