Psychopathology Flashcards - Midterm 1,5 (1)
Front: What is Antisocial Behavior (ASB)?
Back: ASB is a developmental, biopsychosocial trait rooted in the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors.
Front: What is the biopsychosocial approach to ASB?
Back: The biopsychosocial approach integrates biological, psychological, and social perspectives to understand ASB.
Front: How does ASB manifest across the lifespan?
Back: ASB can manifest in various forms, from childhood conduct problems to adult violent crimes.
Front: What are the developmental pathways of ASB?
Back: Genetic, neurobiological, and environmental factors influence the onset, persistence, or decline of ASB over time.
Front: What are the implications of understanding ASB as a developmental trait?
Back: Early identification of ASB patterns and the development of effective intervention strategies.
Front: What do twin and adoption studies suggest about the genetic influence on antisocial behavior?
Back: Twin and adoption studies estimate that approximately 50% of the variance in antisocial behavior is due to genetic factors.
Front: What is the role of molecular genetics in understanding antisocial behavior?
Back: Molecular genetics investigates specific genetic polymorphisms, but single polymorphisms have small effects. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) offer a more comprehensive approach but face challenges like limited power and replication issues.
Front: What is the Evolutionist Model of Antisocial Behavior?
Back: This model suggests that certain antisocial traits, such as fearlessness and aggression, may have been adaptive in ancestral environments.
Front: How do evolutionary traits relate to modern society?
Back: Traits like aggressiveness, while potentially adaptive in ancestral environments, may be challenging to manage in modern society.
Front: What is the focus of the evolutionary perspective on antisocial behavior?
Back: Understanding the “why” behind certain behaviors by tracing them to adaptive ancestral traits.
Front: How does the evolutionary perspective explain impulsivity and response to the environment?
Back: It suggests that impulsivity and response to environmental conditions may have evolutionary roots.
Front: What is the Biopsychological Model of Antisocial Behavior?
Back: This model focuses on the biological systems, such as the brain, hormonal system, nervous system, and immune system, that influence antisocial behavior.
Front: What is the significance of the Phineas Gage case?
Back: The case highlighted the link between frontal lobe injury and personality changes, including increased impulsivity and aggression.
Front: How is the P300 event-related potential related to antisocial behavior?
Back: Reduced P300 amplitude, linked to prefrontal activity, is associated with behavioral disinhibition.
Front: What role does brain imaging play in understanding antisocial behavior?
Back: MRI studies have shown reduced prefrontal cortex structure and function in individuals with antisocial behavior.
Front: How does the environment influence brain development and antisocial behavior?
Back: Environmental factors like poverty can impact brain development, particularly in infancy, and contribute to the development of antisocial behavior.
Front: What are Psychosocial Models of Antisocial Behavior?
Back: Psychosocial models focus on the role of social and psychological factors in influencing antisocial behavior.
Front: What is Social Learning Theory?
Back: Social Learning Theory suggests that antisocial behavior is learned through observation, modeling, and reinforcement.
Front: What are Social Development Models?
Back: Social Development Models emphasize the role of risk and protective factors in influencing the development of antisocial behavior.
Front: What are some examples of risk factors for antisocial behavior?
Back: Low intelligence, poor supervision, harsh discipline, delinquent peers, and poverty.
Front: What are some examples of protective factors against antisocial behavior?
Back: Positive parenting, supportive schools, and constructive social interactions.
Front: How do modern psychosocial models integrate other perspectives?
Back: Many modern psychosocial models integrate genetic and neurobiological vulnerabilities to provide a more comprehensive understanding of antisocial behavior.
Front: What is the Integrative Developmental Biopsychosocial Model of Antisocial Behavior?
Back: This model emphasizes the interplay of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors in the development of antisocial behavior.
Front: What are the early manifestations of antisocial behavior?
Back: Physical aggression in the first year of life, peaking between 3-4 years, and then declining into adulthood for most individuals.
Front: What are some early risk factors for antisocial behavior?
Back: Maternal adolescent ASB, low education and smoking during pregnancy, depression, coercive parenting, family dysfunction, low SES, and delinquent peers.
Front: What is the genetic influence on antisocial behavior?
Back: Twin studies suggest a strong genetic basis, with heritability estimates around 50%.
Front: What are some heritable traits linked to antisocial behavior?
Back: Impulsivity, sensation-seeking, and P300 brain response.
Front: What is the relationship between low resting heart rate and antisocial behavior?
Back: Low resting heart rate is a well-established biological correlate of antisocial behavior, particularly proactive aggression.
Front: What evidence supports the link between low resting heart rate and antisocial behavior?
Back: Meta-analyses have shown a consistent negative correlation between low resting heart rate and antisocial behavior across various studies.
Front: How does low resting heart rate relate to the onset of antisocial behavior?
Back: Low heart rate may precede the onset of antisocial behavior.
Front: How does low resting heart rate relate to sensation seeking?
Back: Low arousal may lead individuals to engage in risky behaviors to seek stimulation.
Front: How does low resting heart rate relate to fearlessness?
Back: Low heart rate may reflect reduced fear response, potentially contributing to fearless behavior.
Front: What are the concerns regarding causality between low resting heart rate and antisocial behavior?
Back: Recent findings suggest that familial confounding, rather than causation, may explain the link between low resting heart rate and externalizing behavior. Low heart rate during stress may be a stronger predictor of antisocial behavior.
Front: How does low resting heart rate relate to antisocial behavior?
Back: Low resting heart rate is a predictor of future antisocial behavior, especially in boys with high social risk.
Front: How does social context influence the relationship between low heart rate and aggression?
Back: The relationship between low heart rate and aggression may be more pronounced in higher social classes and among white males.
Front: What is the role of autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity in antisocial behavior?
Back: While most research focuses on ANS reactivity, limited research on heart rate reactivity suggests alignment with the dual-risk model.
Front: How does heart rate variability (HRV) relate to emotional regulation and antisocial behavior?
Back: Higher resting HRV is associated with better emotional regulation and lower levels of antisocial behavior. Lower RSA is linked to antisocial behavior.
Front: How does stress response and HRV relate to antisocial behavior?
Back: RSA withdrawal during stress is linked to antisocial behavior.
Front: How do social risk factors influence the relationship between heart rate and antisocial behavior?
Back: Higher resting HRV can buffer against the effects of social risk factors on antisocial behavior. Parental conflict and social risk variations can moderate this relationship.
Front: What is the Pre-Ejection Period (PEP)?
Back: The PEP is a physiological measure that reflects the functioning of the heart and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). It represents the time interval between the electrical activation of the heart and the ejection of blood.
Front: How does PEP relate to SNS activity?
Back: A shorter PEP indicates increased SNS activity, while a longer PEP suggests decreased SNS activity.
Front: How is PEP linked to antisocial behavior?
Back: Lower SNS reactivity, indicated by a longer PEP, is associated with antisocial personality traits, aggression, and substance abuse.
Front: Are there inconsistencies in research on PEP and antisocial behavior?
Back: Yes, some studies have shown increased cardiac SNS activity in antisocial individuals, potentially due to differences in experimental conditions, measurement techniques, and participant sampling.
Front: How do biosocial interactions influence the relationship between PEP and antisocial behavior?
Back: Callous-unemotional traits and prolonged stress and adversity can interact with PEP to influence antisocial behavior.
Front: Are there gender differences in the relationship between PEP and antisocial behavior?
Back: Among girls facing high adversity, higher PEP recovery from stress is associated with antisocial behavior.
Front: What is superficial moral judgment?
Back: A lack of depth in understanding moral principles and consequences of actions.
Front: Why do individuals with superficial moral judgment obey the law?
Back: Often due to fear of punishment or external authority rather than internalized moral principles.
Front: What is a key characteristic of individuals with superficial moral judgment?
Back: A pronounced and prolonged egocentric bias.
Front: What are self-serving cognitive distortions?
Back: Cognitive biases that serve to protect self-esteem and avoid taking responsibility for negative actions.
Front: What is the primary cognitive distortion in individuals with superficial moral judgment?
Back: A self-centered perspective.
Front: What are some secondary cognitive distortions associated with superficial moral judgment?
Back: Blaming others, assuming the worst, and minimizing or mislabeling negative behaviors.
Front: Who is Timothy McVeigh?
Back: A man executed for the Oklahoma City bombing.
Front: What was McVeigh’s moral-cognitive development like?
Back: McVeigh exhibited a profound egocentric bias and a “eye-for-an-eye” mentality.
Front: How did self-serving cognitive distortions influence McVeigh’s actions?
Back: McVeigh had an inflated sense of self-importance and fantasized about martyrdom, disconnecting from the consequences of his actions.
Front: How did McVeigh engage in blaming others?
Back: He shifted responsibility for failures onto others, including teachers and the government, and developed a paranoid belief in a constant threat from the government.
Front: How did McVeigh minimize and mislabel his actions?
Back: He reframed violence as necessary for his “war” and viewed victims as “collateral damage.” He lacked empathy and minimized the significance of death.
Front: What is an emotion?
Back: An emotion is a complex psychological state involving physiological arousal, cognitive appraisal, and subjective feelings.
Front: What are the two levels of emotional experience?
Back: State-level and trait-level.
Front: What is state-level emotional experience?
Back: Our emotional reaction at a specific moment.
Front: What is trait-level emotional experience?
Back: Our typical or habitual tendency to experience specific emotions.
Front: What is the relationship between fear, anxiety, and aggression?
Back: High levels of fear and anxiety can sometimes lead to increased aggression. Conversely, a lack of fear and anxiety can be linked to severe antisocial behavior.
Front: How does the absence of emotions relate to aggression?
Back: A failure to experience fear or anxiety can correlate with aggressive tendencies and a deficiency in prosocial emotions.
Front: What is the relationship between guilt and shame?
Back: Guilt is associated with reduced externalizing behavior, while shame can be linked to aggression and violent recidivism.
Front: Why is emotion regulation important in forensic psychology?
Back: Understanding how emotions are regulated is crucial for assessing risks of offending and reoffending.
Front: What is Psychopathy?
Back: A personality disorder characterized by manipulation, lack of empathy, impulsivity, and irresponsibility.
Front: How is psychopathy related to antisocial behavior?
Back: Psychopathy is linked to antisocial behavior in both adults and juveniles.
Front: What is Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)?
Back: A personality disorder characterized by disregard for others’ rights, deceitfulness, impulsivity, and lack of remorse.
Front: How are psychopathy and ASPD related?
Back: They share core features, and the DSM-5 Alternative Model recognizes psychopathy as a specifier for ASPD.
Front: What is Narcissism? .
Back: A personality disorder characterized by grandiosity, entitlement, and lack of empathy
Front: How is narcissism related to aggression?
Back: Grandiose narcissism is more closely related to aggression than vulnerable narcissism.
Front: What is the Five-Factor Model of Personality (FFM)?
Back: A model that describes personality in terms of five broad domains: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness.
Front: How are psychopathy, ASPD, and narcissism related to the FFM?
Back: Each disorder has a distinct FFM profile, characterized by specific patterns of scores on the five domains and their facets.
Front: What are the benefits of using the FFM to understand personality disorders?
Back: It provides a common language, predicts comorbidity, explains overlap between disorders, and helps predict outcomes.
Front: How does Agreeableness-Antagonism relate to psychopathy, ASPD, and narcissism?
Back: Low scores on Agreeableness-Antagonism are shared across these disorders and contribute to their similar characteristics.
Front: How can the FFM be used to gain further insights into personality disorders?
Back: By connecting personality disorders to established research on the FFM, we can better understand their development, continuity, and the factors that influence these traits.
Front: What is the importance of Antagonism in understanding personality disorders?
Back: Antagonism is a crucial trait for understanding psychopathy, antisocial personality disorder, and narcissism.
Front: How does Antagonism relate to Agreeableness?
Back: Antagonism is the opposite of Agreeableness. Agreeable individuals prioritize harmonious relationships, while antagonistic individuals may sacrifice them for personal goals.
Front: What is the relationship between Antagonism and aggression?
Back: Antagonism is strongly linked to aggression and other forms of antisocial behavior.
Front: What is the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology?
Back: A model that includes “antagonistic externalizing” as a core dimension, encompassing ASPD, NAR, conduct disorder, and other externalizing disorders.
Front: Why is further research on Antagonism important?
Back: Increased research is needed to understand the implications of Antagonism for externalizing problems and interpersonal impairment.
Front: What are Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits?
Back: CU traits in children and adolescents are linked to deficient empathy.
Front: What are the dimensions of empathy?
Back: Cognitive empathy (understanding others’ perspectives) and affective empathy (mirroring others’ emotional states).
Front: How do CU traits impact empathy?
Back: Individuals with CU traits may have deficits in both cognitive and affective empathy.
Front: Can individuals with CU traits understand others’ mental states?
Back: Yes, they can, but they may use this knowledge for antisocial purposes.
Front: How does the development of empathy differ between individuals with and without CU traits?
Back: Boys with CU traits often show deficits in affective empathy, while cognitive empathy can develop over time.
Front: What are the implications for future research on CU traits and empathy?
Back: Future research should examine cognitive and affective empathy separately and explore the nuances of the relationship between CU traits and empathy.
Front: What is pain empathy?
Back: The ability to understand and share the pain of others.
Front: How do individuals with high CU traits process pain empathy?
Back: They struggle to accurately recognize facial expressions of pain and may exhibit reduced physiological responses to painful stimuli.
Front: What are the consequences of impaired pain empathy?
Back: It may lead to increased violence as individuals with CU traits fail to recognize distress in others.