Psychopathology New 2

Question 1

4 definitions of abnormality

Answer 1

Statistical infequency
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal MH

Question 2

STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY

Answer 2

Behaviour that is rarely seen- abnormal
It is therefore a statistical infrequency.
E.g IQ.
Below 70- abnormal

Question 3

Deviation from social norms

Answer 3

When a person behaves in a way that is different from how they are expected to behave
Make collective judgments in societies.

Question 4

Failure to function adequately

Answer 4

Inability to cope with everyday living
Not being able to maintain basic standards- hygiene etc
Rosenhan and Seligmans- cannot conform to interpersonal rules, personal distress, behave in an irrational or dangerous way

Question 5

Deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 5

Look at ideal health and see someone that doesn’t fit in with it

Jahodas 8- ideal mental health:
1. No symptoms of distress
2. Self-actualise
3. Cope with stress
4. Realistic view of the world

Question 6

A03
S statistical infrequency- real-world application

Answer 6

E- useful in diagnosis
Helps assess depression
E- means it is useful in diagnostic and assessment processes.

Question 7

A03- limitation statistical infrequency- unusual characteristics can also be positive

Answer 7

E- not always abnormal
Having a high IQ can be desirable
E- can never be its sole basis of defining abnormality

Question 8

A03- strength of deviation from social norms- real-world application

Answer 8

Useful to diagnose antisocial behaviour
Useful in treatments

Question 9

A03- L of social norms explanation- situationally and culturally relative

Answer 9

E- one culture might be abnormal to another other whereas it is normal in their culture

E- difficult to judge deviation from social norms from one context to another

Question 10

A03
Strength of failure to function- threshold for professional help

Answer 10

E-if people carry on failure to function they can seek or are referred to get professional help
E- means that the criteria of failure to function provides a way to target treatment services to those that need them the most

Question 11

A03 limitation of failure to function
Lead to discrimination

Answer 11

E- hard to distinguish between failure to function and deviation from social norms. People may choose to take part in riskier activities.
E- means that people who make unusual choices can be labelled abnormal and their freedom of choice restricted

Question 12

right of ideal mental health- being comprehensive

Answer 12

E- includes a range of criteria. Covers most reasons why we might need help with MH. Means help can be given.
E- provides a checklist against which we can assess ourselves and others

Question 13

A03- limitation of ideal mental health. Maybe culture-bound.

Answer 13

E- some criteria is limited to the US and Europe. E.g self-actualisation is not recognised in most of the world.
E- means it is difficult to apply the concept from one culture to another.

Question 14

Phobia:
behavioural characteristics

Answer 14

Panic- crying, screaming, running away from the phobic stimulus.
Avoidance- effort to prevent contact with the phobic stimulus. Make it hard to go about everyday life.
Endurance- remaining with the phobic stimulus and continuing to experience anxiety

Question 15

Phobia:
Emotional characteristics

Answer 15

Anxiety- unpleasant state of high arousal. Makes them not be able to relax
Fear- immediate response
Emotional response is unreasonable- strong emotional response if it’s not that big- tiny spider

Question 16

Phobia:
Cognitive characteristics

Answer 16

Selective attention to the phobic stimulus
Find it hard to look away
Irrational beliefs- think people think less of them so they try harder to avoid showing it but it makes it worse.
Cognitive distortions- unrealistic thinking

Question 17

Depression:
Behavioural characteristics.

Answer 17

Activity levels- people with it have reduced levels of energy making them more ‘lazy’
Disruption to sleep and eating behaviour- reduced or increased sleep and appetite and weight may increase or decrease.
Aggression and self harm- associated with irritability and this may extend to aggression and self harm

Question 18

Depression:
Emotional characteristics

Answer 18

Lowered mood- describe themselves as ‘worthless’ or ‘empty’
Anger- emotions lead to aggression or self harm
Lowered self esteem- they like themselves even less

Question 19

OCD
Behavioural characteristics

Answer 19

Compulsions are repetitive
Compulsions reduce anxiety
Avoidance

Question 20

OCD
Emotional characteristics

Answer 20

Anxiety and distress
Depression
Guilt and angst

Question 21

OCD
Cognitive characteristics

Answer 21

Obsessive thoughts
Cognitive coping strategies
Insight into excessive anxiety

Question 22

Depression
Cognitive characteristics

Answer 22

Poor concentration
Attention to the negative
Absolutist thinking- when a situation is unfortunate it is seen as an absolute disaster

Question 23

Behavioural approach to explaining phobias:

Two process model
Classical and operant conditioning

Answer 23

Phobias are learnt by classical conditioning then maintained by operant conditioning
E.g two processes are involved

Question 24

Behavioural approach to explaining phobias:
Acquisition by classical conditioning

Answer 24

UCS triggers a fear response. E,g being bitten increases anxiety.
NS is associated with the UCS. E.g being bitten by a dog
NS becomes a CS producing fear. The dog becomes a CS cause it a CR of anxiety/ fear following the bite

Question 25

Behavioural approach to explaining phobias: Little Albert: conditioned fear

Answer 25

Watson and Rayner showed how a fear of rats could be conditioned in ‘Little Albert’ 1. Whenever Albert played with a white rat, a loud noise was made close to his ear. The noise UCS caused a fear response UCR 2. Rat NS did not create fear until the bang and the rat had been paired together several times. 3. Albert showed a fear response CR every time he came into contact with the rat (now a CS)

Question 26

Behavioural approach to explaining phobias: Generalisation of fear to other stimuli

Answer 26

Little Albert also showed fear in response to other white furry objects including a fur coat and a Santa Claus beard

Question 27

Behavioural approach to explaining phobias: Maintenance by operant conditioning (negative reinforcement)

Answer 27

Operant conditioning takes place when our behaviour is reinforced or punished. Negative reinforcement- an individual produces behaviour that avoids something unpleasant When a person with a phobia avoids a phobic stimulus they escape the anxiety that would have been experienced This reduction in fear negatively reinforces the avoidance behaviour and the phobia is maintained.