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psychopathology paper 1 Flashcards

1
Q

deviation from social norms definition of abnormality?

A

someone is abnormal if they deviate from society’s rules of acceptable behaviour and people who repeatedly fail to adhere to these rules are regarded as having some form of psychological disorder.

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2
Q

what are explicit and implicit rules?

A

explicit-rules violated that break the law

implicit-rules that are legal but still are disapproved by society

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3
Q

list 6 psychological disorders

A
  • phobia
  • OCD
  • depression
  • schizophrenia
  • autism
  • antisocial personality disorder
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4
Q

what is one strength of the deviation from social norms definition of abnormality?

A

it can be useful in working out the severity of the disorder

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5
Q

what is another strength of the deviation from social norms definition of abnormality?

A

the definition has real world application because it is useful for psychologists when assessing patients and giving appropriate treatment

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6
Q

what is one weakness of the deviation from social norms definition of abnormality?

A

this definition can lead to misdiagnosis as deviating from social norms doesn’t necessarily indicate a psychological abnormality e.g. people may just be eccentric and psychopaths can often blend into society

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7
Q

what is another weakness of the deviation from social norms definition of abnormality?

A

it has issues of cultural relativism which means that it is only relative to people of the culture.

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8
Q

what is the failure to function adequately definition of abnormality?(FFA)

A

someone is abnormal if they have an inability to cope with the demands of life e.g. working , going to school

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9
Q

what are the 5 things ROSENHAN and SELIGMAN have suggested are signs a person is failing to function?

A
  • not conforming to standard interpersonal rules(not making eye contact)
  • causing observer discomfort(self harm scars)
  • experiencing severe distress(suicidal thoughts)
  • unpredictability(mood swings)
  • irrationality(unreasonable thoughts about their self worth)
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10
Q

what is the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale(GAF)?

A

a psychological/physiological measure used to make a diagnosis and it measures the extent to which someone is failing to function

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11
Q

what are the strengths of FFA definition?

A
  • professionals can use the GAF the measure the extent to which some is failing to function
  • has real world application
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12
Q

what are weaknesses of the FFA definition?

A

-judgement is subjective which can lead to errors in diagnosis
-person may look like they’re failing to function but may be normal e.g. failing to eat due to financial situation
-

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13
Q

what is the statistical infrequency definition of abnormality(SID)

A

someone is abnormal if their trait/characteristic/behavior is statistically rare

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14
Q

what is a strength of the SID definition ?

A

it can measure psychological abnormalities objectively(based on numerical values)

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15
Q

what are the weaknesses of the SID definition?

A
  • doesn’t highlight where the behaviour is desirable e.g. high IQ is abnormal but desired
  • not all individuals benefit from being nicknamed abnormal e.g. someone w low IQ and lives happy life would not benefit from being diagnosed with intellectual disability disorder
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16
Q

what is the deviation from ideal mental health definition of abnormality(IDMH)?

A

attempts to define a state of ideal mental health and suggests deviation from these ideals would be defined as abnormality.

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17
Q

what are Jahoda’s 6 characteristics ?

A
  • mastery of the environment(ability to love, function at work, interpersonal relationships and adjust to new environments )
  • perception of reality(real vs fake)
  • integration(cope in stressful situations)
  • autonomy(being independent)
  • self attitude(self esteem and identity)
  • personal growth(reach full potential )
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18
Q

what is a strengthen of the IDMH definition of abnormality?

A

it looks positively at mental health and states ideals we should aim for rather than focusing of negatives

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19
Q

what is a second strength of the IDMH definition of abnormality?

A

it covers a range of criteria from coping w stress to understanding reality rather than focusing on one idea.

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20
Q

what are weaknesses of the IDMH definition of abnormality?

A
  • has issues of cultural relativism

- it seems impossible to meet all criteria’s therefore many of us would be regarded as mentally unhealthy

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21
Q

what are phobias?

A

phobias are irrational fears of an object or a situation.

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22
Q

what are the 3 behavioural characteristics of phobias?

A

panic-panic is the presence if phobic stimulus e.g. screaming, crying
endurance-remaining in the presence of phobic stimulus and continuing to experience high levels of anxiety.
avoidance-avoiding situations where you may encounter phobic stimulus

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23
Q

what are the 2 emotional characteristics of phobias?

A

anxiety-an unpleasant state of high arousal which prevents sufferers from relaxing, difficult to feel positive emotion
fear-an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous likely to cause pain or a threat

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24
Q

what are the 3 cognitive characteristics if phobias?

A

selective attention-sufferers will attend to phobic stimulus even if not a threat and it will be difficult to direct attention elsewhere.
irrational beliefs-unreasonable beliefs in relation to the phobic stimuli
cognitive distortions-may view the phobic stimulus worse than it actually is

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25
Q

what is the behavioural approach to explaining phobias?

A

states that we learn phobias from encounters within our environment. Mowrer proposed the two-process model of phobias. He argued phobias are acquired through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning

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26
Q

what is unconditioned stimulus ?(UCS)

A

a stimulus that elicits as response wo conditioning

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27
Q

what is an unconditioned response?(UCR)

A

a stimulus response elicited by the unconditioned stimulus

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28
Q

what is a conditioned stimulus?(CS)

A

a neutral stimulus that when paired with an unconditioned stimulus elicits a similar response

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29
Q

what is a conditioned response?(CR)

A

a response that is learned by pairing the original neutral conditioned stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus.

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30
Q

explain operant conditioning.

A

the process of learning through reinforcement and punishment .Reinforcement increases the likelihood of behaviour and punishment decreases the likelihood of behaviour. Negative reinforcement is a specific process arguably involved in the maintenance of a phobia. Avoidance of a feared stimulus will result in a lowered level of anxiety. This feeling will act as a reward and therefore increase the likelihood of the behaviour being repeated. This continual avoidance maintains the phobia as the person never encounters the phobic stimulus and faces their fear.

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31
Q

what are strengths of the biological approach to explaining phobias?

A
  • has real world application-understanding how and why humans develop phobias and helps develop treatment methods. Treatments help people overcome their fears so they are able to work, boosts economy
  • There is research support(Watson and Rayner)Little Albert study supports theory that phobias are learnt by association through classical conditioning
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32
Q

what are weaknesses of the biological approach to explaining phobias?

A

Biological factors not considered-humans genetically programmed to quickly learn an association between potentially life threatening stimuli and fear

Not all Phobias are learnt-not all individuals who experience a traumatic event acquire a phobia. Some acquire one even without experiencing traumatic event.

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33
Q

what is systematic desensitisation?

A

an organised method to make someone less sensitive which involves the process of gradually introducing an individual to an object or event they feel uncomfortable with.

34
Q

what is counterconditioning?

A

A fear response is replaced with a relaxation response. Conditioning is achieved through a slow process of gradual exposure or one single intense exposure.

35
Q

what is reciprocal inhibition?

A

individuals cannot be in a state of relaxation and fear at the same time. Therefore, patients are gradually exposed to the phobic stimulus.

36
Q

what is vivo and vitro in the anxiety hierarchy?

A

Vivo-for real

Vitro-can be imagines

37
Q

what are the steps in systematic desensitisation?

A

1) creating an anxiety hierarchy-put together by the patient and therapist and is a lists of situations related to the phobic stimulus from least to most frightening
2) relaxation-therapist teaches the patient to relax as deeply as possible e.g. breathing techniques or mental imagery. Can also be achieved via drugs
3) Exposure-the patient is exposed to stimulus’ while in a relaxed state. Treatment becomes successful when patient can stay relaxed in situations high on the anxiety hierarchy.

38
Q

what are the strengths of systematic desensitisation in treating phobias?

A
  • The process is more pleasurable then flooding as patients learn relaxation techniques and it doesn’t give the same degree of trauma flooding does. It is also effective for those with learning disabilities
  • Research support-Lang and Lazovik(1963) got people with phobias of snakes and put them in 2 groups. Group 1 received systematic desensitisation and group 2 no therapy. They found group 1 showed less of a fear than group 2. 6 months later those in group 1 showed a reduced fear of snakes.
39
Q

what are weaknesses of systematic desensitisation inn treating phobias?

A

Fails to consider biology-may not be effective in evolutionary based phobias to it cannot claim to treat all phobias.

Has practical issues-Time consuming and expensive which may lead to patients dropping out before the course is complete

40
Q

what did Richards(2002)find?

A

he found that in vivo exposure is the most effective psychotherapeutic technique of modern times and far more successful than treatments where the patient doesn’t have to be exposed to the object/situation

41
Q

what is the goal of flooding and what is extinction?

A

to overcome fears and extinction is when flooding stops phobic responses quickly as the patient learns that the phobic stimulus is harmless

42
Q

what are the two types of flooding?

A

in vivo and in vitro

43
Q

what does flooding do?

A

it exposes patient immediately to their phobic stimulus without a gradual build-up until their anxiety levels peak and the process of extinction should happen and patient realises phobic stimulus is harmless and anxiety levels decrease

44
Q

what are strengths of flooding in treating phobias?

A
  • There is research support to show its a credible treatment-Wolpe(1960) forced patient with cat phobia into back of a car and drove her around for 4 hours by the end her phobia completely disappeared
  • Practical as it is time efficient and effective –>benefits economy
45
Q

what are weaknesses of flooding in treating phobias?

A
  • Not appropriate for those with learning difficulties due to trauma. Suggests systematic desensitisation is ore appropriate
  • cannot be generalised to all types of phobias suggests CBT is more appropriate treatment
  • flooding involves ethical issues due to how it is traumatising
46
Q

what is depression?

A

a mental disorder characterised by low mood and low energy levels

47
Q

what are the 3 behavioural characteristics of depression?

A

Activity levels-typically low and can occasionally be the opposite where individuals are unable to relax

sleeping and eating-reduced sleep(insomnia)or over sleeping (hypersomnia).Eating may increase/decrease resulting in weight gain/loss

aggression- may be become more verbally or physically aggressive and may also self harm

48
Q

what are the 3 emotional characteristics of depression?

A

lowered mood-may experience extreme levels of sadness

Anger-sometimes feeling extreme anger which can be directed at others or themselves

lowered self-esteem-feelings of worthlessness and emptiness and liking themselves less than usual

49
Q

what are the 3 cognitive characteristics of depression?

A

poor concentration

negative bias-paying attention more to negative aspects more than positive ones

absolutist thinking-where events are perceived to be absolutely awful or absolutely amazing

50
Q

what is the cognitive approach to explaining depression?

A

the approach emphasises the role of internal mental processes and how these influence our behaviour .The underline assumption of the approach is that the disorder is the result of a disturbance in thought

51
Q

why was Ellis’ ABC model developed?

A

to explain individual responses to negative events and how people react differently to stress and adversity.

52
Q

ABC MODEL

A

ABC-activating event ,belief ,consequence
A-two colleagues laughing together
B-mentally healthy e.g.-friends having a good time depression e.g.-they are laughing at individual
c-mentally healthy e.g-happy to see others happy depression e.g-crying and upset(depression)

53
Q

what is a schema?

A

an organised cluster of information that develops through experience (self schema would be information about our own identity)

54
Q

name the 6 schemas in Becks negative triad.

A 
Selective perception
minimisation
personalisation
absolutist thinking 
magnification
overgeneralisation
55
Q

what is to have a ‘negative triad’?

A

where an individual consistently thinks negatively about the self, the future and the world

56
Q

what are the weaknesses of the cognitive approach of explaining depression?

A

Beck and Ellis do not explain all aspects of depression-it cannot explain more severe cases

Beck and Ellis fail to consider the role of biology-there is evidence that serotonin is low in depressed patients. It is a chemical produced by the body that ultimately influences mood.

57
Q

what are the strengths of the cognitive approach of explaining depression?

A

has real world application-leads to development of effective treatment for depression(CBT)helps patients challenge irrational beliefs.–>good for economy

research evidence to support-Grazioli and Terry(2002)
65 pregnant women tested for cognitive vulnerability and those who where highly cognitively were most likely to suffer from post-natal depression(credible links thinking with depression)

58
Q

what is CBT and its aim?

A

cognitive behavioural therapy and its aim is to challenge negative thoughts and replace them with healthy ones.

59
Q

what is the technique of CBT?

A

1.therapist gets client to recognize their irrational thoughts
2.therapist then gets client to provide evidence of events to challenge these thoughts
3.therapist sets hw that encourages client to engage in reality testing where compare their negative thinking to evidence in the real world. They are taught to be objective and take time to make judgment about a situation
4.client also has to write diaries to identify situations in which negative thinking occurs so these can be targeted
5beahvaioural activation-encouraging patient to become active and engage in activities

60
Q

what is the form of CBT developed by Ellis?

A

rational emotive behavioural therapy(REBT)

  1. recognize irrational thoughts
  2. challenge irrational thoughts
  3. reality test
  4. develop positive feelings
61
Q

what are the strengths of CBT treating depression?

A

It has research to support effectiveness-March compared CBT with drugs in hundreds of depressed adolescents and found drug was fast acting buy CBT was just as effective after 36 weeks and also better at reducing suicidal thoughts

it can be provided in different forms -e.g. in groups, online which makes it accessible.

62
Q

what are the weaknesses of CBT treating depression?

A

it only teaches people how to deal with depression rather than getting to the root of the problem e.g. if patient has childhood trauma

it can be time consuming-there is a lot of commitment required may not be appropriate for people with demanding jobs –>anti-depressants better

63
Q

what is OCD?

A

a disorder which is characterised by obsessive thoughts and or compulsive behaviour. Most experience both but some may suffer with one. Obsessions are internal because they are thoughts and compulsions are external because they are behaviours.

64
Q

what are the 2 behavioural characteristics of OCD?

A

repetitive compulsions-anxiety reducing behaviours such as switch lights on/off

Avoidance-avoiding situations where they may come in contact with threats e.g. using electrical equipment

65
Q

what are the 3 emotional characteristics of OCD?

A

anxiety-an unpleasant state of inner turmoil caused by obsessive thoughts

guilt-OCD patients may feel guilty over minor issues and feel the need to confess to someone

disgust-the feeling of profound disapproval aroused often by dirt or the self

66
Q

what are the 3 cognitive characteristics of OCD?

A

intrusive Obsessions-persistent uncontrollable recurring thoughts which they are aware are irrational.

Hypervigilance-enhanced state if sensory activity to threats e.g. focusing on ppl who sneeze

catastrophic thinking-a form of irrational belief where patients think disasters may occur

awareness of irrationality-being aware obsessions/compulsions are irrational

67
Q

what is the genetic explanation of the biological approach to explaining OCD?

A

Genetic explanations suggest OCD is inherited and individuals inherit specific genes which cause OCD
OCD seems to be polygenic condition where a number of genes are involved in its development.

68
Q

explain the main genetic explanation of OCD

A

The SERT gene regulates the function of serotonin which seems to be mutated in people with OCD. The mutation causes an increase in the reabsorption of serotonin into the pre synaptic neuron. This decreases serotonin in the synapse, therefore reducing its effect on the post synaptic neuron. If a person has low levels of serotonin then transmission of mood-relevant information does not take place and mood/mental processes are affected

69
Q

what is the other genetic explanation of OCD?

A

the COMT genes which is a gene that releases dopamine. This gene is also mutated in people with OCD however this mutation is the opposite of the SERT mutation. The mutated variation of the COMT gene found in OCD people causes a decrease in the reabsorption and therefore a higher level of dopamine in the synapse.
Dopamine in the neurotransmitter linked to experiencing motivation ,rewards and compulsions.

70
Q

what is a weakness of the genetic explanation to explaining OCD?

A

it doesn’t considerer environmental factors e.g.
many people with OCD may have experienced trauma in their lives like feeling ‘dirty’ because. Suggests OCD is not entirely genetic.

71
Q

what is the neural explanation of the biological approach to explaining OCD?

A

Neural mechanisms refer to regions of the brain

72
Q

what is the neural explanation of the biological approach to explaining OCD?

A

Abnormalities or an imbalance in the neuro transmitter serotonin, could be related to the symptoms of CD. Serotonin is the chemical though to regulate mood
OCD patients have low levels of serotonin in their synapse and a deficiency in it may cause anxiety-a characteristic of OCD

73
Q

what is the role of dopamine in the neural explanation of explaining OCD?

A

dopamine high in synapse of OCD patients. Dopamine has been involved in regulating concentration and motivation. This may explain why they experience hypervigilance and concentrate on threats and then respond to obsessive thoughts with compulsive behaviours

74
Q

what is the prefrontal cortex(PFC)?

A

region of the brain involved in decision making and the regulation of primitive aspects of our behaviour.
when activated brain is able to make decision as to hot to appropriately address primitive impulses. E.g. washing hands after bathroom. Once done PFC sends message to rest of the brain that you’re safe.
It is suggested there is dysfunction of PFC in OCD patients

75
Q

what are the strengths of the Neural explanation?

A

there is research support for the role of serotonin e.g. Soomro et al found that SSRIs were significantly better than placebos in reducing symptoms in 17 different clinical trials. Suggests serotonin does play a role in OCD

more research support. Menzies(2008)saw consistent abnormalities in areas of prefrontal cortex in fMRi scans of OCD patients. supports the idea of a dysfunctional PFC

76
Q

what are weaknesses of the Neural explanation?

A

fails to establish cause and effect-don’t know whether brain abnormalities cause OCD or environmental factors which then causes change in neural mechanisms.

77
Q

what does SSRI stand for and and what does it do?

A

selective serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors.
They inhibit the reabsorption of serotonin by the pre synaptic neuron which will increase serotonin in the synapse and allow it to have an effect on the post synaptic neuron. This reduces anxiety experienced by OCD patients and reduces need to exhibit compulsive behaviours

78
Q

fluoxetine is a type of SSRI what is the typical daily dosage and maximum dosage?

A

typical-20mg

max-60mg

79
Q

why are tricyclics sometimes used instead of SSRIS?

A

some patients might not respond to SSRIs. However Tricyclics cause more side effects

80
Q

What are the weaknesses of drug therapy in treating OCD?

A

many side effects such as fatigue and weight gain etc which causes some to stop taking the drug which reduces effectiveness of SSRIs.

Not a universal treatment as someone people report having different experiences with SSRIs. Some become dependent which may lead to addiction

81
Q

What are the strengths of drug therapy in treating OCD?

A

There is real world application-drugs have practical benefits; cost effective and cheaper than therapy ;benefits economy as people can return to work.

Research support-Soomro et al found that SSRIs were significantly better than placebos in reducing symptoms in 17 different clinical trials. Suggests serotonin does play a role in OCD

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