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Psychology: AM > Unit 2 Psychology > Flashcards

Unit 2 Psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the three main definitions of abnormality?

A

1) Deviation from social norms
2) Failure to function adequately
3) Deviation from ideal mental health

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2
Q

What is deviant behaviour?

A

Behaviour considered antisocial or undesirable by society

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3
Q

What are the three limitations of the ‘deviation from social norms’ definition of abnormality?

A

1) Susceptible to abuse
2) Deviance is related to context and degree
3) Cultural relativism

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4
Q

What are three limitations of the ‘Failure to function adequately’ approach to abnormality?

A

1) Who judges?
2) Adaptive or maladaptive?
3) Cultural relativism

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5
Q

Who identified the 6 categories of ideal mental health in the ‘Deviation from ideal mental health’ definition of abnormality?

A

Marie Jahoda

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6
Q

What were 3 of the categories for ideal metal health in the ‘Deviation from ideal mental health’ definition of abnormality?

A

1) Self attitudes
2) Personal growth
3) Accurate perception of reality

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7
Q

What were the 3 limitations of the ‘deviation from ideal mental health’ definition of abnormality?

A

1) Who can achieve all of these criteria
2) Is mental health the same as physical?
3) Cultural relativism

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8
Q

What are the 4 approaches to Psychopathology?

A

Cognitive, Behavioural, Biological, Psychodynamic

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9
Q

What is the basic belief of the cognitive approach?

A

Abnormality is caused by faulty thinking/maladaptive thoughts

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10
Q

How does the cognitive approach believe mental disorders can be avoided?

A

If an individual changes how they perceive themselves and the world

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11
Q

In the cognitive approach, why is the individual in full control over their abnormality?

A

They control their thoughts, so are responsible for their own behaviour

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12
Q

In the cognitive approach, what did a psychologist refer expectations and attitudes directing peoples behaviour to?

A

The ABC model

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13
Q

What is the ABC model?

A

A - Activating event
B - belief/irrational thought
C - Consequence (fear)

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14
Q

What are 3 limitations of the cognitive approach?

A

1) Blames the patient rather than situational factors
2) Consequence rather than cause
3) Irrational beliefs may be realistic

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15
Q

Evaluation: what does the cognitive approach blaming the patient rather than situational factors mean?

A

Situational factors such as a drastic life event may be overlooked, yet they may have contributed to the development of the disorder

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16
Q

Cognitive Approach Evaluation: What does consequence rather than cause mean?

A
  • Unclear whether faulty thinking or mental disorder comes first
  • Negative and maladaptive thoughts may be a consequence of mental disorder
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17
Q

Cognitive approach evaluation: what does irrational beliefs may be realistic mean?

A
  • Not all beliefs seen as irrational are truly irrational

- Alloy and Abrahamsson suggested that many depressive realists see things for what they are

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18
Q

What is the main belief of the biological approach to psychopathology?

A

Abnormalities are a product of genetic inheritance

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19
Q

In the biological approach, how can abnormalities be inherited?

A

Passed from parent to child through genes

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20
Q

How can abnormalities in someones brain chemistry lead to abnormality, according to the biological approach?

A
  • Enlarged ventricles = schizophrenia, indicating shrinkage of brain tissue
  • Low serotonin levels can lead to depression
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21
Q

According to the biological approach, how can an individuals exposure to certain viruses lead to disorders?

A

Research shows that mothers of people with schizophrenia contracted a strain of influenza during pregnancy

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22
Q

What are the three limitations of the biological approach?

A

1) Inconclusive evidence
2) Problems establishing cause or effect
3) The myth of mental illness

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23
Q

How does the biological approach have inconclusive evidence?

A

If abnormalities were caused by genetics, the concordance rates of identical twins for mental disorders should be 100%, but chances of the other twin developing it are only 50%

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24
Q

What does the biological approach having inconclusive evidence show?

A

Environmental influences are equally important and it may only be vulnerability that is inherited

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25
Q

In the biological approach, why is their problems establishing cause or effect?

A

-We do not know if abnormalities in the brain cause disorders or vice versa: no simple cause and effect relationship

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26
Q

In the biological approach, what is the Myth of Mental Illness?

A

Thomas Szasz argued that the concept of mental illness is invented, abnormalities do not have a physical base because they are related to how a person views things in the world and their psychology

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27
Q

What is the main belief of the behavioural approach to psychopathology?

A

Abnormal behaviour is no different to ‘normal’ behaviour in terms of how it is learnt

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28
Q

How does the behavioural approach believe abnormalities are learnt?

A

Conditioning: maladaptive behaviours result in desirable support for the individual, which they will want to repeat for further attention

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29
Q

In the behavioural approach, what can reinforce maladaptive behaviour?

A

An environment

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30
Q

What are the three limitations of the behavioural approach?

A

1) The approach offers a limited view
2) Counter evidence
3) Symptoms not cause

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31
Q

How does the behavioural approach offer a limited view?

A

It offers a very limited view of the factors causing abnormal behaviour and ignores the role of other factors

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32
Q

How does the behavioural approach have counter evidence?

A
  • Approach lends itself to scientific validation, BUT research has not always supported it as someone with a phobia often cannot recall an incident which lead to conditioning
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33
Q

Why has the behavioural approach been criticised for treating the symptoms of an abnormality rather than the cause?

A
  • Problem is likely to resurface

- Although symptoms may be behavioural, cause is likely not to be

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34
Q

What is the main belief behind the psychodynamic approach to psychopathology?

A

Abnormality is caused by conflicts between the id, the ego and the super ego

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35
Q

In the psychodynamic approach, what can relieve the conflicts between the id, the ego and the super ego?

A

Ego defences (eg. repression)

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36
Q

What can happen if ego defences are frequently used?

A

The defences can become pathological if overused, leading to significant problems

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37
Q

How can childhood experiences lead to abnormalities?

A
  • The childs ego is underdeveloped and cannot deal with trauma
  • Repression (an ego defence) represses any associated emotions to the unconscious
  • Later, events may trigger repressed memories
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38
Q

How can the unconscious have a powerful effect on an individuals behaviour?

A

Through the influence of previously repressed trauma or emotions

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39
Q

What are 3 limitations of the psychodynamic approach?

A

1) Lack of research support
2) Abstract concept
3) Sexism

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40
Q

Why does Freuds theory have a lack of research support?

A

Difficult to prove or disprove: negative and positive results from Fisher and Greenbergs study could be used as support for Freuds hypothesis

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41
Q

Why could both negative and positive results be used as support for Freuds psychodynamic theory?

A

If results go in opposite direction to what is expected, individual is using defence mechanisms

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42
Q

Why is Freuds psychodynamic theory an abstract concept?

A
  • ID, ego and superego do not have a physical structure that can be measured/seen
  • Difficult to define or demonstrate these components
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43
Q

Why is Freuds theory sexually unbalanced?

A

At the time of research, women were relatively insignificant in society

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44
Q

Why is sexism a limitation of the psychodynamic theory?

A

Theory is less developed for women, so limits the relevance of the approach for women

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45
Q

What are two biological approach abnormality treatments?

A

Drugs (chemotherapy) and ECT

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46
Q

What is 1 psychological and 1 behavioural treatment for abnormality?

A

Psychoanalysis, Systematic Desensitisation

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47
Q

What are the three types of drugs taken by individuals suffering mental illness?

A

Antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant drugs, anti anxiety drugs

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48
Q

What are 2 strengths of drugs as treatment for abnormality?

A

+ Research has shown drug therapies to be effective in combating symptoms compared to placebos
+ Drugs are easy to use as they require little effort from patient

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49
Q

What are 2 limitations of using drugs as treatment for abnormality?

A
  • Tackle symptoms not cause: only temp alleviation of symptoms is offered that will resurface once patient stops taking the drugs
  • Most drugs have unpleasant side effects, such as SRRIs: nausea/suicidal thoughts
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50
Q

What type of patient is ECT used on and why?

A

Severely depressed patients when other forms of treatment have been ineffective

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51
Q

What is the process of ECT?

A
  • Small electric current passed through brain

- Patient experiences seizure which affects the whole brain and changes how neurotransmitters work

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52
Q

What are 2 strengths of ECT?

A

+ Highly effective

+ Can save lives

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53
Q

What research support is there for the effectiveness of ECT?

A

Comer found that 60-70% of ECT patients improve after treatment, however 84% relapsed after 6 months

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54
Q

How can ECT be life saving?

A

Because it is generally only used on severely depressed sufferers who have suicidal thoughts

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55
Q

What are 2 limitations of ECT?

A
  • Sham ECT was also highly effective

- Negative side effects

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56
Q

What did studies comparing sham ECT with real ECT find?

A

Although those receiving real ECT were more likely to recover, some receiving sham ECT also recovered

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57
Q

What does sham ECT being highly effective suggest?

A

Simply attention can aid patients in recovery

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58
Q

What are the three processes of psychoanalysis?

A

1) Free association
2) Psychologist attempts to recover repressed memories
3) Psychologist will then draw conclusions about cause of problem

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59
Q

What is free association?

A

Patient freely expresses their thoughts as they occur, even if they are irrel

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60
Q

What is the AIM of free association?

A

To reveal areas of conflict and repressed memories

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61
Q

What will the psychologist do to the thoughts expressed in free association?

A

Interpret the thoughts

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62
Q

What are 2 strengths of psychoanalysis?

A

+ Highly effective

+ Benefits can improve over time

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63
Q

What are 2 weaknesses of psychoanalysis?

A
  • Repressed memories may be false

2) Theoretical limitations

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64
Q

What research evidence shows psychoanalysis to be highly effective?

A

Bergin analysed data from 10,000 patient histories and estimated that 80% had benefited from psychoanalysis compared to 65% from other treatments

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65
Q

What does Bergins findings show about psychoanalysis?

A

His findings provide modest support for psychoanalysis as a treatment for mental illness

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66
Q

Who investigated that benefits from psychoanalysis can improve over time?

A

Tschuschke

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67
Q

What did Tschuschke do/find regarding the effectiveness of Psychoanalysis over time?

A
  • Investigated 450 patients receiving psychoanalysis

- The longer the treatment, the better the outcome

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68
Q

When, did Tschuschke conclude, would a patient receive the best outcomes from psychoanalysis?

A

If they were motivated and puts in effort to continue the treatment

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69
Q

What have critics argued regarding the accuracy of repressed memories?

A
  • Therapists may be planting false memories of sexual abuse to explain abnormalities
  • Little evidence to support claim that P’s can accurately recall repressed memories
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70
Q

What might patients suffer from therapists planting false memories?

A

Emotional trauma

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71
Q

What is a theoretical limitation of Psychoanalysis?

A

-If Freuds theory is flawed, all therapies arising from it must be flawed also

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72
Q

What is systematic desensitisation used to treat?

A

Anxiety, particularly fears and phobias

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73
Q

What does systematic desensitisation involve?

A

Introducing P to feared object and gradually expanding exposure so eventually P learns to relax in presence

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74
Q

What are the 4 steps of systematic desensitisation?

A

1) Patient taught to relax muscles
2) Desensitisation hierarchy constructed
3) P works way through hierarchy
4) P masters feared situation

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75
Q

What is a desensitisation hierarchy?

A

A series of imagined scenes, each one with more exposure to the stimuli than the previous

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76
Q

What are two strenghs of SD?

A

+ Appropriateness

+ Effectiveness

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77
Q

How is appropriateness a strength of SD?

A

SD is a relatively quick process, requires little effort on patients part so patient is more likely to persevere

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78
Q

How is effectiveness a strength of SD?

A

Successful for a range of anxiety disorders

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79
Q

What did a study find regarding the effectiveness of SD?

A

When compared to a control group, individuals with a fear of flying had less anxiety after the treatment

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80
Q

Why is SD treating the symptom rather than cause a limitation of SD?

A

It may appear to resolve a problem but it eliminates symptoms rather than dealing with the cause, so problem is likely to return

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81
Q

What are 2 limitations of SD?

A
  • Symptoms rather than cause

- Not universally effective

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82
Q

Why is SD not universally effective?

A

-Found to be less effective with anxieties that have an underlying adaptive component acquired through personal experience eg. fear of dangerous animals

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83
Q

What is stress?

A

A state of psychological tension and arousal produced by a stressor

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84
Q

Which 3 studies investigated the effects of stress on the immune system?

A

1) Kiecolt-Glaser
2) Wound Healing: Marucha
3) Chronic relationship stress

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85
Q

What was the method of Kiecolt-Glasers first study into the effects of stress on the immune system?

A

Natural experiment where blood samples were taken from medical students 1 month before exams and during the exam period

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86
Q

In Kiecolt-Glasers study, how was IMS functioning assessed?

A

By measuring NK cell activity in blood cells

87
Q

What did Kiecolt-Glaser find in their study on the effects of stress on the immune system?

A

NK cell activity significantly reduced in the exam period sample compared to the 1 month before sample, showing short term stressors can reduce IMS functioning

88
Q

What was the method of Marucha’s Wound Healing experiment?

A

-Inflicted punch biopsy in mouth of students during the summer holidays and 3 days before an exam

89
Q

What did Marucha find in his wound healing experiment?

A

Wounds inflicted 3 days before exam took 40% longer to heal

90
Q

What was the method of Kiecolt-Glasers ongoing relationship stress study?

A

Lab experiment testing the impact of interpersonal conflict on wound healing
-Couples given blister wounds and the time they took to heal was used to measure IMS functioning

91
Q

What were the findings of Kiecolt Glasers ongoing stress study?

A

More hostile couples with conflicting discussions took longer to heal, showing that suffering chronic stressors make people more susceptible to illness

92
Q

What are 2 strengths of research into the effects of stress on the immune system?

A

+ Real world application

+ Research support

93
Q

What real world application does research into stress on the immune system have?

A
  • Essential for development of lifestyle programs involving stress coping techniques
  • Those who use stress coping behaviours report better wellbeing
94
Q

What research support does research into the effect of stress on the immune system have?

A

A meta analysis of 293 studies found chronic stress can lead to suppression of the immune system. The longer the stress, the more detrimental changes took place in the immune system

95
Q

What are 2 limitations of research into stress on the immune system?

A
  • Stress and Illness not a simple relationship

- Stressors can enhance immune system

96
Q

Why is stress and illness not a simple relationship?

A

May be various factors affecting health, health is generally stable and slow to change. Difficult to demonstrate that exposure to particular stressors impair health

97
Q

Who conducted research that was inconsistent with the findings regarding the effect of stress on the immune system?

A

Evans et al.

98
Q

What did Evans et al. find regarding the enhancement of the immune system with stress?

A

-In some conditions of mild/acute stress, sigA can increase, but in intense stress it can decrease, showing stress may have 2 effects on IMS

99
Q

What is a daily hassle?

A

Relatively minor event arising from day to day living

100
Q

Why have psychologists turned their attention to daily hassles?

A

Major life changes are relatively rare

101
Q

Which 3 studies investigated the impact of DAILY HASSLES on stress?

A

1) Bouteyre
2) Gervais
3) Daily Hassles v Life Changes

102
Q

What was the aim of Bouteyres study?

A

Investigating the relationship between daily hassles and mental health of students transitioning from school to UNI

103
Q

What was the method of Bouteyres study?

A

Students were presented with hassles questionnaire and Becks Depression inventory l

104
Q

What were the findings of Bouteyres study?

A
  • 40% of students suffered from depressive symptoms

- Pos correlation between scores on hassles questionnaire and depressive symptoms

105
Q

What was the method of Gervais study?

A

Nurses were requested to record their daily hassles and uplifts during their working day in a diary, and rate their work performance

106
Q

What were the findings of Gervais’s study?

A

Daily hassles can increase job strain and decrease job performance. But daily uplifts can counteract the negative effects.

107
Q

How to major life changes differ from daily hassles?

A

With life changes, individuals may seek and receive social support

108
Q

Why are daily hassles broadly accepted as comparable to/greater sources of stress than life changes?

A

An Australian study found that daily hassles were linked to greater pychological/physical dysfunction

109
Q

What was the method of the daily hassles v life changes study?

A

320 students read a scenario describing even a M/F individual who had experienced a major life event/daily hassle. They then rated the amount of support the person would receive and seek

110
Q

What were the findings of the daily hassles v life changes study?

A

Major life events = rated higher in seeking and receiving social support
Daily hassles = less social support

111
Q

What are 4 evaluation points of research into daily hassles?

A

+ Amplification effect
+ Accumulation effect
+ Real world application
+ Methodological problems

112
Q

What is the accumulation effect?

A

Minor daily hassles create persistent irritations which can build up and overwhelm the individual, resulting in high levels of stress

113
Q

What is the amplification effect?

A

Chronic stress due to major life changes make a person more vulnerable, so the experience of daily hassles is amplified

114
Q

What is a real world application of research into daily hassles?

A

-Offers insight into road rage: daily hassles accumulating can lead to higher levels of stress on drive home

115
Q

What is a methodological problem associated with the research into daily hassles?

A

-P’s usually asked to rate hassles over previous month - retrospective data - may be inaccurate due to memory or interpretation

116
Q

What did Holme and Rahe develop?

A

The social readjustment rating scale based on 43 life events from 5000 patient records

117
Q

What are life changes?

A

Positive or negative changes that significantly impact an individuals life in some way

118
Q

What hypothesis did Rahe test?

A

The hypothesis that the number of life events a person experiences is positvely correlated with illness

119
Q

What was the method of Rahes study?

A
  • Military version of SRRS

- 2700 men aboard navy ships questioned on life events experienced in past 6 months

120
Q

What were the findings of Rahes study?

A

Small but significant positive correlation between life changes and illness over the same 6 months

121
Q

Regarding life changes, it is not whether the change is negative that is important, but the..

A

amount of energy needed to deal with the event

122
Q

What were the 2 studies on life changes?

A

1) Rahe

2) Michael and Ben-Zur

123
Q

What was the method of Michael and Ben-zurs study?

A

Nat experiment looking at levels of life satisfaction in recently divorced n recently widowed women

124
Q

What did Michael and Ben-Zue find?

A

Widowed: LS greater before and lower after
Divorced: LS lower before and greater after

125
Q

In Michael and Ben-Zurs study, why did the divorced group have greater life satisfaction after their divorce?

A

They were better able to turn this life change into a positive experience

126
Q

What are the four evaluation points for research into life changes?

A

1) Quality of event is most important
2) Daily hassles more significant
3) Individual differences
4) Spurious relationship

127
Q

Regarding research into life changes, why have critics argued that the quality of the event is more important?

A

SRRS suggests any LE can be damaging because it requires readjustment, BUT undesired/unscheduled changes are the most harmful

128
Q

Regarding research into life changes, what did Delongis et al find about daily hassles?

A
  • Studied stress in 75 married couples who completed life events questionnaire and hassles and uplifts scale
  • No relationship between life events and health, but pos correlation between hassles and next day health problems
129
Q

Why is individual differences a limitation of research into life changes?

A

SRRS ignores individual differences. Death of someone with long-enduring illness may not have as devastating effects as an unexpected death

130
Q

Why is the spurious relationship a limitation of research into life changes?

A
  • Majority of studies have produced correlational data that do not tell us about a possible casual relationship between the two
  • Relationship may be due to anxiety
  • Link may have intervening variables: harder to generalise
131
Q

Who investigated stress in the workplace?

A

Marmot

132
Q

What did Marmot investigate?

A

The job strain model of workplace stress

133
Q

What does the job strain model propose?

A

The workplace can create stress and illness in 2 ways: high workload and low job control

134
Q

Do low grade employees have a high workload or a low job control?

A

Low job control

135
Q

What was the method of Marmots study?

A
  • 7000 civil servants presented with questionnaire on workload, job control and social support
  • Checked for CHD and reassessed 5 years later
136
Q

What did Marmot find?

A
  • No link between high workload and SRI

- Low job control - more likely to have developed CHD 5 years later

137
Q

What does Marmots study show?

A

It illustrates a link between level of control and stress related illness

138
Q

What are 3 strengths and 1 weakness of research into workplace stress?

A

+ Considerable research support
+ Real world application
+ Work underlay
- Individual differences

139
Q

What research support does Marmots investigation into workplace stress have?

A

Meta analysis of 14 studies involving 83,000 employees worldwide that looked at link between CHD and stress. Employees with high levels of job strain 50% more likely to develop CHD

140
Q

Why can work underload be stressful and who investigated this?

A

If individuals are given tasks lacking in stimulation or beneath their capacity
Schulz: work overload causes most stress, but work underload can also cause significant stress

141
Q

Why is individual differences a limitation of research into workplace stress?

A

There may be wide individual diffs. in terms of how a person perceives stressors

142
Q

Who investigated individual differences regarding workplace stress?

A

Schaubroeck

143
Q

What did Schaubroeck find: individual differences regarding workplace stress?

A

Study measured saliva (to assess IMS functioning) and found that some had a higher immune system in low control conditions, showing some workers respond differently to a lack of control

144
Q

What is a positive application of research into workplace stress?

A

-More aerobic fitness to reduce psychological stress responses

145
Q

What was the method of Rivanens study into aerobic fitness on stress in workplace?

A

20 male and female teachers participated in a study involving various exercise tests and measurement of physiological responses

146
Q

What were Rivanens findings?

A

Teachers with highest levels of aerobic fitness had lower levels of stress and tension

147
Q

What is a type A personality?

A

Someone who will strive to achieve a lot in a short amount of time

148
Q

Friedman and Rosenman proposed the idea that a Type A personality has 3 main characteristics:

A

1) Competitive and achievement striving
2) Impatience and time urgency
3) Hostility and aggressiveness

149
Q

Who conducted research into the Type A personality?

A

Friedman and Rosenman

150
Q

In Friedman and Rosenmans study, how many participants were involved, of what age and when?

A

3000 men aged 3959 in California, 1960

151
Q

What was the method of Friedman and Rosenmans study?

A
  • Personalities assessed using structured interview

- Examined for signs of CHD

152
Q

What were the findings of Friedman and Rosenmans study?

A

Over 8.5 years, twice as many Type A personalities (12%) had died of a heart attack compared to Type B (6%). Type A also had higher cholesterol and blood pressure

153
Q

What are 2 evaluation studies of research into the type A personality?

A

1) Ragland and Brand

2) Myrtek

154
Q

What did Ragland and Brand do regarding research into Type A personality?

A

Follow up study 22 years after original study

155
Q

What did Ragland and Brand show?

A
  • 15% of original participatns had died of CHD
  • Little evidence of relationship between type A and mortality, challenging the theory that Type A was a significant risk factor
156
Q

What did Myrtek find regarding Type A personality research?

A

Association between CHD and 1 component of Type A: hostility, other than this, no link. Therefore, link between type A and CHD is limited

157
Q

What is the Hardy personality?

A

A personality with a natural resistance/defence against the negative effects of stress

158
Q

What are the three characteristics of the Hardy personality?

A

Control
Commitment
Challenge

159
Q

What are 2 studies into the Hardy personality?

A

Kobasa and Maddi

160
Q

Who was involved in Kobasas study?

A

800 American business executives

161
Q

What was the method of Kobasas Hardy study?

A

-Stress assessed using SRRS and personality assessed using hardy questionnaire

162
Q

What did Kobasa find in his Hardy study?

A
  • 150 had high stress levels, some had low illness record, some had high illness record, suggesting something else may have been modifying the effects of stress
  • Low illness group = scored high on all 3 hardy characteristics
163
Q

What was the method of Maddis Hardy study?

A

Studied employees of US company whose workforce had been drastically cut

164
Q

What were the findings of Maddis study?

A
  • 2/3rds suffered stress problems, 1/3 thrived

- Those who thrived showed more hardy attributes

165
Q

What is one strength and three limitations of research into the hardy personality?

A

+ Real world application

  • Problems of measurement
  • Negative affectivity
  • Individual differences
166
Q

What is a real world application of research into the hardy personality?

A

It can explain why some soldiers remain healthy under conditions of intense stress. Higher hardiness = better ability to handle stress

167
Q

Why is negative affectivity a limitation of the hardy personality?

A

Characteristics can be explained more simply by negative affectivity. High NA = more likely to report distress, low NA = ‘hardy individuals’

168
Q

Why is measurement a problem of hardy personality?

A

Most of research relied on self report techniques: open to social desirability bias

169
Q

Why are individual differences a limitation of the hardy personality?

A
  • In 50s n 50s, psychology was preoccupied with Type A because seen to be characteristics of successful male
  • Once people made aware of CHD risk, hardy personality became more desirable
170
Q

What are 3 examples of how the body might respond to stress?

A

1) Heart rate increases
2) Blood sugar increases
3) Breathing rate increases

171
Q

What is the fight or flight response?

A

A state of energised readiness where a person is ready to respond to a perceived stressor

172
Q

What is the body automatic response when the body detects a stressor?

A

Arousal of the autonomic nervous system

173
Q

What is the autonomic nervous system divided into?

A

Sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic branch

174
Q

What does the SNS secrete once the autonomic nervous system has been aroused?

A

Noradrenaline which travels to every organ and gland in the body preparing for action

175
Q

What can noradrenaline result in?

A

Responses such as increased heart rate

176
Q

What happens as the SNS is activated?

A

The SAM system is simultaneously activated which releases neurones to the adrenal gland, which will release adrenaline

177
Q

What happens to the body when the stressor is no longer present?

A

Body arouses the parasympathetic branch which returns the body to a state of relaxation

178
Q

If the stress response is repeatedly activated, why can this have a negative effect on the body?

A

The response exerts powerful energetic behavioural responses: most day to day stressors do not require this level of energy

179
Q

What damage within the body can repeated stress-response lead to?

A

Suppressed immune response, damage in the lining of blood vessels

180
Q

What is stress inoculation therapy?

A

Therapy based on the idea that an individual can be inoculated against stress

181
Q

Who was the stress inoculation therapy developed by?

A

Meichenbaum

182
Q

What did Meichenbaum believe?

A

We cannot change the causes of stress, but we can change the way we think about it

183
Q

How does stress inoculation therapy differ from other therapies?

A

It is suggested that an individual should develop a coping method before the potential stressor arises

184
Q

What are the three main phases of the stress inoculation therapy process?

A

1) Conceptualism phase
2) Skills acquisition phase
3) Application phase

185
Q

What is involved in the conceptualism phase of SIT?

A

Relationship established, client educated about stress and how to perceive threats as problems to be solved

186
Q

What is the skills acquisition phase of SIT?

A

Coping mechanisms taught and gradually rehearsed

187
Q

What is the application phase of SIT?

A

Clients given opportunities to apply new skills e.g. role-play

188
Q

What is one strength and 2 limitations of stress inoculation therapy?

A

+ Highly effective

  • Requires time, effort and money
  • Process is unnecessarily complex
189
Q

What study found SIT to be highly effective?

A

When SIT was compared with SD, although both treatments were effective, SIT helped clients deal with second non treated phobias as it ‘inoculated’ them

190
Q

Although a limitation of SIT is that is requires a lot of time, effort and money, what does Meichenbaum point out?

A

It involves learning and practising many long lasting skills which give clients the ability to cope with future problems

191
Q

Why is SIT being complex a limitation of the therapy?

A
  • Effectiveness only due to certain elements
  • Activities could be reduced with therapy still being effective
  • May be possible to gain benefits of SIT by simply learning to think in a positive manner
192
Q

What is Hardiness training?

A

A form of CBT designed to increase self confidence and sense of control so individuals can cope with change

193
Q

What 3 stages does Hardiness training involve?

A

1) Focusing
2) Reliving stressful encounters
3) Self improvement

194
Q

What are 2 strengths and 1 weakness of hardiness training?

A

+ Highly effective
+ Real world application
- Issues with basic concept

195
Q

What evidence is there to show that Hardiness training is highly effective?

A

Vale State College has offered it, which has helped them stay in and graduate from school using the stress management techniques

196
Q

What real world application does Hardiness training have?

A

Used for olympic swimmers to ensure that they are:

  • Committed to levels of challenge and performance levels
  • They can control aspects of their daily life which could interfere with their training
197
Q

What is a basic issue with the concept of Hardiness training?

A
  • Aspects of an individuals personality and their habits of coping addressed first
  • Difficult to modify: time consuming
198
Q

What are the two types of drugs used to treat stress?

A

1) Benzodiazepines

2) Beta Blockers

199
Q

When a Benzodiazepines used?

A

When individuals suffer from extreme anxiety

200
Q

What is the neurotransmitter GABA?

A

The body’s natural anxiety relief which has a quietening effect on the brain

201
Q

What is the process of how Benzodiazepines work?

A
  • GABA reacts to GABA receptors
  • Receptors open a channel increasing flow of chloride
  • Chloride makes it harder for neurone to be transmitted by other neurotransmitters
202
Q

Who are Beta-Blockers generally used by?

A

By sportsmen and musicians to reduce arousal and enhance performance

203
Q

What is the process of how Beta-Blockers work?

A
  • Bind receptors on cells in heart usually stimulated
  • Reduce the activity of adrenaline
  • Heart pumps blood with less force: lower BP and HR
204
Q

What are 2 strengths of using drugs as treatment for stress?

A

+ Easy to use

+ Highly effective

205
Q

Why is its ease of use a strength of using drugs as a treatment for stress?

A

Do not require much effort from user as opposed to other treatment, therefore more likely to appeal to individuals

206
Q

Why is its high effectiveness a strength of using drugs as a treatment for stress?

A

Kahn followed 250 patients taking it and found benzodiazepines are far superior to placebos

207
Q

What are 2 limitations of using drugs as treatment for stress?

A
  • Treat symptoms not cause

- Highly addictive

208
Q

Why is drugs treating the symptoms not a cause a limitation of using drugs to treat STRESS?

A
  • Temporary alleviation of symptoms rather than treating root of problem
  • Symptoms will return once patient stops taking them
209
Q

Why is drugs being highly addictive a limitation of using drugs as stress treatment?

A

This can provide further problems for users as they are extremely likely to develop an addiction

210
Q

What is a study supporting the idea that drugs as a stress treatment are highly addictive?

A
  • Patients who stopped taking the drug showed withdrawal symptoms
  • Even patients on low dose exhibited withdrawal symptoms
211
Q

What is conformity?

A

Social influence when individuals change their attitudes to adhere to existing social norms

212
Q

What is compliance?

A
  • Individual will go along with views of others to gain approval/avoid their disapproval
  • Compare their beliefs to the majority and change accordingly
213
Q

What is internalisation?

A

Individuals go along with the views of other people because they accept their point of view as it is consistent with their own

Psychology: AM (8 decks)

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