Week 1

Question 1

What is psychopathology ?

Answer 1

This is the study of mental health disorders, emotional problems or maladaptive behaviours

Question 2

Historically what was mental illness considered to be?

Answer 2

Demon position or moral weakness

Question 3

What is the somatogenic hypothesis?

Answer 3

This states that psychological problems are a consequence of biological impairments

Question 4

Describe the 18th century asylums

Answer 4

Asylums I first opened in the 18th century for the confinement of people suffering with mental health problems. Treatments were barbaric I.e extremely hot/cold baths and the inmates were constrained

Question 5

How was the somatogenic hypothesis an improvement ?

Answer 5

It was an improvement because it introduced scientific approaches to the study of psychology.

Question 6

What are the pros and cons of the somatogenic hypothesis?

Answer 6

It assumes that mental illness is always biological and it is reductionist

Question 7

What are the four D’s of psychopathology

Answer 7

Deviation
Dysfunction
Distress
Dangerousness

Question 8

Deviance can be either …

Answer 8

Statistical infrequency, or a violation of social norms

Question 9

What are some example of deviance ?

Answer 9

Self harm, ranting incomprehensivly, believing one has superpowers

Question 10

What is Deviance (statistically infrequency)

Answer 10

Statistical infrequency is when your behaviour is statistically uncommon from the populations norm

Question 11

What is deviation ( social norm)

Answer 11

This is when your behaviour violates unwritten rules in a particular culture/society

Question 12

What is this dysfunction (maladaptive behaviour)

Answer 12

This is when you are unable to cope with the demands of everyday life and that one’s behaviour interferes with social/occupational well-being

Question 13

What is distress?

Answer 13

Being in distress is when your behaviours/emotions are extreme i.e. extreme anxiety surrow or pain examples are on controlled crying and suicide ideation

Question 14

Dangerous?

Answer 14

Where are you are a danger to yourself or others and where one unpredictably and aggressively acts out of context.

Question 15

What are positive and negative factors of deviation (statistical infrequency) diagnostic?

Answer 15

Misdiagnosis- common problems go undiagnosed e.g. depression due to its commonality
Objective- no issue of subjectivity, easy diagnosis as it’s factually based. you’re either diagnosed or not whether you fit into a certain percentile

Question 16

What are positive and negative factors of deviation (social norms ) diagnostic?

Answer 16

Culture relativism-what is normally one culture is another one-could be an abuse to human rights/ ethics
Situational norms- it does take into account situational norms and considers that some behaviours are not appropriate in certain contexts

Question 17

What are positive and negative factors of dysfunction diagnostic?

Answer 17

Misdiagnosis-two people have the same problem may receive a different diagnosis; or some people who should be considered abnormal go undetected
Subjective-takes into account the thoughts/feelings of the person; not a simple judgement

Question 18

Give an example of someone who may be distressed?

Answer 18

Uncontrolled crying