exam 1 content Flashcards
deviance
behavior that deviates from the social norm (cultural norms and practices)
dysfunction
behaviors are dysfunctional when they interfere with the person’s ability to function in daily life, to hold a jop, or to form close relationships
distress
behaviors and feelings that cause distress to the individual or to those around them are considered abnormal
dangerousness
behaviors and feelings that are of potential harm to the individual or to others
continuum model of abnormality
applies to all disorders in the DSM-5; since there is no way to determine where normal ends and abnormal begins, the normal-abnormal continuum is used to illustrate transitions in behavior
cultural relativism
the view that there are no universal standards or rules for labeling a behavior abnormal; instead, behaviors can be labeled abnormal only relative to cultural norms
psychoanalysis
the study of the unconscious; treatment approaches:
catharsis (expression of emotions connected to memories and conflicts, leads to release of energy used to keep these memories in the unconscious) and repression (defense mechanisms in which ego pushes anxiety-provoking material back into the unconscious)
behaviorism
the study of the impact of reinforcements and punishments on behavior
cognitions
thought processes–like attention, interpretation of events, and beliefs–that influence behavior and emotion
behavioral theories
view abnormal behaviors as similar to physical diseases
cognitive model and related treatment
biopsychosocial model
development of psychological symptoms often results from a combination of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors
diathesis-stress model
when the risk factor and the trigger or stress come together in the same individual does the full-blown disorder emerge
neurons
nerve cell
neurotransmitters
biochemicals that act as messangers carrying impulses from one neuron to another in the brain and in other parts of the nervous system
synapse
slight gap between the synaptic terminals; where NTs get released
receptors
molecules on the membrane of adjacent neurons
reuptake
process that occurs when the initial neuron releases the neurotransmitter into the synapse that reabsorbs the neurotransmitter
hormone
cerebral cortex
outer layer of the cerebrum; involved in many of our most advanved thinking processes
amygdala
structure of the limbic system that is critical in emotions such as anger and fear
hippocampus
structure in the limbic system that converts short term memory into long term memory
thalamus
directs incoming information from sense receptors to the cerebrum
hypothalamus
regulates eating, drinking, and sexual behavior, and is involved in processing basic emotion
limbic system
set of structures that regulate many instinctive behaviors, such as reactions to stressful events and eating
psychotropic medications
