Defining Abnormal Psychology Flashcards

1
Q

What is the definition of abnormal psychology?

A

The branch of the science of psychology that addresses the description, causes, and treatment of abnormal behaviour patterns

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2
Q

How do we define abnormal behaviour?

A
  1. is the behaviour unusual?
  2. does the behaviour violate social norms?
  3. does the behaviour involve a faulty interpretation of reality?
  4. does the behaviour cause personal distress?
  5. is the behaviour maladaptive?
  6. is the behaviour dangerous?
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3
Q

Descriptors of Abnormality

A

Deviant
Different
Disordered
Bizarre

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4
Q

What factors affect our perceptions of what is normal?

A

Culture and context

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5
Q

Risk factors for developing a psychological disorder

A
Age
Education
Childhood trauma
Current stress
Life events
Lack of social supports
Gender
Physical health
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6
Q

The demonological model

A

Demonic possession is what causes abnormal behaviour

The treatment was trephining

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7
Q

Trephining

A

Cutting a hole in the skull to release the spirits

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8
Q

The origins of the medical model

A

Hippocrates and ill humours

Abnormal behaviour is the result of underlying biological processes

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9
Q

Treatment of mental patients during medieval times

A

Abnormal behaviour was a sign of possession of evil spirits or the devil
The treatment was exorcisms

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10
Q

Witchcraft and Abnormal Behaviour

A

So-called witches may have been people who were actually mentally disturbed
Persecuted because their abnormal behaviour was taken as evidence they were in league with the devil
Malleus Maleficarum

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11
Q

Asylums in Europe and the New World

A

Residents were held in disgusting conditions and often chained up
Some asylums became a public spectacle

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12
Q

The Reform Movement

A

The idea that people who behave abnormally suffer from diseases and should be treated humanely
Was not popular at the time

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13
Q

Moral Therapy

A

The belief that providing humane treatment in a relaxed, decent, and encouraging environment could restore functioning

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14
Q

Phenothiazines

A

A group of antipsychotic drugs that help suppress the more flagrant behaviour patterns associated with schizophrenia

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15
Q

The Community Mental Health Movement

A

Mental illness should be treated as a medical condition in a medical facility

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16
Q

Deinstitutionalization

A

The belief that psychiatric patients would benefit from the opportunity to lead more independent and full-filling lives in the community while relying on general hospitals for short-term care during episodes

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17
Q

Psychiatric Homelessness

A

As deinstitutionalization left fewer beds for mental patients, poorer people left behind in the shuffle ended up on the streets

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18
Q

The Biological Perspective

A

Mental disorders are diseases of the brain with underlying biological defects or abnormalities

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19
Q

Dementia Praecox

A

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are caused by a biochemical imbalance

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20
Q

General Paresis

A

A degenerative brain disorder that occurs during the final stage of syphilis

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21
Q

The Psychological Perspective

A

Organic factors alone could not explain abnormal behaviour

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22
Q

Charcot

A

Experimented with hypnosis in treating hysteria
-a condition in which people present physical symptoms with no underlying physical cause
These symptoms could be removed by means of hypnotic suggestion

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23
Q

The Sociocultural Perspective

A

Psychological problems are rooted in the social ills of society, such as poverty, lack of economic opportunity, rapidly changing social values and morals, race and gender discrimination

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24
Q

The Homelessness in Canada

A

Lack of available housing, transitional care facilities, and effective case management for homeless Canadians who have psychological disorders and addictions

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25
Q

Biological Perspectives vs the Medical Model

A

A focus on biological factors does not require the medical model

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26
Q

Epigenetics

A

The study of the heritable and acquired changes in genes

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27
Q

Norepinephrine

A

Excesses and deficiencies linked to mood disorders and eating disorders

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28
Q

Acetylcholine

A

Reduced levels linked to Alzheimer’s disease

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29
Q

Dopamine

A

Excessive levels linked to schizophrenia

30
Q

Serotonin

A

Imbalances of which have been linked to depressive and bipolar disorders and anxiety

31
Q

Central Nervous System

A

The brain and the spinal cord

32
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

Part of the nervous system that consists of the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system

33
Q

Hindbrain

A

Medulla, pons, cerebellum

34
Q

Midbrain

A

Lies above the hindbrain and contains nerve pathways linking the hindbrain to the upper region of the brain, called the forebrain

35
Q

Forebrain

A

Includes structures such as the thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, and cerebellum

36
Q

Reticular Activating System

A

A weblike network of neurons that play important roles in regulating sleep, attention, and states of arousal

37
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

Relays information from the sense organs to the brain and transmits messages from the brain to the skeletal muscles, resulting in body movements

38
Q

Autonomic Nervous System

A

Regulates the activities of glands and involuntary functions, such as respiration, heartbeat, and digestion

39
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A

Activity leads to heightened states of arousal

40
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

Activity reduces states of arousal and regulates body processes that replenish energy reserves

41
Q

The Structure of the Mind (Freud)

A
Unconscious = not readily in awareness
Preconscious = lies outside of awareness but can be brought into the conscious with cues
Conscious = present awareness
42
Q

The Id

A

Operates unconsciously
Follows the pleasure principle = demands instant gratification
Primary process thinking = relating to the world through imagination and fantasy

43
Q

Ego

A

Governed by the reality principle = consideration of what is socially acceptable and practical in gratifying needs
Secondary process thinking = reality-based thinking and problem solving activities of the ego
Delayed gratification

44
Q

Self

A

The sum total of a persons thoughts, sensory impressions, and feelings

45
Q

Superego

A

Moral standards
Identification = the process of incorporating the personality or behaviour of others
Ego ideal

46
Q

Stages of Psychosexual Development

A
Oral stage
Anal stage
Phallic Stage
Latency Stage
Genital Stage
47
Q

Defence Mechanisms

A

Prevents socially unacceptable impulses from rising into consciousness

48
Q

Repression

A

Expulsion from awareness of unacceptable ideas or motives

49
Q

Regression

A

The return of behaviour that is typical of earlier stages of development

50
Q

Displacement

A

The transfer of unacceptable impulses away from threatening individuals toward safer or less threatening objects

51
Q

Denial

A

Refusal to recognize a threatening impulse or desire

52
Q

Reaction Formation

A

Behaving in a way that is the opposite of one’s true wishes or desires in order to keep these repressed

53
Q

Rationalization

A

The use of self-justifications to explain unacceptable behaviour

54
Q

Projection

A

Imposing one’s own impulses of wishes onto another person

55
Q

Sublimation

A

The channeling of unacceptable impulses into socially constructive pursuits

56
Q

Primary Reinforcers

A

Influence behaviour because they satisfy basic physical needs

57
Q

Secondary Reinforcers

A

Influence behaviour through their association with established reinforcers (money)

58
Q

Humanistic Perspective

A

Emphasizes the personal freedom that people have in making conscious choices that give their lives meaning and purpose

59
Q

Self-actualization

A

Inborn tendency to strive to become all they are capable of being

60
Q

Unconditional positive regard

A

Valuing other people as having basic worth regardless of their behaviour at a particular time

61
Q

Conditional Positive Regard

A

Valuing other people on the basis of whether their behaviour meets one’s approval

62
Q

Neo-Humanistic Perspective

A
Emotions are adaptive 
Emotional intelligence
Emotion-focussed therapy 
International network on Personal Meaning
-role of meaning in daily life
63
Q

Albert Ellis

A

Cognitive-behavioural Perspective
Irrational beliefs about unfortunate experiences fosters negative emotions and maladaptive behaviour
Cognitive-behavioural therapy

64
Q

Aaron Beck

A

Cognitive-behavioural perspective
Depression may result from cognitive errors such as judging oneself entirely on the basis of one’s flaws or failures and interpreting events in a negative light

65
Q

Alberta Bandura

A

Cognitive-behavioural perspective

Social-cognition theory = emphasizes the roles of thinkings, or cognition, and of learning by observation or modelling

66
Q

Gestalt

A

Centered on increasing a person’s awareness, freedom, and self-direction
Focuses on the present moment rather than past experiences
Based on the idea that people are influenced by their present environment

67
Q

Downward Drift Hypothesis

A

Suggests that mental illness leads to poverty

68
Q

The Interactionist Perspective

A

No one theoretical perspective can account for the complex forms of abnormal behaviour
Multiple domains explain abnormal behaviour

69
Q

The Diathesis Stress Model

A

A predisposition or vulnerability and environmental stressors can lead to the development of a disorder

70
Q

The Biopsychosocial Model

A

Two internal systems = biological and psychological

One external system = socioculture and environmental factors

71
Q

Overall Perspective on Treatment Change

A
  1. Psychotherapy is effective
  2. Long-term therapy is better than short-term therapy
  3. No specific modality is clearly better for some disorders
  4. Medications plus psychotherapy is not consistently better than psychotherapy alone
  5. The curative effects of psychotherapy are often more long-term than those of medication
  6. The effective use of psychotherapy can reduce the costs of physical disorders
  7. There is no evidence that different mental health care specialists differ in treatment effectiveness
  8. All three of these groups are more effective than counsellors or long-term family doctors
  9. Clients whose length of therapy or choice of therapy was limited by insurance or managed care did worse than those without such limits
  10. Approximately 5% of people who seek treatment get worse