Personality, Motivation, Attitudes, and Psychological Disorders Flashcards Preview

MCAT-PSYCHOLOGY > Personality, Motivation, Attitudes, and Psychological Disorders > Flashcards

Flashcards in Personality, Motivation, Attitudes, and Psychological Disorders Deck (108)
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1
Q

what are the main theories/perspectives on personality? (6)

A
psychoanalytic perspective
humanistic perspective
behaviourist perspective
social cognitive perspective
trait perspective
biological perspectives
2
Q

what are the types of therapies used to treat personality disorders?

A

psychoanalytic therapy, humanistic/person-based therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy

3
Q

psychoanalytic theory

A

personality is shaped by a person’s unconscious thoughts, feelings and memories, associated with Sigmund Freud, two instinctual drives motivate human behaviour (libido/life instinct and death instinct)

4
Q

psychoanalytic perspective believes psychic energy is distributed among what 3 personality components?

A

id (the unconscious source of energy and instincts, ruled by pleasure principles), the ego (ruled by the reality principle, uses logical thinking and planning to control consciousness and the id), the superego (inhibits the id and influences the ego to follow moralistic and idealistic goals)

5
Q

ego defence mechanisms

A

unconscious denials or distortions of reality in order to cope with anxiety (from awareness of repressed feelings/memories/desires/experiences) and to protect the ego

6
Q

what are some ego defence mechanisms?

A

repression, denial, reaction formation, projection, displacement, rationalization, regression, sublimation

7
Q

repression

A

lack of recall of an emotionally painful memory

8
Q

denial

A

forceful refusal to acknowledge an emotionally painful memory

9
Q

reaction formation

A

expressing the opposite of what one really feels, when it would feel too dangerous to express the real feeling

10
Q

projection

A

attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to another person

11
Q

displacement

A

redirecting aggressive or sexual impulses from a forbidden action or action onto a less dangerous when

12
Q

rationalization

A

explaining and intellectually justifying one’s impulsive behaviour

13
Q

regression

A

reverting to an earlier, less sophisticated behaviour

14
Q

sublimation

A

channeling aggressive or sexual energy into positive, constructive activities

15
Q

Freud’s psychosexual developmental theory (5 stages, sexual energy is present from infancy)

A

oral stage, anal stage (pleasure through control of elimination), phallic stage (seeks sensual pleasure through the genitals-Oedipus and Electra complex, penis envy), latency stages (sexual interests subside and are replaced by interests in other areas), genital stage (sexual themes resurface and person’s life/sexual energy fuels other activities in life), saw the first 3 stages as most important and determining of adult personality, can lead to psychological fixation in one of the early stages

16
Q

Erik Erikson’s psychosocial developmental stages (8)

A
  1. trust vs. mistrust (birth to 1)
  2. autonomy vs shame/doubt (1-3)
  3. initiative vs. guilt (3-6)
  4. industry vs. inferiority (6-12)
  5. identity vs. role confusion (12-18)
  6. intimacy vs. isolation (18-35)
  7. generativity vs. stagnation (35-60)
  8. integrity vs. despair (60+)
17
Q

psychoanalytic therapy

A

uses various methods to help a patient become aware of his or her unconscious motives and to gain insight into the emotional issues and conflicts that are presenting difficulties

18
Q

humanistic theory

A

focuses on healthy personality development, humans are seen as inherently good and as having free will (rather than having their behaviour determined by their early relationships), motive of all people is the actualizing tendency, associated with Carl Rogers

19
Q

actualizing tendency

A

innate drive to maintain and enhance the organism

20
Q

self-actualization

A

realizing his or her human potential

21
Q

self-concept

A

the child’s conscious, subjective perceptions and beliefs about themselves, will choose behaviour consistent with self-concepts

22
Q

according to humanistic perspective, what is the root of psychopathology?

A

discrepancy between conscious introjected values and unconscious true values

23
Q

humanistic therapy (person-centered therapy)

A

to provide an environment that will help clients trust and accept themselves and their emotional reactions, so they can learn and grow from their experiences

24
Q

behaviourist perspective

A

personality is a result of learned behaviour patterns based on a person’s environment, behaviourism is deterministic and proposes that people begin as blank slates but environmental reinforcement and punishment (learning by classical and operant conditioning) completely determine an individual’s subsequent behaviour and personalities

25
Q

classical conditioning is also called

A

associational learning

26
Q

operant conditioning is when behaviour is influenced by:

A

the consequences that follow them (reinforcement, punishment)

27
Q

behavioural therapy

A

uses conditioning to shape a client’s behaviours in the desired direction (ABC model for assessment - antecedent, behaviour, consequences, therapy proceeds by changing antecedents and consequences)

28
Q

social cognitive perspective

A

personality is formed by a reciprocal interaction among behavioural (classical, operant, observational learning), cognitive (mental processes involved in observational learning and other cognitive processes), and environmental factors (situational influences such as opportunities, rewards, and punishments)

29
Q

cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

A

behavioural therapy combined with a cognitive approach: where the person’s feelings and behaviours are seen as reactions to the person’s thought about events, rather than the actual events themselves, goal is to help the client become aware of irrational or dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs and to substitute with more rational or accurate beliefs and thoughts

30
Q

personality trait

A

a generally stable predisposition toward a certain behaviour, each trait is a continuum

31
Q

surface traits

A

evident from a person’s behaviour

32
Q

source traits

A

factors underlying human personality and behaviour

33
Q

Big Five-Factor Personality model

A

5 source traits: extroversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness

34
Q

Cattell’s Personality Factors

A

5 global factors (extroversion, anxiety, receptivity, accommodation, self-control)

35
Q

biological perspective

A

much of what we call personality is at least partly due to innate biological differences among people, i.e. due to heritability of basic personality traits as well as correlations between personality traits and certain aspects of brain structure and function

36
Q

person-situation controversy (trait vs. state controversy)

A

considers the degree to which a person’s reaction in a given situation is due to their personality (trait) or is due to the situation itself (state)
traits are internal, stable, enduring aspects of personality, states are situational aspects of personality influenced by the environment

37
Q

instinct

A

behaviours that are unlearned and present in fixed patterns throughout species, represent the contribution of genes which predispose species to a particular behaviours

38
Q

drive

A

urge originating from a physiological discomfort such as hunger, thirst, or sleepiness

39
Q

drive reduction therapy

A

drives are physiological states of discomfort, motivated to reduce these drives. the greater the physiological need, the greater the physiological drive, an aroused, motivated state

40
Q

incentives

A

external stimuli, objects, and events in the environment that either help induce or discourage certain behaviours

41
Q

psychological disorders

A

a set of behavioural and/or psychological symptoms that are not in keeping with cultural norms, and that are severe enough to cause significant personal distress and/or significant impairment to social, occupational, or personal functioning

42
Q

what is a psychological disorder diagnosis based on?

A

symptom quantity, severity, impact on functioning

43
Q

anxiety disorders

A

characterized by excessive fear (of specific real things or more generally) and/or anxiety (of real or imagined future things or events) with both physiological and psychological symptoms

44
Q

obsessive-compulsive and related disorders

A

involve a pattern of obsessive thoughts or urges that are coupled with maladaptive behavioural compulsions; the compulsions are experienced as a necessary/urgent response to the obsessive thoughts/urges, creating rigid, anxiety filled routines

45
Q

trauma- and stressor-related disorders

A

involve unhealthy or pathological responses to one or more harmful or life-threatening events, including witnessing such an event. subsequent symptoms include patterns of anxiety, depression, depersonalization, nightmares, insomnia, and/or a heightened startle responses

46
Q

somatic symptom disorders

A

characterized by symptoms that cannot be explained by a medical condition or substance use, and are not attributable to another psychological disorder, but that nonetheless cause emotional distress

47
Q

bipolar and related disorders

A

involve mood swings or cycles (called episodes) ranging from manic to depressive, in which manic episodes tend to be followed by depressive episodes and vice versa

48
Q

depressive disorders

A

characterized by a disturbance in mood or effect, specific symptoms include difficulties in sleep, concentration, and/or appetite; fatigue; and inability to experience pleasure (anhedonia)

49
Q

schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders

A

characterized by a general “loss of contact with reality” which can include “positive” symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations and/or “negative” symptoms such as flattened affect

50
Q

dissociative disorders

A

characterized by disruptions in memory, awareness, identity, or perception. many dissociative orders are thought to be caused by psychological trauma

51
Q

personality disorders

A

personality disorders are characterized by enduring maladaptive patterns of behaviour and cognition that depart from social norms, present across a variety of contexts, and cause significant dysfunction and distress. these patterns permeate the broader personality of the person and typically solidify during late adolescence or early adulthood

52
Q

feeding and eating disorders

A

characterized by disruptive emotional and behavioural patterns around feeding and/or eating that negatively impact physical and mental health

53
Q

neurocognitive disorders

A

characterized by cognitive abnormalities or general decline in memory, problem solving, and/or perception

54
Q

sleep-wake disorders

A

characterized by excessive or deficient sleep patterns, abnormalities in circadian rhythm, and/or interruptions to normal sleep

55
Q

substance-related and addictive disorders

A

characterized by psychological and/or physiological dependence on or addiction to, one or more substances and behaviours. symptoms often include tolerance and withdrawal and are generally related to maladaptation of, or damage to, the brain’s reward system

56
Q

panic disorder

A

has suffered at least one panic attack and is worried about having more of them (anxiety disorder)

57
Q

generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

A

feels tense or anxious much of the time about many issues, but does not experience panic attacks (anxiety disorder)

58
Q

conversion disorder

A

(somatic disorder & related) experiences a change in sensory or motor function that has no discernible physical or physiological cause and that seems to be significantly affected by psychological factors (emotion or anxiety is converted into a physical symptom)

59
Q

factitious disorder imposed on self

A

a person has not just fabricated an illness but has gone the further step of either falsifying evidence or symptoms of the illness or inflicting harm to him- or herself to induce injury or illness without obvious benefit (somatic disorder & related)

60
Q

manic episode

A

for at least one week, a person has experienced an abnormal euphoric, unrestrained, or irritable mood, and a marked increase in either goal-directed activity or in psychomotor agitation

61
Q

bipolar I disorder

A

diagnosed only if there has been a spontaneous manic episode not triggered by treatment for depression or caused by another medical condition or medication, ie. has had at least one manic or mixed episode

62
Q

mixed episode

A

a person has met the symptoms for both major depressive and manic episodes nearly every day for at least a week, and the symptoms are severe enough to cause psychotic features, hospitalization, or impaired work, social, or personal functioning

63
Q

cyclothymic disorder

A

similar to bipolar disorder but the moods are less extreme, with the symptoms not meeting the criteria for either a manic or a major depressive episode, cyclic moods for at least 2 years and mood swings have never been absent for more than two months

64
Q

affect

A

person’s observable emotion in the moment

65
Q

mood

A

a person’s sustained internal emotion that colours his or her view of life

66
Q

major depressive disorder (MDD)

A

has suffered one or more major depressive episodes

67
Q

persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia, dysthymic disorder) (PDD)

A

less intense, but typically more chronic form of depression, has experienced milder symptoms of depression most days for at least two years, with symptoms never absent for more than two months, but without a major depressive episode

68
Q

premenstrual dysphoric disorder

A

only diagnosed in women, many of the symptoms of a major depressive episode are present, and intensify in the final week before the onset of menses and then improve and in many cases disappear in the week after menstruation has ended (distinguishing symptoms: specific food cravings, muscle pain, swelling in breasts, bloating)

69
Q

delusion

A

a false belief that is not due to culture and is not relinquished despite evidence that it is false

70
Q

delusional disorder

A

one or more delusions have been present for at least a month, and counter evidence is generally distorted or denied to keep the delusion intact

71
Q

brief psychotic disorder

A

when any of the positive symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech/behaviour) are present for at least a day but less than a month and no negative symptoms (decreased emotional expression, speech, or motivation)

72
Q

hallucination

A

a false sensory perception that occurs while a person is conscious, that occur in the absence of related sensory stimuli

73
Q

schizophreniform disorder

A

middle of schizophrenia spectrum, the person experiences at least one positive symptoms, but can also experience one or more negative symptom, and does for 1-6 months

74
Q

schizophrenia

A

at the end of the spectrum, when someone has been experiencing positive and sometimes negative symptoms for longer than 6 months, chronic disorder

75
Q

schizoaffective disorder

A

combines mood and psychotic symptoms, both the symptoms of schizophrenia and a major depressive, manic, or mixed episode are experienced for at least one month, the person experiences delusions/hallucinations in the absence of mood symptoms as well as during major mood episodes. like chronic psychotic disorder with an overlapping bipolar or depressive disorder in which the mood symptoms will fully remit for at least two weeks at a time

76
Q

dissociative identity disorder

A

alternates among two or more distinct personality states, only one of which interacts with other people at a given time

77
Q

dissociative amnesia

A

has had at least one episode of forgetting some important personal information, creating gaps in memory that are usually related to severe stress or trauma

78
Q

depersonalization disorder

A

a recurring or persistent feeling of being cut off or detached from his or her body or mental processes, as if observing themselves from the outside

79
Q

derealization disorder

A

a person experiences a feeling that people or objects in the external world are unreal

80
Q

cluster A personality disorder

A

paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal personality disorder, associated with irrational, withdrawn, cold, or suspicious behaviours

81
Q

cluster B personality disorder

A

antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders associated with emotional, dramatic, attention-seeking behaviours and intense interpersonal conflict

82
Q

cluster C personality disorder

A

avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders, associated with tense, anxious, over-controlled behaviours

83
Q

paranoid personality disorder

A

mistrusts and misinterprets others motives and actions without sufficient cause, suspecting them of deceiving, harming, betraying, or attacking him or her

84
Q

schizoid personality disorder

A

a loner with little interest or involvement in close relationships, even those with family members

85
Q

schizotypal personality disorder

A

several traits that cause problems interpersonally, including limited or inappropriate effect; magical or paranoid thinking, and odd beliefs, speech, behaviour, appearance, or perceptions

86
Q

antisocial personality disorder

A

a history of serious behaviour problems beginning as a young teen, including significant aggression against people or animals; deliberate property destruction; lying or theft; and serious rule violation

87
Q

borderline personality disorder

A

suffers from enduring or recurrent instability in his or her impulse control, mood, and image of self and others

88
Q

histrionic personality disorder

A

strongly desires to be the centre of attention, and often seeks to attract attention through personal appearance and seductive behaviour

89
Q

narcissistic personality disorder

A

feels grandiosely self-important with fantasies of beauty, brilliance, and power

90
Q

avoidant personality disorder

A

feels inadequate, inferior, and undesirable, and is preoccupied with fears of criticism and conflict

91
Q

dependent personality disorder

A

feels a need to be taken care of by others and an unrealistic fear of being unable to take care of him/herself

92
Q

obsessive-compulse personality disorder

A

may not have any true obsessions or compulsions, but may instead accumulate money or worthless objects

93
Q

stress-diathesis theory

A

suggests that while genetic inheritance provides biological predisposition for schizophrenia, stressors elicit the onset of the disease

94
Q

dopamine hypothesis

A

suggests that the pathway for the neurotransmitter dopamine is hyperactive in people with schizophrenia

95
Q

dementia

A

a term for a severe loss of cognitive ability beyond what would be expected from normal aging, ex. Alzheimer’s

96
Q

anterograde amnesia

A

the inability to form new memories

97
Q

retrograde amnesia

A

more recent memories degrade first, the last memories to fade are typically the oldest

98
Q

neural basis of Alzheimer’s disease

A

formation of neuritic plaques, hard formations of beta-amyloid protein and neurofibrillary tangles (clumps of tau protein), abnormalities of acetylcholine in hippocampus

99
Q

neural basis of Parkinson’s disease

A

movement disorder caused by the death of cells that generate dopamine in the basal ganglia and substantia nigra

100
Q

attitude

A

a person’s feelings and beliefs about other people or events around them + their tendency to react behaviourally based on those underlying evaluations

101
Q

what are the components of attitudes?

A

ABC (affect-emotion, behavioural tendencies, cognition/thought)

102
Q

cognitive dissonance theory

A

tension whenever one holds two thoughts or beliefs that are incompatible or when attitudes and behaviours don’t match

103
Q

door in the face effect

A

when individuals reject a large demand placed on them, they will be more likely to comply with a smaller subsequent demand

104
Q

incentive theory of motivation

A

includes factors outside of the individual, where external stimuli, objects, and events in the environment either help induce or discourage certain behaviours(community values, aspects of culture)

105
Q

drive theory of motivation

A

based on physiological need

106
Q

humanistic theory of motivation

A

based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (towards self actualization)

107
Q

psychoanalytic theory of motivation

A

driven by two instincts:

libido/life instinct drives behaviours focused on survival, growth, creativity, pain avoidance, pleasure

death instinct drives aggressive behaviours fuelled by an unconscious wish to die or to hurt oneself and others

108
Q

the ventromedial hypothalamus (i.e. the nucleus of the hypothalamus) is associated with:

A

feelings of fullness