psychological problems Flashcards
(27 cards)
Unipolar depression
a type of mood disorder causing periods of feeling sad and lacking motivation to do everyday activities.
Monozygotic twins
twins developed from one fertilised egg that has split into two; monozygotic twins are genetically identical.Dizygotic twins:
Dizygotic twins
twins developed from two different eggs fertilised during the same pregnancy; dizygotic twins are not genetically identical.
Genetic predisposition
a biological tendency to develop a particular behaviour as a result of the genes someone has.
Diathesis-stress model
an explanation for depression that claims people can have a gene that makes them more likely to develop depression, but only if they face a stressful situation that triggers depressive thoughts.
Serotonin
neurotransmitter associated with controlling mood.
Cognitive theory
an explanation that focuses on how thought processes influence behaviour
Negative triad
a set of three thought patterns where people feel bad about themselves, the future and the world in general.
Magnification
a form of cognitive bias that makes people see their problems as far bigger than they actually are.
Nature
explanations of behaviour that focus on innate factors (the things we are born with).
Nurture
explanations of behaviour that focus on environmental factors (the things that happen to us).
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
a therapy for mental health disorders that aims to change thought processes in order to reduce symptoms.
Neurotransmitters
chemicals found within the nervous system that pass messages from one neuron to another across a synapse.
Noradrenaline
a type of neurotransmitter that is involved in mood and is released during times of stress.
Reuptake
the process by which neurons reabsorb neurotransmitters that they released.
Placebo
an inactive substance, or ‘fake pill’, used instead of an active substance.
Relapse
a return of symptoms after treatment has been given.
Addiction
a mental health problem that means people need a particular thing – a substance or an activity – in order to be able to go about their normal routine.
Withdrawal:
a set of unpleasant physical or psychological symptoms someone gets when they are trying to quit or cannot satisfy their addiction.
Learning theory:
an explanation that believes behaviour is learned through associations and experiences.
Classical conditioning
: learning by associations.
Operant conditioning
learning from the consequences of actions.
Social learning theory
behaviour is learned through observation and imitation of role models.
Reinforcement
an outcome resulting from behaviour that increases the chance of the behaviour being repeated or avoided in the future
