Psychopathology Flashcards
(42 cards)
definitions of abnormality
statistical infrequency
deviation from social norms
deviation from ideal mental health
failure to function adequately
statistical infrequency definition
behaviour that is numerically rare
being abnormal means it is far from the mean, median or mode
far extremes of normal distribution curve
2 or more standard deviations considered abnormal
example - intellectual disability disorder, IQ below 70 is rare
statistical infrequency evaluation
+ real world application - used in diagnosis
- rare characteristics not always bad, eg high IQ
diagnosis may not help
deviation from social norms definition
behaviour that goes against the expectations or rules of society
abnormal behaviour change over time and culture
example - criteria used to diagnose antisocial personality disorder
deviation from social norms evaluation
+ real world application, used in diagnosis
- norms are culturally relative, not universal so limits usefulness
failure to function adequately
inability to cope with demands of everyday life
Rosenhan and Seligman - identified criteria to show is someone is struggling to cope, eg
personal and observer distress
example, IDD, low IQ means someone can’t cope
failure to function adequately evaluation
+ real world application, can help people and considers patients perspective
- subjective judgement to show if someone is struggling
- not all abnormal = distress
eg psychopathy
deviation from ideal mental health definition
failure to meet the criteria for good mental health
Jahoda - identified criteria needed (SPEARS)
resistance to stress, self actualisation and self esteem
accurate perception of reality
deviation from ideal mental health evaluation
+ useful checklist, covers broad range
- unrealistically high expectations, many people will be abnormal
- culturally biased (self)
characteristics of phobias
behavioural - panic and avoidance
emotional - fear and anxiety
cognitive - irrational beliefs and selective attention
characteristics of depression
behavioural - changes to eating and sleeping patterns, activity levels, aggression
emotional - lowered mood and anger
cognitive - poor concentration and irrational beliefs
characteristics of OCD
behavioural - compulsions
emotional - anxiety, guilt and distress
cognitive - obsessive thoughts, hyper vigilant
behavioural explanation for phobias
Mowrer’s Two process model
- learnt by classical conditioning
- NS paired with UCS, causes fear, NS becomes CS, leads to phobia
- maintained by operant conditioning
- negative reinforcement, avoiding phobia leads to relief of anxiety, makes phobic behaviours more likely
Little Albert
behavioural explanation study (evidence)
Little Albert
association of white rusted with loud bangs
white rats became a CS when paired with UCS, loud bangs, causing CR, fear
generalised t other objects, white and fluffy
evaluation of behavioural explanation
+ real world application, therapy, systematic desensitisation and flooding, prevents avoidance, effective
+ people can remember the cause of their phobia, conditioning
- not all bad experiences lead to phobias, Di Nardo et al 56% didn’t develop phobia
- phobia can develop without trauma, Di Nardo
systematic desensitisation
counter conditioning - new positive associations
works by reciprocal inhibition - conflicting emotions can’t exist
eventual extinction
- learn relaxation techniques such as meditation
- hierarchy developed, most to least scary version
- gradual exposure, proceed up hierarchy once fully calm
flooding
immediate, extreme exposure to phobic stimulus
fear response is exhausted (patient runs out of energy) and becomes extinct
prevents avoidance
evaluation of systematic desensitisation
+ Gilroy et al, relaxation vs SD, updated at 3 and 33 months, SD group less fearful, shows it is effective long term
- timely and costly, needs many sessions, disruptive
flooding evaluation
+ cost effective as quicker, one long session
- less effective for social behaviours, so doesn’t help everyone
- Schumacher - therapist and pateint rate it significantly more stressful
2 biological explanations for OCD
genetics and neural
genetic explanation for OCD
inherited in genes
candidate genes predispose someone to OCD - gene 9 and SERT
OCD is polygenic - many genes involved which increase likely - Taylor, found 230 genes
etiologically heterogeneous - different groups of genes cause it is different people
genetic explanation evaluation
+ Nestadt et al - MZ 68%, DZ 31% concordance rates
- too many candidate genes, not useful is predicting OCD
- not 100% for MZ
- environmental impacts, Cromer et al, 54% patients had trauma, OCD worse in those with multiple traumas
neural explanation for OCD
abnormal levels of neurotransmitters such as low serotonin
or high dopamine
abnormal brain activity
scans show brain activity in OCD sufferers
hoarding linked to abnormal functions in lateral lobes
basal gangia = repetitive actions (compulsions)
neural explanation evaluation
+ real world application, led to effective treatment of SSRIs, increase serotonin, Soomro et al, 17 studies show SSRIs more effective than placebo
- correlation doesn’t mean causation, OCD may cause abnormal levels (symptom not a cause)
- serotonin level may be low as they are also depressed
