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Psychology > Psychopathology > Flashcards

Psychopathology Flashcards

1
Q

What is statistical infrequency?

A

Mathematical approach that quantifies behaviour. Aims to find a mean avg of behaviour amongst the population eg Using IQ as a measure of intelligence. How often we come across behaviour. The difference between normal and abnormal becomes a quantity.

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2
Q

Evaluation of statistical infrequency

A

+real world applications
clinical practise where diagnosing eg Schizophrenia 1%
Useful for clinicians

-Ignored cultural factors.
Infrequent may be frequent in another culture. Genital retraction koro syndrome common in southern china. Culturally relative.

-Some statistically abnormal behaviours are desirable. IQ 150.
Normal undesirable behaviours eg depression.
Unable to distinguish between undesirable and desirable.

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3
Q

Deviation from social norms

A

A behavior does not fit within what is socially acceptable. Dependent on the culture in which the behavior occurs eg homosexuality. Context (eccentric) and degree of behavior need to be considered.

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4
Q

Evaluation of Deviation of social norms

A
  • Culturally relative. Behavior only makes sense when viewed within the originating culture. eg homosexuality. There are no universal rules for labelling behaviors as abnormal.

-Social norms change within time eg homosexuality. Definition is limited.

+Used as a way to identify and get help. If healthy behavior is accepted as the societal norm, a person with a mental disorder has friends that will recognize they are behaving abnormally an seek help. eg depression sleep for 10 hours.

+Flexible in deciding what is normal because dependent on culture, age etc. not rigid and accepts individual differences.

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5
Q

Failure to function adequately

A

An individual is not able to cope with everyday life eg holding a job down. The global assessment of functioning scale is a method of measuring how well individuals function in everyday life.

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6
Q

Failure to function adequately evaluation

A

+Represents a good threshold for professional help. In any given year, 25% of us experience symptoms of mental disorder to some degree. Most the time we press on but when we cease to function adequately people seek medical help. Provides a way to target treatment to those who need them the most.

-Based on subjective judgement. Interpretation on whether someone is in distress and not functioning adequately is open to bias. Where is the line drawn? Difficult to decide whether it is a result of abnormality.

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7
Q

Deviation from ideal mental health

A

Abnormal behaviour should be defined by the absence of particular characteristics. Marie Jahoda suggested there were 6 criteria that needed to be fulfilled for ideal mental health-autonomy (independence), pos attitude towards the self, self- actualization etc.

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8
Q

Evaluation from ideal mental health

A

-Has extremely high standards. Only a few ppl will attain all criteria so would suggest we are all abnormal and therefore need treatment. May be good as it makes it clear the way in which ppl can benefit from seeking help to improve their mental health. May only be helpful to some.
- Cultural bound as based on Jahodas views of psychological health (western) ie self actualisation would be self indulgent in collectivist cultures. Applying ideas to members of non western cultures would be inappropriate.

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9
Q

What are phobias?

A

An irrational extreme fear of an object, place or situation that causes a constant avoidance of said object, place or situation. Interferes with your everyday.

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10
Q

Behavioural characteristics of phobias

A

Panic- Crying, screaming or u may freeze
Avoidance
Endurance

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11
Q

Emotional characteristics of phobias

A

Anxiety
Fear
Emotional response is unreasonable

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12
Q

Cognitive characteristics of phobias

A

Selective attention to the phobic stimulus
Irrational beliefs
Cognitive distortions

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13
Q

How does the DSM recognise phobias?

A

Specific phobias- phobia of an object

Social anxiety- phobia of a social situation

Agoraphobia- fear of being outside or in a public space

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14
Q

Mowrer- The two process model

A

We acquire phobias through classical conditioning and we continue to maintain this phobia because of operant conditioning.

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15
Q

Discrimination

A

If the phobia is specific to a specific type of an object

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16
Q

Generalisation

A

If the phobia is for all types of the object

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17
Q

Watson and Rayner- Little Albert

A

Created a phobia in a 9 month year old baby. He showed no unusual anxiety at the start. When a rat was presented they made a loud noise by clanging an iron bar close to Albert’s ear. The noise is an UCS which creates a UCR of fear. When the rat (NS) and the UCS are encountered together the NS becomes associated with the UCS and produce fear. The rat is now the CS that produces a CR. Conditioning then generalised to similar objects.

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18
Q

Positive reinforcement

A

Being rewarded for the fear which strengthens it

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19
Q

Negative reinforcement

A

Strengthens fear as individual will avoid what they are afraid of

20
Q

Evaluation of the two process model

A

+ Real life application- development of treatment. Classical conditioning has led to treatments such as systematic desensitisation where u learn to pair relaxation with the phobic object. Capafons et al found systematic desensitisation was successful in overcoming a fear of flying and the conditioned response was relaxation. Shows how phobias are acquired and can be reversed to cure the phobia.

-Not all phobias are formed from a negative experience. Some common phobias such as snakes occur in a population where few people have experiences of snakes. Not all frightening experiences cause phobias eg you may be bitten by a dog but still love them. Not a complete explanation of phobias such as evolution where we model behaviour on objects.
+Little Albert as evidence which gives theory credibility as we objectively see how phobias are acquired through conditioning.
+

21
Q

Systematic desensitisation

A

Relies on classical conditioning to help someone get rid of a phobia . Eg if someone has a spider phobia there is systematic movement from a pic of a spider (weak stimulus) to a live spider (strong stimulus) to help cure the phobia- anxiety hierarchy.
Desensitisation part is where a person learns to relax their muscles as part of the therapy and they relax each time a move is made up the hierarchy of phobic objects and learn to replace fear response with relaxation response- Reciprocal Inhibition. Slowly exposed and step by step process.

22
Q

Evaluation of systematic desensitisation

A

+ Cost effective method due to using virtual reality in sessions. For example if you have a phobia of heights. Less sessions may be needed as you can tackle the issue quickly and safely. More ppl can be treated which helps society.

-Doesn’t work for everybody. If the patient cannot relax to move on to the next stage the treatment will not be successful. Eg someone with a fear of spiders may not be able to move past spiders being in a jar even with the help of relaxants and the treatment relies on people being able to relax. May not be effective

23
Q

Flooding

A

Where you are given full immediate exposure of your feared object without a gradual process. When you’re scared, your body increases heart rate, blood pressure and adrenalin. Body is in alarm stage. Body can’t last this way and will calm down and phobia should have disappeared as body is too exhausted to respond.

24
Q

What does both systematic desensitisation and flooding use?

A

In vivo (actual exposure) and in vitro (imaginary exposure) VR

25
Q

Evaluation of flooding

A

+ Flooding is traumatic for patients. You are making the patient face their phobic object face on, when they have been avoiding it for a long time. Causes a huge amount of distress and may be something the patient struggles with. Treatment isn’t effective and could waste time and money.

+Flooding can be cost effective. Takes a shorter time then systematic desensitization. Can work in one session only. More ppl can get treated quicker.

26
Q

What is depression?

A

A mood disorder where the person feels down all the time.

27
Q

Behavioral characteristics of depression

A

Activity levels decrease. Tend to withdraw from work, education and social life. Can lead to psychomotor agitation where they struggle to relax

Disruptions to sleep and eating behavior

Aggression and self harm

28
Q

Emotional characteristics of depression

A

Lowered mood

Anger

Lowered self esteem

29
Q

Cognitive characteristics of depression

A

Poor concentration

Attending to and dwelling on the negative

Absolutist thinking-‘black and white thinking’

30
Q

Beck’s negative triad

A

When depressed we attend to negative aspects of a situation and ignore positives.
We use schemas to interpret the world so if we have a neg-self schema we interpret all info about ourselves in a negative way.
A person develops a dysfunctional view of themselves because of 3 types of negative automatic thinking:
-neg view of the world
-neg view of the future
-neg view of the self

31
Q

Evaluation of Beck’s theory of depression

A

+Theory has practical application as therapy.
Becks cognitive explanation forms the basis of CBT. The components of negative triad can be easily indentified and challenged in CBT. This means the patient can test whether the elements of the negative triad are true. Translates well into a successful therapy.

-Does not explain all aspects of depression. Depression is a complex disorder. Some depressed patients are deeply angry and Beck cannot easily explain this extreme emotion. Some depression patients easily suffered hallucinations, bizarre beliefs eg delusions they are zombies. Just focuses on one aspect of the disorder
+ Has supporting evidence. Grazioli and Terry assessed 65 pregnant women for cognitive vulnerability and depression before and after birth. Those women judged to have been in cognitive vulnerability were more likely to suffer post natal depression. These cognitions can be seen before depression develops suggesting that Beck may be right about cognition causing depression at least in some cases.

32
Q

Ellis’ ABC model

A

Poor mental health came from irrational thinking.
A- Activating event. We become depressed when we experience a negative event eg failing a test.
B- Beliefs.
C- Consequences. When an activating event triggers irrational beliefs they have emotional behavioural consequences.

33
Q

Evaluation of Ellis ABC Model

A

-Only a partial explanation of depression. There is no doubt some cases of depression follow activating events. Psychologists call this reactive depression that arises without an obvious case. Sometimes depression can occur when there is no traceable life event that may have led to it. Ellis ABC model only explains some types of depression and not all.

-Not the only explanation of depression and can also be explained t the biological approach in terms of genetic factors and neurotransmitters. Studies found low levels of serotonin in depressed people and a gene related to this, is 10 times more common in depressed people. Also, drug therapies which are successful in treating depression for example citalopram which increases serotonin levels in depressed patients. There is a biological link to depression.

34
Q

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy- CBT

A

Talking therapy which tackles and alters your irrational thinking. Based on concept that your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected and that negative thoughts can trap you in a negative cycle. Deals with current problems 6-20 sessions. HWK.

35
Q

REBT

A

Developed ABC to include D (dispute) and E(effect).
Challenging irrational thoughts is achieved through D. Therapists will dispute patients irrational beliefs to replace it with effective beliefs. HWK.

36
Q

Evaluation of treatments of depression

A

-Not work for everyone especially in severe cases where they cannot even get to the session. Medication alongside CBT IS effective and works instantly. Not an effective sole treatment.

+Research to support CBT works. March et al compared the effect of CBT with an antidepressant drug and a combination of the 2 in 327 adolescents. After 36 weeks, 8% of the CBT group, 81% of the antidepressant group, 86% of combo group improved. Should be a NHS treatment.

+Research to support REBT works .
David used 170 outpatients with non psychotic major depressive disorder. Patients randomly assigned to 1 of the following : 14 weeks of REBT, 14 weeks of CT or 14 weeks of pharmacotherapy. Outcome measures used were the Hamilton Rating scale for depression and Beck depression inventory. There was a significant effect of REBT on the patients at the 6 month follow up compared to other treatments when they recompleted the Hamilton scale.

37
Q

What is OCD?

A

A condition characterized by obsessions and or compulsions.

38
Q

Obsessions

A

Cognitive-something that takes place in the mind.

39
Q

Compulsions

A

A Behavior- something you do.

40
Q

Behavioral characteristics of OCD

A

Repetitive compulsions
Compulsions reduce anxiety
Avoidance

41
Q

Emotional characteristics of OCD

A

Anxiety and distress
Accompanying depression-low mood and lack of enjoyment in activities
Guilt and disgust

42
Q

Cognitive characteristics of OCD

A

Obsessive thoughts
Cognitive coping strategies
Insight into excessive anxiety

43
Q

Genes

A

OCD is inherited and there is a genetic vulnerability, so people are predisposed to the illness.
Candidate gene: involved in vulnerability. For OCD it is the 5HT1-Dbeta gene in chromosome 6. This gene affects anxiety as are genes that regulates the serotonin system.

44
Q

OCD is polygenic

A

Not caused by 1 single gene but a combination of 230 genetic variations.

45
Q

Aetiologically heterogeneous

A

origins of OCD vary from 1 person to another

46
Q

Neural explanation of OCD

A

Due to our neurotransmitters

Psychology (5 decks)

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