Psychopathology

Question 1

Abnormality

Answer 1

Statistical infrequency
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health

Question 2

Evaluations of deviation from social norms

Answer 2

Strength - real world application

Weakness - cultural and situational relativism, definitions of abnormality may differ between cultures

Question 3

Evaluations of failure to function adequately

Answer 3

Strength - represents a threshold for help

Weakness - discrimination and social control

Question 4

Evaluations of deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 4

Strength - comprehensive definition

Weakness - extremely high standards

Question 5

Phobias

Answer 5

An intense persistent and irrational fear

Specific phobias - fears about specific things

Social phobia - anxiety relating to social situations

Agoraphobia- fear of being outside or in a public space

Question 6

Characteristics of phobias

Answer 6

Behavioural - panic, avoidance and endurance

Emotional - anxiety and fear

Cognitive - selective attention, irrational beliefs and cognitive distortions

Question 7

The two process model

Answer 7

Mowrer proposed the model based on the behavioural approach, phobias gained by classical conditioning and maintained by operant conditioning

Question 8

Watson and Raynes little Albert

Answer 8

9 month old baby, series of stimuli shown including loud bang when presented with a white rat, after a while he was scared of just the rat due to association

Question 9

Evaluations to phobias

Answer 9

Strength - real world application, exposure therapy etc

Weakness - ignored evolution, Bounton says evolution could play a part

Weakness - ignored cognitive factors

Question 10

Systematic desensitisation

Answer 10

Behavioural therapy made to reduce phobic anxiety with classical conditioning. If a person can relax in the presence of their phobia, they’re cured. Counter conditioning

Question 11

Processes of systematic desensitisation

Answer 11

1. Construction of anxiety hierarchy
2. Relaxation techniques are taught
3. Exposure to phobic stimulus when relaxed (counter conditioning)

Question 12

Flooding

Answer 12

Behavioural therapy, immediate exposure to the stimulus

Question 13

Evaluations of phobia treatments

Answer 13

Strength - flooding is cost effective

Weakness - flooding is traumatic

Weakness - symptom substitution, they don’t treat underlying causes of phobia, only the symptoms shown

Question 14

Types of depression

Answer 14

Major depressive disorder - severe but short term

Persistent Depressive disorder - long term or recurring

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder - childhood, intense tantrums

Premenstural dysregulation disorder - bad mood prior to menstruation

Question 15

Characteristics of depression

Answer 15

Behavioural - activity levels, disruption to sleep, aggression and self harm

Emotional- lowered mood, anger, lowered self esteem

Cognitive- poor concentration, dwelling on the negative and absolutist thinking

Question 16

Cognitive explanation for depression

Answer 16

Beck believe that a persons cognitions creat vulnerability to depression

Question 17

Faulty information processing

Answer 17

Negative, ignored positives, thinks in black and white terms

Question 18

Negative self schema

Answer 18

People use their schema to interpret the world, negative views on themselves cause a negative perception of the world

Question 19

The negative triad

Answer 19

• views about the world, the future and themselves

Question 20

Ellis’ ABC model

Answer 20

Activating event

Beliefs

Consequences

Question 21

Evaluations of depression

Answer 21

Strength - research support. Gaziloli and Terry assessed 65 pregnant woman for cognitive vulnerability, depression before and after birth. Women with vulnerability were more likely to be depressed

Strength - real world application. March et al found that CBT is an effective treatment for depression

Weakness - alternative explanations like the biological approach

Question 22

Cognitive behavioural therapy

Answer 22

•most commonly used treatment for depression
•assessment between client and therapist to identify aims and objectives
•work to change irrational thoughts, working through them together

Question 23

Becks cognitive therapy

Answer 23

•identify and challenge thoughts related to the negative triad
•helps to test the reality of their beliefs
•client sets homework
•therapist uses this evidence in future sessions

Question 24

Ellis’ rational emotional behaviour therapy

Answer 24

•D - dispute
•E - effect
•involves vigorous argument
•empirical argument, dispute whether there is evidence for belief
•logical argument, logical conclusions of beliefs

Question 25

Behavioural activation

Answer 25

•gradually decreasing clients avoidance and isolation, actively doing the opposite of what your irrational thoughts are telling you to do

Question 26

Evaluations of treatments of depression

Answer 26

•strength - research support, March et al found CBT was as effective as anti-depressants. 327 people, after 36 weeks, 81% of the antidepressants group , 81% of the CBT group and 86% of combination group had significant improvements •weakness - unsuitable for severe cases, requires motivation which is commonly lacking •weakness- therapist client relationship. Rozenweig argued that it’s the relationship between the client and therapist which causes the improvement

Question 27

OCD

Answer 27

Characteristics of OCD behavioural - •compulsions •avoidance Emotional - • anxiety • guilt • disgust • depression Cognitive - • obsessive thoughts •cognitive coping strategies • insight into excessive anxiety

Question 28

Biological explanation of OCD

Answer 28

Genetic explanations •Lewis observed that in his OCD patients, 37% had parents who had OCD and 21% had siblings with OCD •Diathesis- stress model, certain genes make some people more likely to develop a disorder, environmental stress will trigger it Candidate genes •genes that create vulnerability for OCD OCD is polygenic •not caused by one single gene but from a combination of genetic variations. Taylor found that 230 genes were associated with OCD

Question 29

Neural explanations of OCD

Answer 29

• genes associated with OCD are likely to affect the levels of key neurotransmitters as well as structures of the brain • serotonin is low within OCD •OCD is associated with poor decision making, frontal lobe is responsible for

Question 30

Evaluations of OCD

Answer 30

•strength- neural research support, antidepressants work on OCD . Soomro et al found 17 studies that compared SSRIs and placebos. SSRIs were more effective •strength- genetic research support, Nestadt et al reviewed twin studies and found that concordance rates of 68% for MZ and 31% for DZ, more genetically related, more likely they will share disorder •weakness- social learning, biology ignores behavioural factors, for example children copying parents •weakness - reductionism, biological reductionism. Nestadts findings would be 100% if it was all genetic

Question 31

Treating OCD

Answer 31

Drug therapy, SSRIs, aims to increase or decrease neurotransmitters. SSRIs are antidepressants which increase seratonin by stopping it from being reabsorbed, keeping it in the synapse for longer. Typical dose is 20mg. Can combine and usually takes 3-4 months to have an effect

Question 32

Alternatives to SSRIs

Answer 32

-tricyclics, acts on various systems, like serotonin, more side effects -SNRIs, increase levels of serotonin and noradrenaline

Question 33

Evaluations of treatments of OCD

Answer 33

-strength, Soomro placebo study, medication is more effective - strength, cost effective and non - disruptive, reduced trauma and reliance on motivation -weakness, severe side effects -weakness, treating symptoms, not the cause

Question 34

Statistical infrequency example

Answer 34

Most people have an IQ score between 70 and 130. Only 5% have an IQ score below 70 or above 130 - these individuals are classified as abnormal.

Question 35

Failure to function adequately

Answer 35

Rosenhan and Seligman proposed signs to determine when someone is not functioning adequately: ● No longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules, e.g. respecting personal space ● Experiences severe personal distress ● Behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves or others

Question 36

Deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 36

Jahoda identified the following criteria for good mental health: ● No symptoms of distress ● Rational thinking and accurate self-perception ● Self-actualisation (strive to reach full potential) ● Cope with stress ● Realistic view of the world ● Good self-esteem and lack guilt ● Independent of other people ● Successfully work, love and enjoy our leisure