Psychopathology Flashcards
(37 cards)
What are the different definitions of abnormality?
-Statistical infrequency
-Deviation from social norms
-Failure to function adequately
-Deviation from ideal mental health
What is the definition of abnormality, statistical infrequency and give an example
Used to define an occurrence when an individual has a less common characteristic within a given population. E.g. intelligence, the average IQ is 100 however anyone below or above this would be seen as abnormal.
What is a limitation of statistical infrequency (definition of abnormality)
One limitation of statistical infrequency is that characteristics that would be classed as abnormal are actually positive. According to this definition, individuals with an IQ above 130 would be deemed as abnormal even though having a high IQ is a desirable characteristic. This means that, although statistical infrequency can form part of assessment and diagnostic procedures, it is never sufficient as the sole basis for defining abnormality.
What is a strength of statistical infrequency (definition of abnormality)
One strength of statistical infrequency is that it has real-world applications. Statistical infrequency is used in clinical practice, both as part of formal diagnosis and as a way to assess the severity of an individuals symptoms. An example is the BECK depression inventory, where a score of 30+ indicates severe depression. This shows that the value of the statistical infrequency criterion is useful in diagnostic and assessment processes.
What is the definition of abnormality, deviation from social norms and give an example.
This defines occurrences that are different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a community or society. Groups of people choose to define abnormality based on whether or not it offends their sense of what is the ‘norm’. Things that need to be considered with this definition is, time, cultural relativism, context and degree. E.G wearing a bathing suit when not at the beach.
What is a strength of the definition of abnormality, deviation from social norms.
One strength of deviation from social norms is that it has real- world applications. Deviation from social norms is used in clinical practice. For example, social norms play a part in the diagnosis of schizotypical personality disorder, where the term ‘strange’ is used to characterise the thinking, behaviour and appearance of people with the disorder. This is a strength as it shows that the deviation from social norms criterion has value in psychiatry.
What is a limitation of the definition of abnormality, deviation from social norms.
One limitation of deviation from social norms is that too much reliance on this definition can lead to systematic abuse of human rights. For example, drapetomania was a supposed mental illness that, in 1851, physicians thought was the cause of enslaved Africans fleeing captivity. This was centred around the belief that slavery was such an improvement upon the lives of slaves that only those suffering from some form of mental illness would wish to escape. This is a limitation as historical examples of deviation from social norms such as this show how these mental health diagnoses were really there to maintain control over minority groups.
What is the definition of abnormality, failure to function adequately and give an example.
This is when an individual becomes abnormal when they can no longer cope with the demands of everyday life. They may fail to function adequately if they are unable to maintain basic standards of nutrition or hygiene, unable to hold down a job or maintain personal relationships.
What is a strength of the definition of abnormality, failure to function adequately.
One strength of failure to function adequately is that is does attempt to include the subjective experience of the individual. By focusing on the individual and how they are managing in everyday life from their perspective, they will be deemed as abnormal and get the help that they need. This is a strength as it suggests that failure to function adequately is a useful criterion for assessing abnormality.
What is a limitation of the definition of abnormality, failure to function adequately.
One limitation of the failure to function adequately is the issue of individual differences. For example, one person who hears voices may be unable to function adequately, whereas, another person may suffer from the same symptoms but function perfectly well. Therefore, despite the same psychological and behavioural symptoms, each person would be diagnosed differently according to this definition. This is a limitation as it questions the validity of the failure to function adequately definition.
What is the definition of abnormality, deviation from ideal mental health and give an example.
This definition focuses on what makes people ‘normal’. It considers how far people deviate from ideal mental health. Those who do not possess the characteristics of someone with ideal mental health are considered abnormal. Marie Jahoda suggested that we are in good mental health if we meet the following criteria: - we have no symptoms or distress - we are rational and can perceive ourselves accurately - we self actualise - we can cope with stress - we have a realistic view of the world - we have good self esteem and lack guilt - we are independent of other people - we can successfully work, love and enjoy our leisure.
What is a strength of the definition of abnormality, deviation from ideal mental health.
A strength is that this definition focuses on what is helpful and desirable for the individual, rather than the other way round. By focusing on what is desirable, individuals can identify personal goals they need to work towards and achieve normality. For example, one person may aim to be less pessimistic in order to gain more of an accurate perception of reality. This is a strength because this is the only definition of abnormal behaviour that emphasis a more positive approach to mental problems, allowing individuals to focus on what is desirable, not undesirable.
What is a limitation of the definition of abnormality, deviation from ideal mental health.
One limitation of this definition is that the mental health criteria is very over- demanding with extremely high standards. Very few people attain all of jahodas criteria for mental health. For example, few people experience personal growth all of the time. Therefore, according to this definition, most people are abnormal. This is a limitation as it suggests that the mental health criteria may be ideals rather than actualities, making the standards for ideal mental health far too high and unachievable.
What is a phobia?
Phobias are classified as an anxiety disorder. They are characterised by excessive fear and anxiety, triggered by an object, place or situation.
What are the three different characteristics of phobias?
-Behavioural characteristics- how does the individual behave?
-Emotional characteristic- how does the individual feel?
-cognitive characteristics- how does the individual think?
What are the behavioural characteristics of phobias?
-Panic: panic in response of the phobic stimulus e.g. crying, screaming or running away
-Avoidance: go through a lot of effort to prevent coming into contact with the phobic stimulus.
-endurance: person chooses to remain in the presence of the phobic stimulus e.g. freeze and can’t move.
What are the emotional characteristics of phobias?
-anxiety: have an emotional response of anxiety to the phobic stimulus.
-fear: immediate and extremely unpleasant response when we think or see a phobic stimulus.
-emotional response is unreasonable: the anxiety or fear is much greater than is ‘normal’ and is disproportionate to any threat posed.
What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?
-selective attention: if a person is presented with the phobic stimulus they will find it difficult to direct their attention elsewhere.
-irrational beliefs: may hold unfounded thoughts in relation to the phobic stimulus, don’t have any basis in reality.
-cognitive distortions: the perceptions of a person with a phobia may be inaccurate and unrealistic, e.g. ophidiophobe may see snakes as alien and aggressive- looking.
How do behaviourists explain phobias?
Emphasises the role of learning. Explains the behavioural characteristics of phobias rather than the emotional and cognitive.
Orval Hobart Mowrer (1960)- proposed the two- process model. This states that phobias are acquired by classical conditioning and then are maintained because of operant conditioning.
What do they say surrounding the acquisition by classical conditioning?
Phobias tend to be learnt following a traumatic event. When we experience something traumatising, we learn to associate something of which we initially have no fear (NS) with something that already triggers a fear response (UCS). Eventually, fear becomes the conditioned response and the phobic stimulus then becomes the conditioned stimulus. This conditioning then generalised to similar objects. E.g. little Albert showed great distress towards other white furry objects such as a fur coat.
White Rat (NS) —-> No response
Loud noise (UCS) ——> UCR (fear)
Loud noise + white rat (UCS+NS)——> UCR(fear)
White rat (CS) —-> CR (fear)
What is maintenance by operant conditioning?
Operant conditioning takes place when our behaviour is reinforced or punished. In the case of negative reinforcement an individual avoids a situation that is unpleasant. Such behaviour results in a desirable consequence, which means the behaviour will be repeated.
Mowrer suggested that whenever we avoid a phobic stimulus, we successfully escape the fear and anxiety that we would have experienced if we had remained there. This reduction in fear negatively reinforces the behaviour, and so the phobia is maintained.
What does social learning theory say about phobias?
Phobias may be acquired through modelling the behaviour of others. E.G. seeing a parent respond to a spider with extreme fear may lead to a child to acquire similar behaviour because the behaviour appears rewarding e.g. the fearful person gets attention
What is a strength of the two-process model?
The two- process model is supported by research. Sue et al. (1994) says that people with phobias often do recall a specific incident when there phobias appeared. For example, being bitten by a dog or experiencing a panic attack in a social situation. This is a strength because it suggests that there was some sort of classical conditioning involved around the time they gained there phobia.
What is a limitation of the two-process model?
The behavioural approach is an incomplete explanation. Di Nardo et als (1998) research has found for example, not everyone who is bitten by a dog develops a phobia of dogs. This could be explained by the diathesis- stress model. This proposes that we inherit a genetic vulnerability for developing mental disorders. This suggests that a dog bite would only lead to a phobia in those people with such vulnerability. Therefore, the behavioural explanation is incomplete on its own.
