psychopathology Flashcards
(38 cards)
definitions of abnormality
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately statistical infrequency deviation from ideal mental health
deviation from social norms
unwritten rules created by society to guide behaviour learned by association.
antisocial personality disorder - absence of social norms
evaluation of deviation from social norms
problem of the context of behaviour - not easy to create laws that apply worldwide.
cultural relativity - lack of reliability in determining the abnormality.
human rights abuse - limits, freedom, and discriminates against those who don’t fit in
failure to function adequately
Can’t cope with every day life.
indicators by Rhosenhan and Seligmen:
dysfunctional behaviour - behaving in a way that interferes with a normal life
Personal distress - can’t function due to emotional instability
Observer discomfort - upset to others by breaking rules
Unpredictable behaviour - unexpected way.
Irrational behaviour - makes no sense to others
evaluation of failure to function adequately
Recognises subjective experience to allow us to view disorder from their pov.
Subjective judgements for main indicators - questions reliability.
Hard to distinguish from deviation from social norms
deviation from ideal mental health
if absence of criteria - behaviour is labelled abnormal.
Jahoda identified common concepts to what makes people normal:
Self attitudes - confidence
Personal growth - achieve full potential
Resistance to stress
Autonomy - make own decisions
Perception of reality - rational
Environmental mastery - meet demands of situation
evaluation of deviation from ideal mental health
Comprehensive range of criteria - limits stigma attached
Quite vague hard to measure objectively - inconsistent
Criteria are cultural-bound
Unrealistically high standards
statistical in frequency
If behaviour uncommon it’s abnormal (statistically rare)
intelligence can be abnormal if score high or low on an IQ test.
Less than than 5% to be abnormal.
evaluation of statistical infrequency
fails to distinguish between behaviour that should be treated or just desirable.
Not everybody benefits from a label impacts them and how others view them.
Doesn’t consider cultural factors so can’t generalise .
Real life application diagnose IDD (intellectual disability disorder)
The behavioural approach to explaining phobias
Two-process model (mowrer)
classical conditioning explains how they are acquired.
second stage operant conditioning maintains
Watson and rayner - little Albert study
create a phobia from white fluffy objects by making a loud noise when they appeared
evaluation of the two process model
Research to support - little Albert.
alternative explanation for avoidance - motivated by positive feelings of being safe not negative (fear).
other factors to be considered, incomplete model evolutionary factors - fear things that threaten us, face validity.
Limited as can’t explain cognitive characteristics, only observable behaviour
behavioural approach to treat phobias: system desensitising
based on classical conditioning.
involves person replacing fear response with alternative and harmless response of relaxation.
called counterconditioning as can’t be scared and relaxed at the same time.
one emotion prevents the other - reciprocal inhibition.
System desensitisation process
Make anxiety hierarchy.
Therapist train, client and relaxation techniques.
Patient exposed to phobic stimulus while relaxed .
When client comfortable at that level, imagine next step.
repeated
flooding
New association learned between relaxation procedure and feared stimulus.
Phobic individual placed in situation where forced to face fear .
Immediate exposure lasts until fear response disappears as limit to how long body can sustain fear .
Association is extinguished .
evaluation of systematic desensitisation
Research to support effectiveness of treatment - Gilroy- arachnophobia.
Advancements in tech - positive implications using VR software instead of imagination so it’s realistic- high success rate.
Not appropriate for everyone struggle with imagination and relaxation .
Ethical concerns risk of psychological harm if ineffective .
evaluation of flooding
Cost-effective as sometimes only one session - quick cure.
Ineffective - don’t treat underlying cause, simply symptoms substitution .
Intense, traumatic high drop out rate not suitable for all.
depression clinical characteristics
Behavioural: activity levels shift, sleep and eating, aggression
Cognitive : concentration, negative thoughts, absolutest thinking
Emotional : low mood, anger, low self-esteem
At Sunset All Cows Nap And Snore And Snuggle
characteristics of phobias
Behavioural: avoidance, panic, endurance - remain in presence
Cognitive: selective attention, irrational beliefs and cognitive distortions
Physical: anxiety, fear and emotional responses are Unreasonable.
Albanian Pink Elephants Said Iguanas Catch Apples For Us
clinical characteristics of OCD
behavioural: compulsions (receptive), reducing anxiety - perform behaviours, avoidance
cognitive: obsessive thoughts cognitive coping strategies insight into excessive anxiety - aware they’re irrational
physical : anxiety and distress, accompanying Depression, guilt, and disgust.
Cubs Roared And Our Croc Is A Dangerous Guy
Becks Negative Triad
behaviour influenced by schemas.
negative events in early life = negative automatic thoughts.
these lead to cognitive distortions.
depressed ppl often have faulty processing so focus on negatives.
made up of negative views of self.
Ellis ABC model
depression is result of irrational thoughts.
Activating events lead to certain Beliefs about the events, then as a result - emotional response, Consequence.
called - achieve perfect musturbation.
Utopianism - belief always meant to be fair. ppl with this will be depressed.
CBT
treatments will encourage patients to challenge thought n replace with rational thinking.
starts with assessment where patient n therapist clarify problems, identify goals.
Becks cognitive therapy
patients record thought and identify negative triad.
therapist challenges these thoughts by drawing attention to positives.
uses behavioural techniques which can be shown next appt.
