Psychopathology Flashcards
(32 cards)
What are the 4 definitions of abnormality?
- Deviation from social norms
- Deviation from ideal mental health
- Failure to function adequately
- Statistical infrequency
What is deviation from social norms? Evaluate:
When an individuals mental state causes them to stop adhering to social norms, e.g. Antisocial personality disorder.
+ Real-world application in diagnosis of APD.
- Cultural relativism, social norms vary culturally
- Some may choose to not adhere to social norms e.g living off grid
What is deviation from ideal mental health? Evaluate:
Jahodas 6 signs of ideal mental health:
1) Self-worth, 2) Realistic world view, 3) Autonomy, 4) Self- actualisation, 5) Resistance from stress, 6) Environmental mastery.
+ Gives a criteria for targeted diagnosis to help those who are struggling.
- Cultural relativism- not all cultures recognise self-actualisation.
What is failure to function adequately? Evaluate:
FTFA is when an individuals mental state stops them from being able to lead a ‘normal life’, they stop adhering to social and interpersonal rules.
+ Useful in RW application- Takes into account the patients views allowing them to get full treatment
- Labeling these people as ‘abnormal’ may be more damaging
- Cultural relativism, social norms vary.
What is statistical infrequency? Evaluate:
Statistical infrequency is where an individuals trait deviates strongly from the mean for that trait e.g. IQ or height.
+ Real-world application- Diagnosis of intellectual disorders when a patient has an IQ of under 30.
- Negative connotations of ‘abnormal’ don’t always apply e.g. having an IQ of over 130 is seen as positive but still classed as abnormal.
What are the 3 behavioral characteristics of a phobia?
1) Panic
2) Avoidance
3) Endurance
What are the 2 emotional characteristics of a phobia?
1) Anxiety
2) Fear (irrational and extreme)
What are the 3 cognitive characteristics of a phobia?
1) Selective attention
2) Irrational beliefs
3) Cognitive distortions
What are the 3 behavioral characteristics of a depression?
1) Low activity levels
2) Changes to eating and sleeping patterns
3) Aggression
What are the 3 emotional characteristics of a depression?
1) Aggression
2) Low mood
3) Low self-worth
What are the 3 cognitive characteristics of a depression?
1) Absolutist thinking
2) Focusing on negative moments
3) Poor concentration
What are the 2 behavioral characteristics of a OCD?
1) Avoidance
2) Compulsions
What are the 3 emotional characteristics of OCD?
1) Anxiety
2) Depression
3) Guilt/ disgust
What are the 2 cognitive characteristics of a OCD?
1) Compulsive thoughts
2) Acknowledgment of excessive anxiety
What is the two-process model of explaining phobias?
Phobias are learnt through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning
What was the little Albert study?
Watson and Rayner- proved fear was learnt through classical conditioning.
Lil Al fear of white rats (generalised to other white fluffy objects).
He was exposed to a white rat (NS), produced no response. Then paired with a loud bang (UCS), this produced the UCR of fear. Through several repetitions A made association between rat (CS) and bang (CR).
How does operant conditioning maintain fear?
OC- A behaviour is rewarded or punished.
Phobias practice avoidance behaviours, by avoiding the stimulus they negatively reinforce the phobia which makes the behaviour likely to be repeated.
Evaluate the two-process model of phobias:
+ = Good explanatory power- It explains the maintenance of phobias, this translates to real-world benefits of systematic-desensitisation and flooding as they stop the reinforcement of the phobia.
- = Alternate explanation for avoidance, safety is a stronger motivator as in social anxiety phobias sufferers can still venture into public but only with a trusted friend. Suggests the explanation is only suited to some phobias.
- = Seligman suggested we acquire phobias if they posed as a threat to out evolutionary ancestors, phobias are innate as a selective evolutionary advantage.
What is systematic desensitisation?
Therapy designed to treat phobias in a step by step method, gradual exposure. It relies on counter conditioning i.e. relaxation rather than anxiety. An anxiety hierarchy is drawn up ordered from most to least nerve-wrecking. Then relaxation techniques are taught to be used at each level. The patient works their way up the hierarchy. The phobia is cured when a patient remains calm at the highest level.
Evaluate systematic desensitisation:
+ Suitable for many patients, including those with learning difficulties which often are accompanied with anxiety disorders.
+ Supporting evidence- Gilroy et al. 42 patients treated in 3 sessions for a spider phobia, compared with control of 50 who learnt only relaxation techniques. At both 3 and 33 months the systematic desensitisation group showed a reduction in their symptoms compared to control
What is flooding?
Therapy created to treat phobias by forcing exposure to the stimulus in an inescapable stimulus. Without the option of avoidance the behaviour wont be reinforced.
Evaluate flooding:
+ = Cost effective, only takes one session compared to the multiple for systematic desensitisation.
- = Less effective for complex phobias e.g. social phobias because it ignores help for irrational cognitive thought.
What is the Becks approach to explaining depression?
One has a cognitive vulnerability towards depression due to faulty thought processes, negative self-schemas and the negative triad - automatic negative thoughts about the self, the future and the world.
Evaluate Becks approach:
+ = Supporting evidence, 65 women evaluated for cognitive vulnerability and depression before and birth. Found a positive correlation between increased cognitive vulnerability and increased likelihood of acquiring postpartum depression. Supports Becks theory
+ = Increased understanding of the cognitive basis of depression translates to more effective treatments (CBT)
