Psychopathology

Question 1

What are the four explanations for abnormality

Answer 1

Statistically rare
Failure to function adequately
Going against social norms
Deviation from ideal mental health

Question 2

Explain statistical deviation

Answer 2

Further away from average behaviour
Not often found
Statistically rare

Question 3

Evaluate statistical deviation

Answer 3

Face validity +
Abnormality not always a detriment -
Doesn’t explain depression -
Cultural issues -

Question 4

Explain deviation from social norms

Answer 4

Behaving in a way that is different to what we expect

Culturally relative

Question 5

Evaluate social norm deviation

Answer 5

Cultural relativism -
Modern definitions abuses people’s right to be different -
Era dependant -
Takes into account desirability +

Question 6

Explain failure to function adequately

Answer 6

No longer able to cope with demands of day to day life

Seligman (1989) - not coping if they don’t conform to interpersonal rules, severe distress or behaviour is dangerous

Question 7

Evaluate failure to function adequately

Answer 7

Labelling gives a sticky label and stigma
Gender stereotypes stop men from asking for help
Takes into account perspective of patient

Question 8

Explain deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 8

Jahoda (1958) 
PRAISE 
Personal growth 
Reality perception 
Autonomy 
Integration 
Self attitudes 
Environmental mastery 

Focuses on positives

Question 9

Evaluate ideal mental health

Answer 9

Comprehensive definition +
Ethnocentric to western countries as others value family more -
Unrealistic expectations -

Question 10

DSM5 categorises mental disorders into 4 major groups

Answer 10

Depressive disorders
Anxiety disorders
OC and related disorders
Feeding and eating disorders

Question 11

What are the 3 types of phobia

Answer 11

Specific - object or situation
Social anxiety - social situation
Agoraphobia - fear of outside

Question 12

What is a phobia

Answer 12

An irrational fear of something

Question 13

Name the three behavioural characteristics of phobias

Answer 13

Panic
Avoidance
Endurance - alternative to avoidance (may be unavoidable)

Question 14

Name the two emotional characteristics

Answer 14

Anxiety

Unreasonable response - widely disproportionate view of danger

Question 15

Name the three cognitive characteristics of phobias

Answer 15

Selective attention to stimulus
Irrational belief
Cognitive distortions

Question 16

Explain the two process model of the behavioural approach to explaining phobias

Answer 16

Mowrer 1960

Phobias acquired by classical conditioning and maintained by operant conditioning

Question 17

Why type of operant conditioning is involved

Answer 17

Negative reinforcement

Avoidance prevents anxiety

Question 18

Evaluate the two process model

Answer 18

Good explanatory power of maintenance and helps for therapy
Avoidance may be motivated by anxiety reduction (agoraphobia)
Evolutionary past -

Question 19

How long does a phobia have to appear for to be classified

Answer 19

6 months

Question 20

Explain counter conditioning of phobias

Answer 20

Based off classical conditioning
Remove association with fear
Replace with calm response
Both emotions cannot co exist - reciprocal inhabitation

Question 21

Explain Wolfe 1958 systematic desensitisation

Answer 21

Construct an anxiety hierarchy

Relaxation training through gradual exposure

Question 22

Explain flooding

Answer 22

Inescapable exposure
High amount of anxiety cannot be sustained
Breaks/extincts the association

Question 23

Evaluate systematic desensitisation and flooding

Answer 23

60-90% success with simple phobias (Barlow et al 2002) systematic
Wider range of people than flooding
Flooding is time and cost effective
Flooding is not as good for social phobias and is traumatic

Question 24

What are the DSM 5’s 4 types of OCD

Answer 24

OCD
Trichotillamania -hair pulling
Hoarding disorder
Excoriation disorder - skin picking

Question 25

What are the two behavioural characteristics of OCD

Answer 25

Compulsions - repetitive and reduce anxiety | Avoidance

Question 26

What are the three emotional characteristics of OCD

Answer 26

Anxiety and distress Accompanying depression Guilt and disgust

Question 27

What is the feedback loop for OCD

Answer 27

Obsessive thought Anxiety Compulsive behaviour Temporary relief

Question 28

What are the 3 cognitive characteristics of OCD

Answer 28

Obsessive thoughts Cognitive strategies Know actions are irrational

Question 29

What is depression characterised by

Answer 29

changes in the mood and energy of a person

Question 30

Name and explain the 4 types of depression

Answer 30

major depressive - severe but short term persistent depressive - long-term and reocurring disruptive mood dysregulation - childhood temper tantrums premenstrual dsyphoric

Question 31

Name 3 behavioural characteristics of depression

Answer 31

energy levels reduced disruption to sleep and eating behaviours aggression and self harm

Question 32

Name 3 emotional characteristics of depression

Answer 32

lowered mood anger lowered self esteem

Question 33

Name 3 cognitive characteristics of depression

Answer 33

poor concentration dwelling on negative absolutist thinking (both extremes)

Question 34

Explain Beck's cognitive theory of depression

Answer 34

faulty information processing negative self schemas negative triad (world, self and future)

Question 35

Explain Ellis' ABC model of cognitive depression

Answer 35

Activating event beliefs are irrational consequences (behavioural and emotional)

Question 36

What do irrational beliefs trigger

Answer 36

the response, not the event itself

Question 37

Evaluate Becks approach

Answer 37

``` research evidence (Grazioli and Terry 2000) found that women with high cognitive vulnerability were more likely to suffer post natal depression practical applications for CBT does not explain all aspects of depression as some have extreme anger and some have cotard syndrome (they believe they are zombies) ```

Question 38

Evaluate Ellis' approach

Answer 38

can only really account for reactive depression | practical applications for CBT