TOPIC : PSYCHOPATHOLOGY Flashcards
(54 cards)
ABNORMALITY:
What is implicit behaviour?
these are norms which are not actually spoken about but are still understood in all members
they are unwritten rukes
e.g. washing your hands after you go to the toilet
ABNORMALITY:
What is explicit behaviour?
these are norms which are openly discussed ( i.e rules and laws ) they are written rules
e.g. stealing
ABNORMALITY:
What is deviation from statistical norm?
Abnormal behaviour is that which is rare (infrequent), so behaviour that is shown by very few people would be considered abnormal
ABNORMALITY:
What would someone show if they broke social norms?
socially unacceptable behaviour
behaviour that goes against moral standards
ABNORMALITY: DEVIATION FROM STATISTICAL NORMS
What are the strengths and weaknesses of this definition?
STRENGTHS:
Flexibility: A strength is that it is flexible dependent on situation and age. A social norm is to wear full clothing whilst out shopping, but a bikini is acceptable on a beach. It is also socially acceptable to drink milk out of a bottle with a teat if you are a baby, but not as an adult.
Clarity: In most instances if you have lived within a culture for a long time, you will be aware of what is, and what is not acceptable.
WEAKNESSES:
Change over time: Although this definition allows for age and situation dependent behaviour, the changes in legislation mean that norms vary dependent on the time. This is sometimes hard to judge and means that there is a lack of consensus between generations. For example, homosexuality was regarded as a mental illness into the 1970s, whereas nowadays that is no longer the case.
Cultural differences: The fact that there is so much variation cross culturally can be a weakness of the definition as it is not always clear what is abnormal and what is not in cultures. It is only by being immersed in the culture for a period of time that the decision can be made.
ABNORMALITY: DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS EXPLANATION
Why is social norms relative?
this is because they change according to individuals
this means that our understanding right from the outset should be take an idiographic approach rather than a nomothetic one
social norms can be either explicit or implicit
ABNORMALITY:
What is failue to function adequately?
a person who is considered abnormal if they are unable to cope with the demand of everyday life
ABNORMALITY: FAILURE TO FUNCION ADEQUATELY
What are the strengths and weaknesses of this definition?
STRENGTHS:
Behaviour is observable: Failure to function adequately can be seen by others around the individual because they may not get out of bed on a morning, or be able to hold a job down. This means that problems can be picked up by others and if the individual is incapable of making a decision or helping themselves others can intervene.
Consideration of how the individual feels: This definition is focused on the individual and how they are managing in everyday life from their perspective, so if someone feels as though they are struggling they will be deemed abnormal and get help.
WEAKNESSES:
Too much focus on the individual: It is argued that abnormal behaviours may not be a problem for the individual, but may be for others around them. For example, someone may be abnormally aggressive and not be worried by it, but their family and friends may feel it is excessive.
Abnormality does not always stop the person functioning: The focus on how someone is coping of this definition may mean that some abnormal behaviour is missed. People may appear fine to others as they fit into society and have jobs and homes, but they may have distorted thinking which is causing them inner distress that they hide.
ABNORMALITY:
What is deviation from ideal mental health?
suggest that abnormal behaviour should be defined by the absence of particular (ideal) characterists
ABNORMALITY: DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH
What are the strengths and weaknesses of this definition?
STREMGTHS:
Focused: A strength is that this definition allows for an individual who is struggling to have targeted intervention if their behaviour is not ‘normal’. For example, their distorted thinking could be addressed to help their behaviour become normal, as if their thinking is biased then their behaviour will be too.
Positive: This definition focuses on what is helpful and desirable for the individual, rather than the other way round
WEAKNESSES:
This measure is also prone to culture bias as it emphasises the importance of the individual which is not aligned with the attitudes and beliefs of collectivist cultures
Collectivist cultures value ‘we/us’ rather than ‘I/me’ which means that they emphasis what is best for the group rather than for the individual
Some collectivist cultures - particularly those in the Far East - operate according to a modesty bias
A modesty bias does not align with ideas of self-actualisation as it would regard the broadcasting of individual achievement as ‘showy’ or disrespectful
ABNORMALITY:
Evaluation social norms - strengths
Strengths of the definition
Flexibility: A strength is that it is flexible dependent on situation and age. A social norm is to wear full clothing whilst out shopping, but a bikini is acceptable on a beach. It is also socially acceptable to drink milk out of a bottle with a teat if you are a baby, but not as an adult.
Clarity: In most instances if you have lived within a culture for a long time, you will be aware of what is, and what is not acceptable.
Helps society: Adhering to social norms means that society is ordered and predictable. This is argued to be advantageous.
ABNORMALITY:
What is deviation from social norm?
if someone behaves differently from our culturally defined social norms then that may be a sign that they are mentally unwell abnormal
e.g.eating curry for breakfast, wearing shorts when its snowing
ABNORMALITY:
Evaluation social norms - weakness
Weaknesses of the definition
Change over time: Although this definition allows for age and situation dependent behaviour, the changes in legislation mean that norms vary dependent on the time. This is sometimes hard to judge and means that there is a lack of consensus between generations. For example, homosexuality was regarded as a mental illness into the 1970s, whereas nowadays that is no longer the case.
Cultural differences: The fact that there is so much variation cross culturally can be a weakness of the definition as it is not always clear what is abnormal and what is not in cultures. It is only by being immersed in the culture for a period of time that the decision can be made.
Ethic differences: Social norms tend to be dictated by the majority within a culture and this means that there are sections of society where behaviour is seen as normal within an ethnic community, but not within the culture as a whole. This can lead to a lack of understanding from both the ethnic minority and the majority of people within a culture.
ABNORMALITY:
When a person is considered abnormal?
if they are unable to cope with the demands of everyday life
they may be unable to perform the behaviours neccessary for day-to-day living e.g. self-care, hold down a job, interact meaniningful with others, make themselves understood
in this definition anyone who fails to function adequately could have a mental disorder
failing to function may cause distress and suffering for the indivdiual or it may cause distress for others ( observe discomfor )
PHOBIAS
What is the definition of emotional?
related to a persons feelings or mood
PHOBIAS
What is the definition of behavioural?
ways in which people act
PHOBIAS
What is the definition of cognitive?
refers to the process of knowing, including, thinking, reasoning, remembering, believing
PHOBIAS:
What are the behavioural explanations for phobias?
Responses that are obtained from classical conditioning decline over time however phobias are long lasting.
Reinforcement tends to increase the frequency of a behaviour.In the case of negative reinforcement an individual avoids an unpleasant situation.
This results in a desirable outcome so therefore the behaviour is repeated.
Mowrer said that when we avoid a phobic stimulus we escape the fear and it is this reduction in fear which reinforces avoidance behaviour and the phobia is maintained.
PHOBIAS:
What is the behavioural approach to explaining phobias?
behavioural approach suggests that phobias are acquired through learning experiences, such as classical and operant conditioning. According to this theory, individuals develop irrational fears by associating a neutral stimulus (such as a spider) with a negative experience (such as a painful bite), or by observing others reacting fearfully to the stimulus.
PHOBIAS:
What does the two process model suggest and what is it?
The two-process model of phobias, proposed by Mowrer, suggests that phobias are acquired through classical conditioning (learning through association) and maintained through operant conditioning (reinforcement of avoidance behaviors).
Classical Conditioning (Acquisition):
A phobia is initially learned through associating a neutral stimulus with a frightening or unpleasant experience.
For example, if someone experiences a frightening event involving dogs, they may develop a fear of dogs (the phobia).
The neutral stimulus (e.g., a dog) becomes a conditioned stimulus, triggering a conditioned response (fear).
Operant Conditioning (Maintenance):
Once the phobia is established, operant conditioning reinforces the avoidance behaviors.
Avoiding the feared stimulus (e.g., staying away from dogs) reduces anxiety and is negatively reinforced, making the avoidance behavior more likely to occur in the future.
This cycle of avoidance and anxiety reduction helps to maintain the phobia.
PHOBIAS:
Evaluation behavioural approach towards phobia (strengths and weaknesses)
The importance of classical conditioning-some people with phobias can recall a specific incident where the phobia appeared whereas others cite modelling as the cause.(strength)
Bounton(2007)-said that these phobias can be evolutionary such as the fear of snakes and Seligman(1971) called this biological preparedness and this is when they are predisposed to acquire certain fears.This shows that there is more to acquiring phobias than simple conditioning.
(weakness)
Diathesis stress model-research has found that not everyone who is bitten by a dog develops a phobia of dogs.This model explains ths as it proposes that we inherit a genetic vulnerability for developing mental disorders .However this disorder would only manifest if triggered by a life event. (weakness)
PHOBIAS:
Evaluation of systematic desensitisation
Further support comes from Gilroy et al. (2002) who examined 42 patients with arachnophobia (fear of spiders).
Each patient was treated using three 45-minute systematic desensitisation sessions. When examine three months and 33 months later, the systematic desensitisation group were less fearful than a control group (who were only taught relaxation techniques).
This provides further support for systematic desensitisation, as a long-term treatment for phobias.
However, systematic desensitisation is not effect in treating all phobias.
Patients with phobias which have not developed through a personal experience (classical conditioning) for example, a fear of heights, are not effectively treated using systematic desensitisation.
Some psychologists believe that certain phobias, like heights, have an evolutionary survival benefit and are not the result of personal experience, but the result of evolution.
These phobias highlight a limitation of systematic desensitisation which is ineffective in treating evolutionary phobias.
PHOBIAS:
Explantions for behavioural treatment (check learning approach notes)
to do with systemantic desensitisation
and the three systemantic desensitisation
- fear heirarchy
- relaxation training
- reciprical inhibition
OCD
How does the caudate nucleus effect OCD?
function:
planning the execution of movement, but also in learing memory, reward, motivation, emotion and romantic interactions
effect:
hyperactive at rest, become more active under symptoms provacation and shows less activity following treatment
