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abnormal psychology > Unit 2- theories > Flashcards

Unit 2- theories Flashcards

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1
Q

two main streams of thought concerning mental disorders

A

focusing on the biological aspect

focusing on the environmental influences

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2
Q

biological approaches tend to dismiss or downplay the

A

influences of experiences

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3
Q

psycholigcal or environmental approaches tend to emphasize..

A

external factors in the development of disorders. some behavioural theories attribute no effects to biology, assuming that humans are born tabula rasa

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4
Q

tabula rasa

A

a blank slate upon which experience write all that is meaningful in thought and behaviour

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5
Q

psychological formulations view dysfunctional behaviour as the

A

product of forces beyond the individual’s control,

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6
Q

humanistic and existential approaches lay the responsibility for action and choices squarely on

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the shoulders of the individuals

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7
Q

behavioural and cognitive theories imply that a mixture of

A

internal and external factors produce dysfunctions

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8
Q

The acceptance of the biological model encourages researchers to

A

seek a physical basis for disorders, leads to the formulation of a diagnostic system that classifies people as disordered and implies that physical interventions should be the treatments of choice.

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9
Q

the behavioural perspective leads researchers to seek

A

environmental events of specific dysfunctional responses and emphasizes the classification of behaviours rather than of people. treatment involves either manipulating the environment or modifying the perceptions people have regarding their experiences and themselves

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10
Q

single factor explanation

A
  • genetic defect or a single traumatic experience causes a mental disorder
  • attempts to trace the origins of a particular disorder to on factor
  • reflects the primary focus of the researcher rather than the belief of there being only one cause
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11
Q

interactionist explanations

A

view behaviour as the product of the interaction of a variety of factors, generally make more satisfactory theories in describing mental disorders. as knowledge of any single disorder increases, so, characteristically, does the complexity of theories offered to account for its development and maintenance. takes into account all elements of the individual, acknowledging that one component inevitably affects the other components

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12
Q

Theories may also be classified according to their level of explanation.

A

some theories try to explain:

  • all human behaviour
  • all abnormal behaviour
  • all disorders within a particular category
  • causes to a particular problem
  • elucidate the influence of a single factor within a more general theory
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13
Q

single factor theory: scientific theories are judged to be valued not because they describe the enduring truth about an issues, but rather because they embody three essential features:

A
  1. they integrate most of what is currently known about the phenomena in the simplest way possible (parsimony)
  2. they make testable predictions about aspects of the phenomena that were not previously thought of
  3. They make is possible to specify what evidence would deny the theory
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14
Q

Theories are replaced in science not because the evidence against them is significant but because

A

another theory comes along that is open to being disproved and that does a better job of integrating knowledge and generating novel predictions

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15
Q

experiments are not set up to prove the worth of a theory but rather to

A

reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis

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16
Q

null hypothesis

A

essentially proposes that the prediction made from the theory is false

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17
Q

theories gain strength not just because the evidence supports their predictions,

A

but primarily because alternative explanations are rejected

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18
Q

Theory

A
  • not a fact
  • the best approximation we have at any moment
  • best process of trying to prove our theories wrong that generates the new knowledge that will on day lead to their rejection
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19
Q

the general aims of theories about mental disorders are to:

A
  1. explain the etiology of the problem or behaviour
  2. identify the factors that maintain the behaviour
  3. predict the course of the disorder
  4. design effective treatments
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20
Q

etiolgoy

A

causes or origins

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21
Q

factors involved with the etiology of a problem

A

may not be relevant to its maintenance

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22
Q

factors that determine the course of a disorder may have more to do with the …

A

lifestyle than with the factors that caused the disorder in the first place

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23
Q

External factors can effect biological functioning- Aaron T Beck’s cognitive formulation of depression and anxiety

A

cognitive therapy can not only alter an individual’s cognitive processes in order to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety but also affect his or her neurobiology . depressive and anxious symptoms result from the activation of negative schemas or core beliefs and negative emotions which are associated with the increased activation in the amygdalohippocampal subcortical region fo the brain. they are also associated with restricted access to reflective processes or cognitive control associated with the anterior cingulated cortex, medial and lateral prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex. CT directly seeks to reduce symptoms by modifying maladaptive thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs as well as information processing biases and reduces activation of the amygdalohippocampal and increased the activation of the other brain regions listed above

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24
Q

many theories have been advanced regarding the etiology of mental disorders. We limit ourselves here to a description of the most popular, grouped by the primary proposed cause:

A
  1. biological
  2. psychodynamic (derived from the theories of freud or his followers)
  3. behavioural or cognitives- behavioural based theories
  4. cognitive theories examining dysfunctional thoughts or beliefs
  5. humanistic or existential theories that examine interpersonal processes
  6. socio-cultural influences
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25
Biological model
- borrow their model from medicine, clients are called patients and symptoms or syndromes are responded to with a treatment
26
biological theories have primarily implicated dysfunctions in or damage to the
- brain, Central nervous system - problems of control of one or another aspect of the peripheral nervous system - malfunctioning of the endocrine system
27
Nervous system
CNS and peripheral nervous system -their actions are further coordinated with the endocrine system
28
CNS role
- male adult has over 86 billion neurons and equal number of glial cells - brain activity associated with particular functions as the product of interactions among neuronal networks that produce domain-general functions, rather than due to activity located within one single area of the brain
29
hindbrain
directs the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, which in turn controls primarily internal activities such as digestion, cardiovascular function and breathing
30
the mid-brain
is the centre of the reticular activating system, which controls arousal levels (often called the sleep-wake centre) and thereby attentional processes
31
forebrain
controls thought, speech, perception, memory, learning and planning- indeed, all the processes that make us sentient, self-conscious beings
32
current theories about the brain bases of abnormal behaviour have given more weight to the role of
neurotransmitters than to actual neuronal damage
33
neurotransmitters
are the chemical substance that carry the messages from one neuron to the next in the complex pathways of nervous activity within the brain. (either activate or inhibit) there are gaps call synapse between the axons (which carry the nerve impulse to the synapse) of one neuron and the dendrites (which pick up the activity from the first neuron) of neighbouring neurons
34
neurotransmitters that work in concert with others:
GABA, dopamine (pleasure-seeking/exploratory behaviour), serotonin (constraint/inhibition of behaviour), norepinephrine
35
synaptic cleft
deactivate neurotransmitters, so some neurotransmitters are destroyed before they reach the dendrites
36
reuptake of neurotransmitters
-drawn back into the releasing axon. This abnormal behaviour can result from disturbances in neurotransmitter systems in various ways: 1. there may be too much or too little of the neurotransmitter produced or released into the synapse 2. there may be too few or too many receptors on the dendrites 3. there may be an excess or a deficit in the amount of the transmitter-deactivating substance in the synapse 4. the re-uptake process may be too rapid or too slow
37
schizophrenia
-too much dopamine, drugs used to decrease activity in the dopaminergic system
38
brain plasticity
capacity of the brain to reorganize its circuitry -influenced by a number of experiences that occur pre and postnatally through hormones, diet, aging, stress, disease and maturation
39
Dr. Bryan Kolb experiment.
the off spring of rats that were raised in a complex environment exhibited increased synaptic space on the neurons in their cerebral cortex. virtually an manipulation that produces an enduring change in behaviour leaves and anatomical footprint in the brain
40
peripheral nervous system
includes the somatic nervous system, which controls the muscles and the autonomic nervous system
41
ANS
1. the sympathetic nervous system 2. the parasympathetic nervous system work together to perform homeostatic (balanced) activity in a variety of bodily functions (ex. heart rate, digestive and eliminatory processes, sexual, breathing
42
Hans selye
studied responses to stress -individuals differ in both the strength and the duration of their response to threat and this variability has been related to the person's propensity to develop psychophysiological disorders
43
ANS more particularly the sympathetic nervous system is involved with
fear and anxiety reactions | -thus an overreactive ANS may produce more phobias etc..
44
endocrine system
aspects of the CNS interact with the endocrine system in a feedback loop that maintains appropriate levels of hormones circulating in the bloodstream.
45
two disorders are known to be related to malfunctioning endocrine glands
cretinism- a disorder involving a dwarf-like appearance and intellectual deficits is a result of defective thyroid gland hypoglycmiea, which results from the pancreas failing to produce balanced levels of insulting or glycogen (produces experiences that mimic anxiety
46
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
- depression and anxiety - the hpa axis is activated in response to stressors and involves an intricate system of communication among the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland and the adrenal cortex. - important action involve the release of the stress hormone cortisol into the bloodstream by the adrenal cortex. this hormone facilitates an individuals response to short-term threat by producing a number of change in the body
47
Biological determinism
what a person is is determined largely by inherited characteristics
48
Thomas Hobbes
thought that aggression and self-interest were inborn features of all humans and that it was the business of political systems to restrain and usefully channel these impulses
49
by the 19th century it was believed that all people took their ______ allotted place in society
biologically - that is, the destitute were condemned by their inherited characteristics to be poor, whereas the wealthy and the aristocracy were simply displaying their hereditary advantages
50
cesare lombroso
declared that criminals could be identified by the psychological features they had inherited from their degenerate parents
51
paul broca
claimed that males were born with brains superior to those of females
52
behavioural genetics
offer us an insight into the biological bases of abnormal functioning
53
psychopathology
genes confer a liability not a certainty
54
gene-environment (genotype environment) interaction
genes may influence behaviours that contribute to environmental stressors, which, in turn, increase the risk of psychopathology
55
behavioural research into the genetic bases of psychiatric disorders typically takes one of three forms
family (or pedigree) twin of adoption studies
56
concordant
to display concordance for the problem -the degree of concordance is though to reveal the influence of genetics. although not always accurate because concordance can reveal environmental influences, depending on the circumstances
57
genetic linkage studies
researchers examine families that have a high incidence of a particular psychiatric disorder. within these extended families, researchers look for the presence of particular traits called genetic markers that can be linked to the occurrence of the disorder
58
molecular biology
compare specific DNA segments and identify the genes that determine individual characteristics. can pinpoint the defective genes that contribute to various medical and psychological disorders
59
psychodynamic theorists
suggested that behaviour is motivated by unconscious processes acquired during the formative years of life
60
behaviours are learned responses to environmental stimuli
-behavioural, cognitive-behavioural and social learning theorists
61
the way people people think about or perceive their world causes them to develop disorders
cognitive theorists
62
personal experience provides the basis for the development for the development of self directed behaviour
humanists and existentialists
63
the surrounding society of culture exerts powerful influences on people; that such influences may cause disorders to occur and moreover that a particular society may define a person as abnormal because it suits the ends of that society
socio-cultural theorists
64
psychodynamic theories
sigmund freud - unconscious forces of which the person is unaware control behaviour - see the person as having control over their actions
65
catharsis
discharging the emotional responses attached to these unconscious memories by identifying the original traumatic experience during hypnosis
66
in feuds theory, four features together determine current behaviour and thinking, both abnormal and normal:
1. different levels of consciousness determine the accessibility of thoughts and desires 2. the structures of personality represent the embodiment of the various controlling forces 3. the stages of psychosexual development indicate the points in experience where problems can arise 4. defence mechanisms are the means by which people channel their psychic energy in functional or dysfunctional ways
67
three levels of consciousness
conscious, preconscious, unconscious
68
conscious
contains information of which we are currently aware
69
preconscious
holds information not presently within out awareness ut that can readily be brought into awareness
70
unconscious
(most important according to freud) contains the majority of our memories and drives that that, unfortunately can only be raised to awareness with great difficulty and typically only in response to particular techniques (that is by psychoanalytic procedures)
71
defence mechanisms
the unacceptable drives and the traumatic memories were kept out of awareness by defence mechanisms -the ego uses defence mechanisms (the weaker the ego, the less resolved the individuals psychosexual stages) the greater the conflict and thereby the greater the exhaustion of psychic energy
72
structures of personaility
three structures of personality are in constant conflict | id, ego and superego
73
id
structure present at birth and it contains or represents the biological or instinctual drives. these drives demand instant gratification without concern for the consequences either to the self or to others (pleasure principle)
74
ego
develops in the first year of life - develops to curb the desires of the id so that the individual does not suffer any unpleasant consequences - no right or wrong, only avoiding pain or discomfort and the maximization of unpunished pleasure (reality principle)
75
superego
as the child gets older the superego develops. - the internalization of the moral standards of society inculcated by the child's parents (moral principle) - serves as persons conscious monitoring the ego - there more strongly developed the ego, the better able it is to handles the often opposing pressures
76
psychosexual stages of development
sexual drives were the most important determinants of behaviour and even the most innocent actions might be driven by sexual drivers. -phallic stage
77
eros
the energy for which was libido
78
erogenous zones
sexual pleasure or the expression of libidinal energy was focused on different body parts, and the focus of these zones differed at different stages of psychosexual development. failure to resolve a stage would result in a fixation on the erogenous zone associated with that stage
79
phallic stage
boys are presumed to develop sexual desires for their mother and girls are thought to desire their fathers, not to win their father's love but rather by seducing him to gain what they truly desire: a penis
80
oedipal complex
boys see their father as a competitor for their mother's love
81
castration anxiety
the fear that boys father will mutilate genitals
82
electra complex
girls desire for their father
83
insight
the patient's acceptance of the analyst's account of the origin of the problem
84
behavioural theorists
conditioning accounts: john b watson | -all human behaviour is learned
85
classical conditioning
the basis for learning: ivan pavlov
86
stimulus-stimulus learning
what is learned in classical conditioning, then, is the transfer of a response from one stimulus to another -conditioned responses can instill phobic responses

abnormal psychology (5 decks)

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