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Flashcards in Psycopathology Deck (172)
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1
Q

Statistical Infrequency

A

rare

statistically unusual

2
Q

an example of statistical infrequency

A

someone having a above/below average IQ

3
Q

a criticism of statistical infrequency

A

fails to recognise the desirability of the particular behaviour

4
Q

what does statistical infrequency imply

A

that the abnormal behaviour should be rare or statistically unusual

5
Q

what us not unusual for people to do at some point in their lives…

A

to show abnormal behaviour

6
Q

this definition can provide an objective way, based on data, to define abnormality if…

A

an agreed cut-off point can be identified

7
Q

limitation - difference

A

doesn’t give you a difference in between desirable and abnormal behaviour

8
Q

what percentage of old people have depression

A

27%

9
Q

Deviation from Social Norms

A

behaviour is classified as abnormal if it doesn’t fit in with society

10
Q

what might their behaviour make others feel

A

feel threatened or uncomfortable

11
Q

social behaviour varies markedly when

A

different cultures are compared

12
Q

what do people in southern Europe do which people don’t do in the UK

A

stand much closer while talking

13
Q

what are common things that vary by culture

A
voice pitch
volume
touching
direction of gaze
acceptable subjects
14
Q

Deviation from Social Norms strength

A

This definition gives a definition to abnormality,

15
Q

Deviation from Social Norms limitation - culture

A

Social norms can vary from culture to culture.

16
Q

Deviation from Social Norms limitation - time

A

norms can vary over time.

17
Q

Failure to Function Adequately

A

abnormality that prevent the person from carrying out the range of behaviours that society would expect from them

18
Q

what would an example of an Failure to Function Adequately abnormality be

A

getting out of bed
having a job
relationships

19
Q

what did Rosenhan & Seligman suggest

A

seven criteria that are typical of FFA

20
Q

who made the seven criteria that are typical of FFA

A

Rosenhan & Seligman

21
Q

suffering

A

most abnormal individuals report that they are suffering

22
Q

maladaptiveness

A

behaviour which prevents people from achieving major life goals

23
Q

vivid/unconventional behaviour

A

abnormal individuals tend to behave often differs substantially from most people

24
Q

unpredictability/loss of control

A

behaviour of abnormal people is often very variable and uncontrolled and inappropriate

25
Q

irrationality/ incomprehensibility

A

others cannot understand why anyone would choose to behave in this way

26
Q

observer discomfort

A

observers to the behaviour are made uncomfortable by it

27
Q

violation of moral/ideal standards

A

behaviour may be judged ‘abnormal’ when it violates established moral standards-

28
Q

The more features of personal dysfunction a person has…

A

the more they are considered abnormal.

29
Q

what is used to rate peoples social, occupational and psychological functioning

A

the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF)

30
Q

strength for FFA

A

a practical checklist of seven criteria individuals can use to check their level of abnormality

31
Q

limitation for FFA

A

FFA might not be linked to abnormality but to other factors

32
Q

another reason my somebody might not be able to keep a job

A

economic situation

33
Q

Deviation from Ideal Mental Health

A

missing one of Jahoda’s criteria

34
Q

Resistance to stress

A

being able to cope with everyday anxiety provoking situations.

35
Q

Growth and development

A

Experiencing personal growth and becoming everything one is capable of becoming.

36
Q

High self-esteem

A

Having self-respect and a positive self-concept.

37
Q

Autonomy

A

Being independent, self-reliant and being able to make personal decisions.

38
Q

Accurate perception of reality

A

Having an objective and realistic view of the world

39
Q

limitations for Deviation from Ideal Mental Health - criteria

A

Difficulty of meeting all criteria, very few people would be able to do so

40
Q

limitations for Deviation from Ideal Mental Health - culture

A

these are western ideas so shouldn’t be used on people from another culture

41
Q

what does OCD stand for

A

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

42
Q

what kind of disorder is OCD

A

an anxiety disorder

43
Q

the obsession part of OCD

A

intrusive and uncontrollable thoughts

44
Q

the compulsive part of OCD

A

a need to perform specific acts repeatedly

45
Q

common obsessions for people with OCD

A

fear of contamination
repetitive thoughts of violence
sexual obsessions
obsessive doubt

46
Q

what are compulsions

A

the behavioural responses intended to neutralize obsessions.

47
Q

what are the most common compulsions

A
cleaning, 
washing, 
checking, 
counting,
touching
48
Q

to someone with OCD, how important are their compulsions

A

very important. If they are not performed exactly “something bad” will happen.

49
Q

what will happen if someone with OCD doesn’t do their compulsion

A

they get extreme anxiety

50
Q

what are the most common rituals in women

A

cleaning/washing

51
Q

what are the most common rituals in men

A

checking rituals

52
Q

what will happen at some point when someone has OCD

A

they realise the obsessions or compulsions are excessive or unreasonable.

53
Q

what do obsessive thoughts lead to

A

anxiety, worry and distress.

54
Q

what are people like if they have OCD

A

repetitive behavioural responses intended to neutralize these obsessions

55
Q

Cognitive

A

what do you think

56
Q

emotional

A

how do you feel

57
Q

behavioural

A

how do you behave

58
Q

Biological approach to OCD limitation - environment

A

it ignores environmental factors that can cause OCD

59
Q

Biological approach to OCD strength - testability

A

you can use neuroscience to prove hypothesises such as the dopamine hypothesis

60
Q

what is the dopamine hypothesis

A

argues that elevated levels of dopamine are related to symptoms of schizophrenia.

61
Q

Biological approach to OCD limitation - factors

A

they focus on only one factor and at present our understanding of biochemistry is oversimplified.

62
Q

why are the biological explanations deterministic

A

they ignore the individual’s ability to control their own behaviour

63
Q

what are genetics

A

Genetics is the study of genes and inheritance

64
Q

What kind of condition is OCD in the Genetic explanation

A

polygenic condition

65
Q

what is a polygenic condition

A

where a number of genes are involved in OCD’s development

66
Q

what do family and twin studies suggest

A

suggest the involvement of genetic factors in the development of OCD

67
Q

OCD baseline in the random population

A

2%/3%

68
Q

what gene is mutated in OCD patients

A

The SERT gene (Serotonin Transporter) and COMT gene

69
Q

what happens if the SERT gene is mutated

A

an increase in transporter proteins at a neuron’s membrane

70
Q

what happens if an increase in transporter proteins go to an neuron’s membrane

A

an increase in the intake of serotonin into the neuron which decreases the level of serotonin in the synapse.

71
Q

what does the COMT gene do

A

regulates the function of dopamine

72
Q

why are the COMT and SERT gene different

A

they do opposite things

73
Q

what does the mutated COMT gene do

A

causes a decrease in the COMT activity and therefore a higher level of dopamine.

74
Q

Carey and Gottesman 1981 experiment

A

tested obsessive symptoms in identical and fraternal twins

75
Q

obsessive symptoms in identical twins

A

87%

76
Q

obsessive symptoms in fraternal twins

A

47%

77
Q

what does the Carey and Gottesman 1981 experiment suggest

A

that genetic factors are moderately important

78
Q

why might the higher concordance rate found for identical twins important

A

because it may be down to nurture, identical twins are likely to have a similar environment than fraternal twins

79
Q

why are identical twins are likely to experience a more similar environment than fraternal twins

A

they tend to be treated the same

80
Q

Genes alone do not determine who will develop OCD…

A

they only create vulnerability

81
Q

is OCD transmitted genetically or culturally

A

culturally as the family members may observe and imitate each other’s behaviour

82
Q

how does social learning theory come into OCD

A

because a large cultural factor comes into it and we learn it from our family members

83
Q

what part of the brain is involved in decision making and our behaviour

A

the prefrontal cortex

84
Q

what could cause OCD in Neural Explanations

A

Abnormalities, or an imbalance in serotonin

85
Q

what does Serotonin do

A

the chemical thought to be involved in regulating mood

86
Q

what chemical is high in people that have OCD

A

Dopamine

87
Q

what has high levels of Dopamine thought to influence

A

concentration

88
Q

what did Salloway & Duffy discover in 2002

A

Brain scans of OCD patients reliably show increased activity in the Prefrontal cortex

89
Q

what two drugs have proved effective in treating OCD

A

serotonin reuptake inhibitors

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

90
Q

what does SRI and SSRI do

A

increase serotonin levels

91
Q

what happened when animals were injected with dopamine

A

they showed OCD behaviour

92
Q

what did Soomro et al find

A

SSRIs were significantly better than placebos in reducing symptoms

93
Q

how many clinical trials did Soomro et al do

A

17

94
Q

what’s the issue with serotonin

A

sometimes symptoms can be made worse

95
Q

SSRI side effects

A
dry mouth
a slight tremor
fast heartbeat
constipation
sleepiness 
weight gain
96
Q

what is depression

A

Depression is a mood, or affective disorder

97
Q

what is depression a collection of

A

physical, emotional, mental and behavioural experiences that damage everyday functioning

98
Q

what is the criteria for depression

A

DSM-IV-TR

99
Q

to have depression, what must you have

A

5 or more DSM-IV-TR symptoms

100
Q

what are some of the DSM-IV-TR symptoms

A

Behavioural
Emotional
Cognitive

101
Q

Behavioural - depression

A
Neglect of personal appearance, 
loss of appetite, 
insomnia, 
tiredness, 
withdrawal from others.
102
Q

Emotional - depression

A
Intense sadness, 
irritability, 
apathy, 
feelings of worthlessness,
anger.
103
Q

Cognitive - depression

A
Negative thoughts, 
lack of concentration, 
low self-esteem, 
poor memory, 
recurrent thoughts of death,
low confidence.
104
Q

what does the cognitive approach believe causes depression

A

depression stems from faulty cognitions about others, our world and us

105
Q

Ellis

A

depression occurs through irrational thinking

106
Q

Beck

A

the cognitive triad.

107
Q

what is the cognitive triad.

A

three forms of negative thinking that are typical of individuals with depression

108
Q

what are the three sides of becks cognitive triad

A

The Self
The World
The Future

109
Q

how do people with depression view themselves

A

helpless, worthless, and inadequate

110
Q

what does the cognitive triad interact with

A

with negative schemas and cognitive biases to produce depressive thinking.

111
Q

what do people with depression do a lot

A

make logical errors

112
Q

what do people with depression ignore

A

the positive of something

113
Q

what does Beck believe people develop

A

negative self schema

114
Q

when does Beck believe people develop negative self schema

A

during childhood during/after a traumatic event

115
Q

what do schema influence

A

how people interprets and experiences life

116
Q

what does beck believe

A

these negative schema formed in childhood lay dormant can be activated by life events or stress

117
Q

what did Lewinsohn et al discover in 2001

A

that negative thoughts are involved in the development of depression

118
Q

what was the Lewinsohn et al experiment

A

they took teenagers and measured how much they had negative thoughts.
a year later, those who had had negative life events were showing to be more susceptible to getting depression

119
Q

what does the cognitive approach to depression ignore - genes

A

the genetic factor

120
Q

what does the cognitive approach to depression ignore - social

A

social factors relating to life events

121
Q

what did Albert Ellis do

A

made the ABC model

122
Q

what did Albert Ellis propose

A

we all hold a unique set of assumptions / beliefs about ourselves and our world

123
Q

in Ellis’s proposition, what do the assumptions/beliefs do

A

guide us through life and determine our reactions

124
Q

what are basic irrational assumptions

A

when peoples assumptions are irrational and lead them to act in ways that are inappropriate

125
Q

what is depressive realism

A

when people who have depression have a more accurate view of the world

126
Q

Rimm & Litvak, 1969

A

When experimental subjects are manipulated into having bad thoughts, they became more depressed

127
Q

what is CBT

A

cognitive behavioural therapy

128
Q

what does CBT do

A

aims to change the way a client thinks, by challenging irrational thought processes

129
Q

what will challenging irrational thought processes do

A

change in behaviour

130
Q

what do Cognitive therapists do - help

A

help clients to recognize the negative thoughts and errors in logic that cause them to be depressed

131
Q

what do cognitive therapists do - homework

A

they give their clients homework so they can challenge their irrational beliefs

132
Q

when is CBT used

A

when depression has affected their lives in a negative way

133
Q

a strength of CBT - treating

A

shown to be very effective in treating depression

134
Q

what is better for people with depression - CBT or antidepressants

A

CBT

135
Q

a strength of CBT - ethics

A

it can reduce ethical issues – the way this therapy works is that the client is actively involved and in control so feel empowered

136
Q

Phobias are a type of what disorder

A

anxiety

137
Q

what is a phobia

A

a marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable

138
Q

examples of phobias

A

flying,
heights,
seeing blood

139
Q

Behavioural - phobias

A

The phobic stimulus is either avoided or responded to with great anxiety.

140
Q

emotional - phobias

A

Exposure to the phobic stimulus nearly always produces a rapid anxiety response.

141
Q

cognitive - phobias

A

The person is consciously aware that the anxiety levels they experience in relation to their feared object or situation are overstated.

142
Q

what are the three category’s for phobias

A

agoraphobia, social phobia and specific phobias

143
Q

agoraphobia

A

fear of open spaces/fear of being away from home.

144
Q

social phobia

A

an intense fear of social situation or having to interact with other people

145
Q

specific phobias

A

a fear of a specific object, such as a spider, or a situation, such as an enclosed space

146
Q

what kinds of conditioning are used in the two process model

A

classical conditioning and operant conditioning

147
Q

who made the two process model

A

Mowrer

148
Q

what causes a phobia

A

a classically conditioned association between an anxiety provoking unconditioned stimulus and a previously neutral stimulus

149
Q

what does operant conditioning do

A

help to explain how the phobia is maintained

150
Q

how does operant conditioning help to explain how the phobia is maintained

A

The conditioned stimulus evokes fears, and avoidance of the feared situation lessens this feeling, which is rewarding. The reward strengths the avoidance behaviour, and the phobia is maintained.

151
Q

what support is there that classical conditioning leads to phobias

A

Watson and Rayner (1920) used classical conditioning to create a phobia in an infant called Little Albert.

152
Q

what did Watson and Rayner do to Little Albert

A

they made him fear white rats by associating them to a load noise

153
Q

what does the behaviourist approach overlook with it comes to phobias

A

the role of cognition

154
Q

what is Systematic Desensitisation

A

aims to remove the fear response of a phobia, and substitute a relaxation response to the conditional stimulus gradually using counter conditioning.

155
Q
  1. Systematic Desensitisation
A

First, the patient is taught a deep muscle relaxation technique and breathing exercises

156
Q
  1. Systematic Desensitisation
A

Second, the patient creates a fear hierarchy starting at stimuli that create the least anxiety and building up in stages to the most fear provoking images

157
Q
  1. Systematic Desensitisation
A

Third, the patient works their way up the fear hierarchy, starting at the least unpleasant stimuli and practising their relaxation technique as they go

158
Q

how many sessions are used when people are using Systematic Desensitisation

A

4-6 if the phobia is mild

12 for a severe phobia

159
Q

exposure can be done in two ways

A

In vitro

In vivo

160
Q

in vitro

A

the client imagines exposure to the phobic stimulus

161
Q

in vivo

A

the client is actually exposed to the phobic stimulus.

162
Q

which out of vitro and vivo is more successful

A

vivo

163
Q

practical issue - Systematic Desensitisation - imagine

A

it relies on the client’s ability to be able to imagine the fearful situation.

164
Q

practical issue - Systematic Desensitisation - time

A

Systematic desensitization is a slow process, taking on average 6-8 sessions

165
Q

Theoretical Issues - Systematic Desensitisation - mental disorders

A

SD is not effective in treating serious mental disorders like depression and schizophrenia.

166
Q

Empirical Evidence - Systematic Desensitisation - Rothbaum

A

Rothbaum used SD with participants who were afraid of flying. Following treatment 93% agreed to take a trial flight. It was found that anxiety levels were lower than those of a control group who had not received SD

167
Q

Ethical Issues - Systematic Desensitisation

A

SD creates high levels of anxiety when patients are initially exposed, which raises ethical issues and so questions appropriateness

168
Q

Flooding

A

Flooding works by exposing the patient directly to their worst fears.

169
Q

what is the aim of flooding - exposure

A

expose the sufferer to the phobic object or situation for an extended period of time in a safe and controlled environment.

170
Q

what is the aim of flooding - association

A

Prolonged intense exposure eventually creates a new association between the feared object and something positive

171
Q

how often is flooding used

A

rarely

172
Q

what did Wolpe report in 1969

A

reported the case of a client whose anxiety intensified to such as degree that flooding therapy resulted in her being hospitalized.