Psychopathology

?
What is psychophathology?
Study of the causes of diseases
1 of 63
What is statistical deviation?
When an individual has a less common characteristics, that's statistically unusual, it's classified as abnormal
2 of 63
What type of characteristics does the statistical approach deal with?
Ones that can be reliably measured
3 of 63
Real-life application of a disorder diagnosed with the statistical approach?
Intellectual disability disorder; assessment also measures how severe the symptoms are, compared with statistical norms
4 of 63
What's the problem with labelling people as 'abnormal'?
Being labelled can make someone living a positive and fulfilling life feel negatively about themsleves, and cause others to think negatively about them
5 of 63
Why can't statistical deviation be the sole diagnosis for abnormality?
Abnormal charactersitics can be positive; e.g. super intelligence. So just because a few individuals possess an 'abnormal characteristic' doesn't mean it needs to be treated
6 of 63
What is deviation from social norms?
As a society we have a collective judgement of what is 'right'. Groups of people define behaviour as abnormal on the basis that it offends their sense of what's acceptable (the norm)
7 of 63
What are norms specific to?
Our culture and generation; so only a few behaviours would be considered as universally abnormal
8 of 63
What disorder is an example of deviation from social norms?
Antisocial personality disorder
9 of 63
Why is it an example?
According to the DSM-5 an important symptom is; failure to conform to normative, ethical and lawful behaviour. So therefore, failure to conform to our moral standards
10 of 63
Why can't deviation from social norms be used alone for diagnosis?
A strength is that it can diagnose antisocial personality disorder. But there are other factors to include e.g. the distress caused to other people resulting from APD
11 of 63
Cultural Relativism?
What's acceptable to one culture, may not be to another. E.g. hearing voices is a sign of mental disability in the UK but not in other cultures
12 of 63
Why can it lead to human right abuse by relying too much on this approach?
Some psychologists claim that some categories of mental disorder are an abuse to peoples right to be different
13 of 63
What is failure to function adequately?
When a person can no longer cope with the normal demands of normal everyday life
14 of 63
Examples of a person that's failing to function adequately?
Unable to maintain a basic standard of hygiene and nutrition, can't hold down a job or maintain relationships
15 of 63
What disorder is also diagnosed if they are failing to funtion adequately?
Intellectual disability disorder
16 of 63
Who proposed signs of a person failing to function adequately?
Seligman + Rosenham
17 of 63
What signs did Seligman + Rosenham propose?
1. Person experiences severe personal distress 2. Person becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves and/or others 3. Person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules
18 of 63
What is the positive thing about this approach?
It looks at the patients perspective and their subjective experience; if a person is struggling with the demands of everyday life they clearly need help
19 of 63
Why can be people be wrongly diagnosed as abnormal with this approach?
Because some people may be choosing to not do basic things (e.g. fasting) or engage in extreme sports. Some may not be able to get a job, but this isn't their fault
20 of 63
Another weakness of this approach?
Some people may appear to be living a normal life, when they are mentally ill e.g. H. Shipman; a GP who was a serial killer of the elderly
21 of 63
What is a phobia?
An irrational fear of an object or situation; characterised by excessive fear and anxiety
22 of 63
What types of phobias are classified in the DSM-5?
Specific, social + Agoraphobia
23 of 63
What are the behavioural characteristics of phobias?
Panic, avoidance + endurance
24 of 63
What is the emotional characteristic of phobias?
Anxiety
25 of 63
What are the cognitive characteristics of phobias?
Selective attention, irrational beliefs + cognitive distortions
26 of 63
The behavioural approach to explaining phobias suggests what model?
The 2-process model by Mowrer
27 of 63
What did Mowrer explaining using this model?
That phobias are acquired through classical conditioning, and are maintained/reinforced by operant conditioning
28 of 63
What researchers did the 'Little Albert' study?
Watson + Rayner
29 of 63
What happened?
They presented the white rat (NS) with a loud noise (UCS) which produced an anxious/fearful response (UCR)
30 of 63
What happened as a result?
The rat became a CS, producing a CR of fear.
31 of 63
What is stimulus generation?
When the conditioning is generalised to other similar objects (e.g. santa claus' beard, white fluffy objects)
32 of 63
How is maintenance of the phobia maintained?
Through negative reinforcement
33 of 63
What is negative reinforcement?
When a behaviour displayed, avoids something unpleasant so this increases the frequency of this behaviour
34 of 63
What did Mowrer suggest in regards to this?
When we avoid a phobic stimulus, we escape fear and anxiety so the phobia is maintained
35 of 63
Why is the 2 process model reductionist?
It ignores cognitive elements of phobias
36 of 63
What does Seligman say in objection to the 2 process model?
That not all phobias are learnt, some are evolved. E.g. we are fearful of snakes because they were threat to us in our evolutionary past
37 of 63
What is biological preparedness?
The innate predisposition to acquire certain fears
38 of 63
Why is it rare to develop a fear of guns/cars, even though they are more of a threat to us today?
Because they have only existed recently, so we are not biologically prepared to learn fear responses to them
39 of 63
What does this show about the model?
There's more to developing phobias than just conditioning
40 of 63
Do people always develop phobias after bad experiences?
No, sometimes they aren't linked. This decreases the validity of the explanation
41 of 63
What are behaviour therapies?
Therapies that aim to alter behaviour; based on the notion that if it can be learned, it can be unlearned
42 of 63
2 types of behavioural therapies to treating phobias?
Systematic desensitisation + Flooding
43 of 63
What is systematic desensitisation?
The gradual process of removing the learned association between the phobic stimulus (NS) and the fear/anxious response- using the principle of classical conditioning
44 of 63
What does it work by?
Counter-conditioning (a new response is learnt to the stimulus- paired w/relaxation instead) + Reciprocal Inhibition (one emotion preventing another)
45 of 63
The 3 stages of systematic desensitisation?
1) Anxiety hierarchy 2) Relaxation 3) Exposure
46 of 63
When is treatment successful by SD?
Whent the patitent remains relaxed in situations high in the anxiety hierarchy
47 of 63
What is flooding?
The patient is exposed to an extreme form of the phobic stimulus, in an attempt to reduce anxiety/fear provoked by the stimulus
48 of 63
What happens in flooding?
Without the option of avoidance, the patient quickly learns that the simulus is harmless. This is extinction.
49 of 63
Why might relaxation also be acheived?
The patient becomes exhausted by their own fear response (can't sustain high levels of arousal for a long time)
50 of 63
What is the drawback of it ending too soon?
The phobia can be reinforced, instead of extinguished
51 of 63
Which of th therapies is suitable for a diverse range of phobias/disorders?
Systematic desensitisation
52 of 63
What does this mean?
It's generally successful and works for many
53 of 63
What is flooding less effective at treating?
Complex phobias (e.g. social phobia/anxiety)- w/cognitive aspects. So it can't be used for a diverse range of disorders/phobias.
54 of 63
Which therapy is more ethical?
Systematic desensitisation; it's personalised and done at the patients pace, so doesn't cause much stress or trauma. It also involves relaxation- so reduces side effects
55 of 63
What's the ethical issue with flooding?
Patients don't always follow the whole procedure through, and the therapist has to allow them the right to withdraw. So the phobia may be reinforced (waste of time + money)
56 of 63
What must the patient do before?
Provide fully informed consent, and be prepared
57 of 63
Who are unsuitable for flooding?
People with medical conditions such as heart attacks and those with learning disabilities. Because it is a very stressful and traumati procedure
58 of 63
What is a weakness of systematic desensitisation- that is combated through flooding?
It's a very lengthy, time consuming processs. So may not be appropriate for all patients.
59 of 63
What is depression?
A mental/depresive disorder characterised by low mood and energy levels
60 of 63
Behavioural characteristics of depression?
Low activity levels, disruption to sleep + appetite, agression + self-harm
61 of 63
Emotional characteristics of depression?
Low mood, low sef-esteem + anger
62 of 63
Cognitive characteristics of depression?
Poor concentration, dwelling on negatives + absolutist thinking
63 of 63

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What is statistical deviation?

Back

When an individual has a less common characteristics, that's statistically unusual, it's classified as abnormal

Card 3

Front

What type of characteristics does the statistical approach deal with?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Real-life application of a disorder diagnosed with the statistical approach?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What's the problem with labelling people as 'abnormal'?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Psychology resources:

See all Psychology resources »See all Abnormality resources »