question

Psychopathology

answer

the study of mental illness; symptoms and signs of mental disorders, including phenomena as depressed mood, panic attacks, and bizarre beliefs (pathology of the mind)

question

Abnormal psychology

answer

the application of psychological science to the study of mental disorders

question

Psychosis

answer

any severe mental disorder in which contact with reality is lost or highly distorted; a general term that refers to several types of severe mental disorder in which the person is considered to be out of contact with reality

question

Syndrome

answer

A group of symptoms that appear together and are assumed to represent a specific type of disorder

question

Harmful dysfunction

answer

concept used in one approach to the definition of mental disorder. A condition can be considered a mental disorder if it causes some harm to the person and if the condition results from the inability of some mental mechanism to perform its natural function Jerome Wakefied

question

DSM-IV-TR

answer

Disgnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association.

question

Culture

answer

values, beliefs and practices that are shared by a specific community or group of people

question

Epidemiology

answer

the scientific study of the frequency and distribution of disorders within a population

question

Incidence

answer

refers to the number of new cases of a disorder that appear in a population during a specific period of time

question

Prevalence

answer

refers to the total number of active cases, both old and new, that are present in a population during a specific period of time

question

Lifetime prevalence

answer

the total proportion of people in a given population who have been affected by (a) the disorder at some point during their lives

question

Comorbidity

answer

presence of more than one condition within the same period of time (co-occurrence)

question

Psychiatry

answer

branch of medicine that is concerned with the study and treatment of mental disorders

question

Clinical psychology

answer

field of science concerned with the application of psychological science to the assessment and treatment of mental disorders; Ph.D or Psy.D

question

Social work

answer

profession concerned with helpong people to achieve an effective level of psychosocial functioning

question

Case study

answer

an in-depth look at the symptoms and circumstances surrounding one person's mental disturbance

question

Experimental hypothesis

answer

any new prediction, such as the idea that eating chocolate can alleviate depression, made by an investigator

question

Null hypothesis

answer

alternative to the experimental hypothesis; always predicts that the experimental hypothesis is not true. Example; eating chocolate does not make depressed people feel better

question

Paradigm

answer

a set of shared assumptions that includes both the substance of a theory and beliefs about how scientist should collect data and test the theory

question

Four Paradigms

answer

biological, psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, and humanistic

question

Biopsychosocial model

answer

belief held by psychologists that adnormal behavior is caused by a combination of biological, psychological and social factors

question

Biological model

answer

contributes that abnormal behavior range from imbalanced brain chemistry to genetic predispositions

question

Psychological model

answer

contributes that abnormal behavior range from troubled emotions to distorted thinking

question

Social and Cultural model

answer

contributes that abnormal behavior range from conflict in family relationships to gender and racial bias

question

Biological paradigm

answer

looks for biological abnormalities that might cause abnormal behavior; ex. brain diseases, brain injuries, or genetic disorders

question

Psychodynamic paradigm

answer

asserts that abnormal behavior is caused by unconscious mental conflicts that have roots in early childhood experience; outgrowth of the writings of Sigmund Freud

question

Psychoanalytic theory

answer

belief held by Freud that many memories, and protective psychological processes are unconscious; divides the mind into three parts: the id, the ego, and the superego

question

The "Id"

answer

present at birth and houses biological drives such as hunger, as well as two key psychological drives: sex and aggression; operates according to the "pleasure principal". Seeks immediate gratification and will create discomfort until it is satisfied

question

The "Ego"

answer

part of the personality that must deal with the realities of the world as it attempts to to fulfill id impulses. Operates on the reality principal, begins to develop in the first year of life and continues to evolve. Resides in the conscious awareness

question

The "Superego"

answer

contains societal standards of behavior, particularly rules that children learn from trying to be like their parents in their preschool years. Tries to govern the id's sexual and aggressive impulses, with the ego mediating between the two

question

Moral anxiety

answer

conflict between the superego and ego

question

Neurotic anxiety

answer

conflict between the id and ego

question

Projection

answer

attributing one's own feelings or thoughts to other people

question

Denial

answer

insistence that an experience, memory, or need did not occur or does not exist

question

Displacement

answer

feelings or actions are transferred from one person or object to another that is less threatening; mad at the boss so you come home and kick the dog

question

Rationalization

answer

intellectually justifying a feeling or event; you don't get a job, so you decide you didn't really want the job anyway

question

Reaction formation

answer

converting a painful or unacceptable feeling into its opposite, you hate a former lover, but underneath it all you still really love them

question

Repression

answer

suppressing threatening material from the consciousness but without denial, you forget an embarassing experience

question

Sublimation

answer

diverting "id" impulses into constructive and acceptable outlets, you study hard to get good grades rather then giving in to desires for immediate pleasure.

question

Defense mechanisms

answer

unconscious self-deceptions that redue conscious anxiety by distorting anxiety-producing memories, emotions, and impulses

question

Cognitive behavorial paradigm

answer

views abnormal behavior and normal behavior as a product of learning; William Wundt

question

Cultural diagnostic assessment

answer

the impact of particular behaviors and experiences on a person's adjustment depends on the culture which the person lives. Abnormal behaviors in some cultures are normal; based on the culture of the society or country

question

APA

answer

American Psychiatric Association, group who publishes the DSM-IV-TR

question

Disorders associated with women

answer

Major depression, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders are more common in this group

question

Disorders associated with men

answer

alcoholism and antisocial personality are more common in this group

question

Mortality and Disability

answer

Epidemiologists use these two factors in determining or measuring "disease burden".

question

Associated to blindness

answer

the disability produced by major depression is considered to be equivalent to this

question

Quadriplegia

answer

psychotic disorder, such as "schizophrenia" leads to a disability equivalent to this

question

Hippocrates

answer

hypothesized that abnormal behavior, like other forms of disease, had natural causes. health depended on maintaining a natural balance of body fluids

question

General paresis

answer

a condition caused by syphilis ( a sexually transmitted disease) later found that the infection from syphilis had invaded and destroyed parts of the brain; causing the symptoms seen.

question

Ivan Pavlov

answer

Classical conditioning; learning through the process of association and involves four key components; an unconditional stimulus, an unconditioned response, a conditioned stimulus, and finally a conditioned response.

question

B.F. Skinner

answer

Operant conditioning, learned behavior is a function of its consequences; specifically, behavior increases if rewarded and it decreases if it is punished

question

Positive reinforcement

answer

onset of a stimulus increases the frequency of a behavior, example: you go to work, you get paid

question

Negative reinforcement

answer

the cessation of a stimulus increases the frequency of a behavior; you get up to turn your alarm clock off

question

Punishment

answer

always decreases the frequency of a behavior; you spend less money after your parents scold you

question

John B. Watson

answer

Learning theorist; "behaviorism", observable behavior was the only appropriate subject matter for the science of psychology

question

Humanistic Paradigm

answer

argues that the human behavior is a product of "free will", the view that we control, choose, and are responsible for our actions. Abnormal behavior blamed on society; not the individual, whom they see as inherently good

question

Equifinality

answer

view that there are many routes to the same destination or disorder. Example: two people may become depressed; one may have suffered a death in the family, the other a biological reason = both become depressed

question

Multifinality

answer

The view that the same event can lead to different outcomes; example: not all childhood experiences lead to the same adult outcomes, not all abused children grow up with the same problems later in life. some children may develop disorders and others may not

question

Diathesis-Stress Model

answer

way of describing multiple influences on abnormal behavior, suggests that mental disorders develop only when a stress is added on top of a predisposition; neither a diathesis or a stress alone is sufficient to cause a disorder

question

Diathesis

answer

a predisposition toward developing a disorder, for example, an inherited tendency toward depression

question

Stress

answer

a difficult experience, for example, the loss of a loved one through unexpected death.

question

Dopamine

answer

medications that elleviate some of the symptoms of schizophrenia block receptors sensitive to this neurotransmitter

question

SSRI's

answer

prevents the "reuptake" of the serotonin that is found to be a factor in depression; the depletion of serotonin leads to mood disorders

question

Neurotransmitters

answer

located in the vesicles of the axon terminal; chemical substances released into the synapse and received by receptors

question

Temperament

answer

characteristic styles of relating to the world; consists of five dimensions; openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism (OCEAN)

question

Emotions

answer

internal feeling states; six basic emotions: love, joy, surprise, anger, sadness and fear. Come to us without intention, effort or desire. More "basic" or primitive than our thoughts

question

Gender roles

answer

expectations regarding the appropriate behavior of males or females - can affect behavior

question

ECT-Electroconvulsive Therapy

answer

Deliberately inducing a seizure by passing electricity through the brain

question

Bilateral ECT

answer

electrodes are placed on the left and right temples, the the current passes through the both brain hemispheres

question

Unilateral ECT

answer

current passes through one side of the brain, the nondominant hemisphere- produces less retrograde amnesia-loss of memory - less effective

question

Psychotropic Medications

answer

chemical substances that affect psychological states, some produce rapid changes in thinking, mood and behavior. Anti-anxiety drugs have effects that become apparent soon after the medication is taken. Anti-depressant medications take longer to achieve an effect. do not cure underlying conditions, but "symptom alleviation" is extremely important

question

Anti-depressants

answer

relieve the symptoms of depession; Prozac, nardil

question

Antipsychotic drugs

answer

eliminate delusions and hallucinations; Thorzine, Haldol

question

Anti-panic

answer

relieves panic attacks; Xanax, Paxil

question

Insight

answer

bringing formerly unconscious material into conscious awareness

question

Interpretation

answer

hidden meanings to patients accounts of their life; typically relate to past experiences, especially with loved ones

question

Free Association

answer

patients speak freely about whatever thoughts crossed their minds

question

Transference

answer

process whereby patients transfer their feelings about some key figure in their life onto the analyst

question

Systematic desensitization

answer

technique for eliminating fears that has three key elements; progressive muscle relaxation, constructing a "hierarch of fears" - ranging from mild to very intense, a ranking, third - learning process-maintaining relaxation while confronting fears

question

Aversion therapy

answer

use of classical conditioning to create, not eliminate an unpleasant response. Primarly used in the treatment of substance abuse disorders such as smoking or alcholism. Ex: the use of antabuse to help someone stop smoking

question

Placebos

answer

pills that are pharmacologically inert; they have no medicinal value

question

Psychoeducational groups

answer

teach specific psychological information on life skills; teaching the primary mode of treatment

question

Experiential group therapy

answer

the relationships group members form are the primary mode of treatment, group members help each other out.

question

Encounter group

answer

may question self-diclosure when it is "phony" but support more honest appraisals of oneself

question

Self-help group

answer

groups of people brought together to face a common problem and seek to help themselves and others by sharing information

question

Aaron Beck

answer

used cognitive therapy specifically to treat depression. sugguested depression is caused by errors in thinking, these distortions lead depressed people to draw incorrect, negative conclusions about themselves.

question

Diagnosis

answer

refers to the identification or recognition of a disorder on the basis of its characteristic symptoms

question

Assessment

answer

the process of gathering information to further a diagnosis

question

ICD 10

answer

published by the World Health Organization; one of two diagnostic systems used for mental health disorders; International Classification for Diseases

question

Axis I of the DSM-IV-TR

answer

includes conditions such as OCD, schizophrenia, and mood disorders; characterized by episodic periods of pschological turmoil (disorder comes and goes)

question

Axis II of the DSM-IV-TR

answer

concerned with more stable, long standing problems such as, personality disorders and mental retardation; tends to be permanent in nature

question

Axis III of the DSM-IV-TR

answer

concerned with general medical conditions outside the realm of psychopathology, but may be relevent to either the causes of the patient's abnormal behavior or the ways which it might be treated; ex. panic attacks brought on by an ashma condition

question

Axis IV of the DSM-IV-TR

answer

concerned with psychosocial and enviromental problems that may affect the diagnosis or treatment of a mental disorder; social stressors (educational problems, housing problems, economic problems

question

Axis V of the DSM-IV-TR

answer

a global rating of adaptive functioning, ratings made on a scale of 1- 100, higher numbers indicating better levels of adjustment. GAF - Global Assessment of Functioning; how much is someones life impacted by their disability; score given by counselor

question

Culture bound syndrome

answer

patterns of erratic or unusual thinking and behavior that have been identified in diverse sociaties; unique to a particular society

question

Reliability

answer

refers to the consistency of measurements, including diagnostic decisions

question

Rating scale

answer

observer is asked to make judgements that place the person somewhere along a dimension; example: a clinician might observe someones behavior over a period of time and complete a set of ratings that are concerned with the dimensions or extent to which the person exhibits a behavior (how many times someone with OCD might wash their hands

question

Behavioral coding

answer

focus on the frequency of specific behavioral events; client would be asked to count how many times they act out a behavior

question

MMPI-2

answer

Minnesota Multiphasis Personality Inventory; comprised of 500 questions; psychological test. Topics range from physical compliants and psychological states to occupational preferences

question

Rorshach

answer

Projective test; random inkblots shown to individuals which they describe what they think they see

question

TAT

answer

Thematic Appreception test; consists of a series of drawings that dipict human figures in various situations, individuals are asked to describe the identities of the people and make up stories about what they think is happening

question

Structured interview

answer

Lists a series of specific questions that lead to a detailed description of the person's behavior and experiences

question

Abnormal behavior

answer

Caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors

Abnormal Psychology Chapters 1,2,3 & 4 – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards