Abnormal Psychology Definitions – Flashcards
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Psychopathology
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Abnormal experiences that include: -Mental pain -Emotional pain -Physical pain
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Mental illness
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A disease process involving collections of problems in: -Thinking or cognition -Emotional responding or regulation -Social behavior
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Cultural norms
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Cultures have rules for what is acceptable vs. unacceptable Ex: gender-role expectations
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Cultural relativism
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-There are no universal standards or rules for labeling a behavior abnormal -What is considered abnormal in one culture may be considered normal in another
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4 D's of abnormality
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Abnormal behavior, thoughts or feelings are characterized by: -Dysfunction -Distress -Deviance -Dangerousness
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Dysfunction
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Interfere with a person's ability to function in daily life
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Distress
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Cause emotional or physical pain
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Deviance
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Outside cultural norms
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Dangerousness
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Can harm or scare self or others
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Biological theories
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Abnormal behavior is similar to physical disease and is caused by the breakdown of systems in the body
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Supernatural theories
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Abnormal behavior results form divine intervention, curses, demonic possession, or personal sin
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Psychological theories
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Abnormal behavior results from trauma or chronic stress
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Ancient theories Prehistoric times
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-Supernatural causes of abnormal behavior -Treat via exorcism or trephination, in which sections of the skill are drilled or cut away to allow evil spirits to go out of the body
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Ancient theories Ancient China
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-Abnormal behavior cause by imbalance of positive (yang) and negative (yin) forces in body -Emotions controlled by internal organs
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Ancient Theories Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome
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-Biological causes of abnormal behavior -Hysteria refers to psychological symptoms caused by physical processes -Diseases result from imbalances in the body's essential humors
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Medieval views
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-Abnormal behavior caused by severe emotional shock and physical illness or injury -Those who practice witchcraft may have been mentally ill -Psychic epidemics(=mass hysteria): Large number of people engaging in unusual behaviors that appear to have a psychological origin Treatment was to confine people in asylums where they were often mistreated
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Biological perspectives Wilhelm Griesinger
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Brain pathology leads to psychological disorders
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Biological perspectives Kraepelin
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First to classify different disorders by distinct symptoms
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General paresis
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-Disease that leads to paralysis, insanity and eventually death -Caused by syphilis infection affecting the brain
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Psychoanalytic perspectives Mesmerism (Franz Mesmer)
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-Abnormal behavior caused by magnetic disturbance in the body -Restore balance through touch
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Psychoanalytic perspectives Psychoanalytic theory (Sigmund Freud)
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-Abnormal behavior caused by unconscious conflict -Treat via hypnosis or talking therapy to bring about catharsis
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Emergence of Modern Perspectives Behaviorism
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-Classical conditioning -Behaviorism
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Classical conditioning
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Stimuli can become associated with fears and thereby produce abnormal responses
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Behaviorism
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Abnormal behavior can be caused by patterns of reinforcement and punishment
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Emergence of Modern Perspectives Cognitive approach
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-Cognitions -Self-efficacy beliefs
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Cognitions
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Abnormal behavior caused by distorted thinking which leads to negative emotions and self-defeating actions
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Self-efficacy beliefs
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People have beliefs about their ability to control their actions. A negative sense of self-efficacy can impair functioning
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Modern mental health care
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-Patients' rights movement: mental patients recover better or live more satisfying lives if they are integrated into the community -Deinstitutionalization: Integrating mental patients into the community with the support of community-based treatment facilities
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Theory
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-Set of ideas that provides a framework for questioning, gathering and interpreting info about a phenomenon -Describe causes or contributing factors to mental disorders -Theories drive treatments
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Therapy
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-Treatments that target the causal factors of psychological disorders -Different for each theory of abnormal behavior
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Biopsychosocial approach
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Psychological symptoms result from the interaction of biological, psychological and social factors
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Biopsychosocial approach Transdiagnostic risk factors
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Increase the risk of multiple types of psychological problems EX: Emotional disregulation
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Biological causes of abnormality
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-Brain dysfunction -Biochemical imbalances -Genetic abnormalities
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Limbic system
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-Set of structures that regulate many instinctive behaviors, such as reactions to stressful events and eating -Amygdala -Hippocampus
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Amygdala
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Structure of the limbic system that is critical in emotions such as fear
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Hippocampus
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Part of the limbic system that plays a role in memory
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Neurotransmitters
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-Biochemical that act as messengers carrying impulses from one neuron, or nerve cell, to another in the brain and in other parts of the nervous system -Synapse -Receptors
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Synapse
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Slight gap between the synaptic terminal of one neuron and dendrite of another neuron
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Receptors
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Molecules on the membrane of an adjacent neuron -Neurotransmitters from one neuron cross the synapse and bind to receptors on adjacent neuron *Like a gate for neurotransmitter
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Processes that affect the neurotransmitters
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-Reuptake -Degradation
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Reuptake
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Occurs when the neuron that initially released the neurotransmitter into the synapse reabsorbs the neurotransmitter
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Degradation
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Occurs when the receiving neuron releases an enzyme into the synapse that breaks down the neurtransmitter into other biochemicals
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Types of neurotransmitters
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-Serotonin -Dopamine -Norepinephrine Gammaaminobutyric acid GABA
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Serotonin
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-Travels through many key areas of the brain, affecting the function of those areas -Implicated in depression , anxiety, aggression, and impulsivity
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Dopamine
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-Found in areas of the brain associated with the experience of reinforcements or rewards -Affected by substances (alcohol) and behaviors (sex) that are pleasurable
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Norepinephrine
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-Produced by neurons in the brain stem -Cocaine and amphetamine, prolongs the action of norepinephrine by slowing its reuptake process (too much in the synapse)
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Gammaaminobutyric acid or GABA
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-Inhibits the action of other neurotransmitters -Tranquilizing effects of some drugs is because they increase the inhibitory activity of GABA (slows things down; motor functions)
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Endocrine system
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Systems of glands that produces chemicals called hormones released directly into the blood
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Hormone
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Carries messages throughout the body and affects -mood -energy -reaction to stress
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Pituitary gland
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Master gland controlling the secretion of hormones from the other endocrine glands -Works in conjunction with the hypothalamus and adrenal glands to regulate responses to stress -Malfunctioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) causes anxiety and depression
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Abnormality Polygenic process:
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-Multiple genetic abnormalities coming together in one individual to create a specific disorder -Most psychological disorders are polygenic --One does not need all of the genes to have a disorder -More genes means higher risk
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Gene-environment interaction
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-Genes influence the type of environment and experiences people choose -Experiences/environment then reinforce the genetic tendency
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Epigenetics
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-Environmental conditions affect the expression of genes -Environment instructs genes to turn on or off
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Biological therapies Drug therapies
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-Medications that alter the functioning of neurotransmitter systems -Often have both therapeutic effects and adverse effects called side effects
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Biological therapies Brain stimulation techniques
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-Electroconvulsice therapy (ECT) -Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) -Deep brain stimulation -Vagus nerve stimulation
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Biological therapies Psychosurgery
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Used rarely, and only with people who have severe disorders that do not respond to other forms of treatment
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Psychological approaches
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-Behavioral -Cognitive -Psychodynamic and humanistic -Family systems -Emotion-focused approaches
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Behavioral approaches
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-classical -operant -modeling and observational
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Operant conditioning
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Shape new behaviors by rewarding desired behaviors and punishing undesired behaviors
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Cognitive theories
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-Human behavior motivated by more than association, rewards, and punishments -Emphasizes role of cognition: thoughts and beliefs affect emotions and behavior
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Causal attributions
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The meaning given to an event affects how people feel about it and respond to it
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Global assumptions
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Broad beliefs about oneself, relationships and the world affect moment-to-moment interpretations
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Cognitive therapies
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identify and challenge negative thoughts and dysfunctional belief systems
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Cognitive-behavioral therapy
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Cognitive techniques combined with behavioral techniques
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Psychodynamic approaches
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Behavior, thoughts and emotions both normal and abnormal are influenced by unconscious processes
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ID:
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-Source of libido and aggresssive drives -Impulses seek immediate release
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Ego:
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Seeks gratification of id impulses in socially appropriate ways
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Superego
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moral compass that includes the rules and regulations of behavior learned from parents and society
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Defense mechanisms
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Strategies for getting id impulses met
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Psychosexual stages of development
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Stages of personality development
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Interpersonal therapy
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Shifted focus from unconscious conflicts to clients' pattern of relationships with important people in their lives
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Humanistic approach Humanistic theories
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Based on the assumption that humans have an innate capacity for goodness and for living a full life
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Humanistic approach Carl Rogers approach
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Individuals naturally move toward personal growth, self acceptance, and self-actualization
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Self-actualization
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Fulfillment of one's potential for love, creativity and meaning
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Dialectical behavioral therapy
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Addresses challenges in managing negative emotions and in controlling impulsive behaviors
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Acceptance and commitment therapy
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Encourages clients to face distressing situations and emotions rather than avoiding them
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Face validity
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Test APPEARS to measure what it is supposed to measure superficial
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Construct validity
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Test measures what it is supposed to measure, not something else "are we actually getting the full aspect of this"
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Test-retest reliability
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Test produces similar results when given at two points in time
