Abnormal Psychology in a Changing World – Chapter 1 – Flashcards
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psychological disorder
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Is a pattern of abnormal behavior that is associated with states of significant emotional distress, such as anxiety or depression, or with impaired behavior or ability to function, such as difficulty holding a job or even distinguishing reality from fantasy.
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abnormal psychology
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The branch of psychology that deals with the description, causes, and treatment of abnormal behavior patterns.
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medical model
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A biological perspective in which abnormal behavior is viewed as symptomatic of underlying illness.
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trephination
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A harsh, prehistoric practice of cutting a hole in a person's skull, possibly in an attempt to release demons.
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humors
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According to the ancient Hippocratic belief system, the vital bodily fluids (phlegm, black bile, blood, yellow bile).
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deinstitutionalization
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a policy of shifting the burden of care from state hospitals to community-based treatment setting, which led to a wholesale exodus from state mental hospitals. The mental hospital population across the United States has plummeted from nearly 600,000 in the 1950s to about 40,000 today ("Rate of Patients," 2012). Some mental hospitals were closed entirely.
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dementia praecox
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The term given by Kraepelin to the disorder now called schizophrenia.
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general paresis
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A form of dementia resulting from neurosyphilis.
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psychodynamic model
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The theoretical model of Freud and his followers, in which abnormal behavior is viewed as the product of clashing forces within the personality.
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biopsychosocial model
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An integrative model for explaining abnormal behavior in terms of the interactions of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.
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scientific method
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A systematic method of conducting scientific research in which theories or assumptions are examined in light of evidence.
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theory
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A formulation of the relationships underlying observed events.
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hypothesis
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A prediction that is tested through experimentation.
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informed consent
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The principle that research participants should receive enough information about an experiment beforehand to decide freely whether to participate.
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confidentiality
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Protection of research participants by keeping records secure and not disclosing their identities.
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naturalistic observation
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A research method in which behavior is observed and measured in its natural environment.
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correlational method
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A scientific method of study that examines the relationships between factors or variables expressed in statistical terms.
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correlation coefficient
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A statistical measure of the strength of the relationship between two variables expressed along a continuum that ranges between -1.00 and +1.00.
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longitudinal study
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A research study in which subjects are followed over time.
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experimental method
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A scientific method that aims to discover cause-and-effect relationships by manipulating independent variables and observing the effects on the dependent variables.
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independent variables
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Factors that are manipulated in experiments.
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dependent variables
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Factors that are observed in order to determine the effects of manipulating an independent variable.
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experimental group
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In an experiment, a group that receives the experimental treatment.
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control group
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In an experiment, a group that does not receive the experimental treatment.
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random assignment
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A method of assigning research subjects at random to experimental or control groups to balance the characteristics of people who comprise them.
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selection factor
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A type of bias in which differences between experimental and control groups result from differences in the types of participants in the group, not from the influence of the independent variable.
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blind
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A state of being unaware of whether one has received an experimental treatment or a placebo.
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placebo
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An inert medication or bogus treatment that is intended to control for expectancy effects.
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internal validity
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The degree to which manipulation of the independent variables can be causally related to changes in the dependent variables.
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external validity
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The degree to which experimental results can be generalized to other settings and conditions.
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construct validity
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The degree to which a test measures the hypothetical construct that it purports to measure.
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epidemiological studies
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Research studies that track rates of occurrence of particular disorders among different population groups
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survey method
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A research method in which large samples of people are questioned by means of a survey instrument.
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incidence
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The number of new cases of a disorder that occurs within a specific period of time.
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prevalence
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The overall number of cases of a disorder in a population within a specific period of time.
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random sample
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A sample that is drawn in such a way that every member of a population has an equal chance of being included.
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genotype
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The set of traits specified by an individual's genetic code.
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phenotype
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An individual's actual or expressed traits.
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proband
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The case first diagnosed with a given disorder
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adoptee studies
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Studies that compare the traits and behavior patterns of adopted children to those of their biological parents and their adoptive parents.
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case studies
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are intensive studies of individuals. Some case studies are based on historical material, involving subjects who have been dead for hundreds of years.
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single-case experimental designs
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Case studies provide rich material, but are limited by difficulties in obtaining accurate and unbiased client histories, by possible therapist biases, and by the lack of control groups. Single-case experimental designs help researchers overcome some of these limitations.
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reversal design
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An experimental design that consists of repeated measurement of a subject's behavior through a sequence of alternating baseline and treatment phases.
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critical thinking
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Adoption of a questioning attitude and careful scrutiny of claims and arguments in light of evidence.
