question

Anal Stage

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the second psychosexual stage, which occurs in the second year of life when the anus is considered the principal erogenous zone

question

Asylums

answer

-- refuges established in western Europe in the fifteenth century to confine and provide for the mentally ill -- forerunners of the mental hospital

question

Behavior Therapy

answer

a branch of psychotherapy conceived narrowly as the application of classical & operant conditioning to the alteration of clinical problems but more broadly as applied experimental psychology in a clinical context

question

Behaviorism

answer

-- John B. Watson -- a school of thought that considers the effects of stimuli in the environment on observable behavior only (i.e., not on consciousness or mental functioning)

question

Cathartic Method

answer

-- introduced by Breuer & developed by Freud in the late nineteenth century -- a therapeutic procedure to relieve emotional suffering whereby a patient recalls & relives an earlier emotional catastrophe & reexperiences the tension & unhappiness

question

Classical Conditioning

answer

-- Ivan Pavlov -- a simple methodology in which a neutral stimulus is paired with a stimulus that has meaning -- after many associations, the neutral stimulus takes on the same meaning -- has the most relevance to the development of phobias

question

Clinical Psychologist

answer

an individual who has earned a Ph.D. degree in psychology or a Psy.D. & whose training has included an internship in a mental hospital or clinic

question

Collective Unconscious

answer

Jung's concept that every human being carries within the wisdom, ideas, & strivings of those who have come before

question

Conditioned Response (CR)

answer

an automatic response established by training to an ordinarily neutral stimulus

question

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

answer

a previously neutral stimulus that, after repeated association with an unconditioned stimulus, elicits the response produced by the unconditioned stimulus itself

question

Counseling Psychologist

answer

a doctoral-level mental health professional whose training is similar to that of a clinical psychologist, though usually with less emphasis on research & serious psychopathology

question

Defense Mechanism

answer

-- ways of coping with anxiety ^repression: the action or process of suppressing a thought or desire in oneself so that it remains unconscious ^displacement: the unconscious transfer of an intense emotion from its original object to another one ^sublimation: socially unacceptable impulses or idealizations are unconsciously transformed into socially acceptable actions

question

Demonology

answer

suggests that evil beings reside within individuals with mental illness & control their minds & bodies

question

Ego

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the predominantly conscious part of the personality, responsible for decision making & for dealing with reality

question

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

answer

-- a treatment that produces a convulsion by passing electric current through the brain -- despite public concerns about this treatment, it can be useful in alleviating profound depression

question

Exorcism

answer

procedure to drive out the evil spirits

question

Extinction

answer

-- the elimination of a classically conditioned response by the omission of the unconditioned stimulus -- in operant conditioning, the elimination of the conditioned response by the omission of reinforcement

question

Fixation

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the arrest of psychosexual development at a particular stage through too much or too little gratification at that stage

question

Genital Stage

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the final psychosexual stage, reached in adulthood, in which heterosexual interests predominate

question

Harmful Dysfunction

answer

proposed definition of psychological disorder that contains both a value judgment (harmful) & a purtatively objective scientific component (dysfunction)

question

Id

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the part of the personality present at birth, comprising all the energy of the psyche & expressed as biological urges that strive continually for gratification

question

Latency Period

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the years between ages 6 & 12, during which id impulses play a minor role in motivation

question

Law of Effect

answer

-- Edward Thorndike -- a principle of learning that holds that behavior is acquired by virtue of its consequences

question

Libido

answer

-- Freudian term for the life-integrating instinct or force of the id -- sometimes equated with sexual drive

question

Marriage & Family Therapist

answer

-- a mental health professional who specializes in treating couples & families & in how these relationships impact mental health -- training can be at the master's or Ph.D. level, & some M.S.W. programs offer training in marriage & family therapy

question

Modeling

answer

-- Albert Bandura -- learning by observing & imitating the behavior of others or teaching by demonstrating & providing opportunities for imitation

question

Moral Treatment

answer

-- a therapeutic regime, introduced by Philippe Pinel during the French Revolution, whereby mentally ill patients were released from their restraints & were treated with compassion & dignity rather than with contempt & denigration -- Dorothea Dix

question

Negative Reinforcement

answer

strengthens responses, but it does so by removing an aversive event or stimulus

question

Operant Conditioning

answer

-- B.F. Skinner -- learning occurs in operant conditioning when an individual's behavior is reinforced in some manner

question

Oral Stage

answer

-- in psychoanalytic theory, the first psychosexual stage, which extends into the second year -- during this stage the mouth is the principle erogenous zone

question

Phallic Stage

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the third psychosexual stage, extending from ages 3 to 5 or 6, durring which maximum gratification is obtained from genital stimulation

question

Pleasure Principle

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the demanding manner by which the id operates, seeking immediate gratification of its needs

question

Positive Reinforcement

answer

the strengthening of a tenancy to exhibit a desired behavior by rewarding responses in that situation with a desired reward

question

Psyche

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the totality of the id, ego, & superego including both conscious & unconscious components

question

Psychiatric Nurse

answer

-- a nurse, typically with a bachelor's degree who receives specialized training in mental illness -- a nurse practitioner may prescribe psychiatric medication

question

Psychiatrist

answer

a physician (M.D.) who has taken specialized postdoctoral training, called residency, in the diagnosis, treatment, & prevention of psychological disorders

question

Psychoactive Medications

answer

prescribed chemical compounds -- for example, Prozac -- having a psychological effect that alters mood or thought process

question

Psychoanalysis

answer

-- primarily the therapy procedures pioneered by Freud, entailing free association, dream analysis, & working through the transference neurosis -- more recently the term has come to encompass the numerous variations on basic Freudian therapy

question

Psychoanalytic Theory

answer

-- Sigmund Freud -- abnormal behavior emerges as a result of unresolved conflicts in the unconscious -- criticized extensively for its lack of empirical support but greatly influenced thinking about psychopathology

question

Psychological Disorder

answer

-- the DSM defines a psychological disorder as clinically significant behavioral or psychological symptom patterns -- the definition includes a number of key features including distress, disability or impaired functioning, violation of social norms, & dysfunction

question

Psychopathology

answer

-- abnormal behavior ^personal distress ^disability ^violation of social norms ^dysfunction -- that causes distress or life interference in the individual or in others around him/her -- the field concerned with the nature & development of psychological disorders

question

Psychotherapy

answer

a primarily verbal means of helping troubled individuals change their thoughts, feelings, & behavior to reduce distress & to achieve greater life satisfaction

question

Reality Principle

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the manner in which the ego delays gratification & otherwise deals with the environment in a planned, rational fashion

question

Social Worker

answer

a mental health professional who hold a master of social work (M.S.W.) degree

question

Stigma

answer

the pernicious beliefs & attitudes held by a society, ascrubed to groups considered deviant in some manner, such as people with mental illnesses

question

Superego

answer

in psychoanalytic theory, the part of the personality that acts as the conscience & reflects society's moral standards as learned from parents & teachers

question

Systematic Desensitization

answer

-- Joseph Wolpe -- a major behavioral therapy procedure that has a fearful person, while deeply relaxed, imagine a series of progressively more fearsome situations, such that fear is dispelled as a response incompatible with relaxation -- useful for treating psychological problems in which anxiety is the principal difficulty

question

Transference

answer

the venting of the analysand's emotions, either positive or negative, by treating the psychoanalyst as the symbolic representation of someone important in the past

question

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

answer

behavior that occurs naturally due to a given stimulus

question

Unconditioned Stimulus (ECS)

answer

a stimulus that elicits an unconditioned response

question

Unconscious

answer

-- a state of unawareness without sensation or thought -- in psychoanalytic theory, the part of the personality, in particular the id impulses or energy, of which the ego is unaware

question

Alfred Adler

answer

-- early adherent of Freud, split -- founder of individual psychology ^people inextricably tied to their society because fulfillment found doing things for the social good -- importance of working towards goals like Jung -- prebehaviorist

question

Aaron Beck

answer

-- original cognitive theory of depression -- depressed people show biased processing of information -- depression caused and maintained by the way depressed individuals interpret events in their environment -- negative triad

question

Josef Breuer

answer

-- introduced cathartic method ^relieve emotional suffering by recalling & reliving an earlier emotional catastrophe -- treated Anna O. -- older colleague of Freud

question

Dorothea Dix

answer

-- crusaded against bad conditions and advocated for the humane treatment of individuals with mental illness -- major role in establishing mental hospitals in the U.S.

question

Jean Martin Charcot

answer

-- hysteria caused by nervous system, biological, but also psychological -- legitimized hypnotism

question

Albert Ellis

answer

-- internal sentences that people repeat to themselves cause problems -- rational-emotive behavior therapy ^irrational beliefs are identified and challenged

question

Sigmund Freud

answer

-- pioneered psychoanalytic theory -- characterization of defense mechanisms -- developed Breuer's cathartic method -- psychoanalysis

question

Francis Galton

answer

-- proponent of the biological viewpoint -- one of the earliest genetic researchers -- twin studies, concludeing that many behavioral characteristics were hereditary -- eugenics

question

Hippocrates

answer

-- father of modern medicine; separated from magic, religion, superstision -- proposed that abnormal behavior was the result of some brain pathology like other physical aliments -- earliest to assign brain dysfunction with thought/action dysfunction

question

Carl Jung

answer

-- broke with Freud -- established analytical psychology -- collective unconscious consisting of archetypes -- cataloged extroversion/introversion

question

Franz Anton Mesmer

answer

-- hysteria caused by distribution of universal magnetic fluid, biological -- early practitioner of modern-day hypnotism -- became to be regarded as a quack

question

Paracelsus

answer

-- attributed odd behavior to misalignment of moon & stars -- "lunacy"

question

Ivan Pavlov

answer

discovered classical conditioning

question

Philippe Pinel

answer

-- moral treatment -- crusaded against bad conditions and advocated for the humane treatment of individuals with mental illness

question

Benjamin Rush

answer

-- father of American psychiatry -- drew great amounts of blood to relieve disorders -- believed people curable with fear so convinced patients they were close to death

question

B.F. Skinner

answer

-- originated the study of operant conditioning -- renamed Thorndike's "law of effect" "principle of reinforcement"

question

Edward Thorndike

answer

formed law of effect leading eventually to operant conditioning

question

John B. Watson

answer

-- first major figure establishing behaviorism -- "Little Albert" experiment

question

Joseph Wolpe

answer

developed systematic desensitization

question

Paradigm

answer

a basic set of assumptions that guides theorizing and research within a field

question

Rational-Emotive Therapy

answer

-- Albert Ellis -- irrational beliefs are identified and challenged

question

Agonist

answer

a drug that stimulates receptors normally specific to a particular neurotransmitter

question

Allele

answer

any of the various forms of a particular gene

question

Amygdala

answer

-- critical to the induction and experience of fear -- a sub-cortical structure of the temporal lobe involved in attention to emotionally salient stimuli & memory of emotionally relevant events

question

Antagonist

answer

-- a drug that dampens the effect of a neurotransmitter on its receptors -- for example, many dopamine antagonists block dopamine receptors

question

Anterior Cingulate

answer

-- in the sub-cortical region of the brain, the anterior portion of the cingulate gyrus, stretching about the corpus callosum -- plays a role in a wide variety of autonomic functions, such as regulating blood pressure and heart rate -- involved in certain higher-level functions, such as reward anticipation, decision-making, impulse control, and emotion

question

Attachment Theory

answer

-- John Bowlby -- the type or style of an infant's attachment to his or her caregivers can set the stage for psychological health or problems later in development

question

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

answer

-- the division of the nervous system that regulates involuntary functions -- innervates endocrine glands, smooth muscle, & heart muscle -- initiates the physiological changes that are part of the expression of emotion

question

Behavior Genetics

answer

-- attempts to identify the extent to which psychopathology can be attributed to the transmission of genes -- the study of individual differences in behavior that are attributable to differences in genetic makeup

question

Behavior Medicine

answer

an interdisciplinary field concerned with integrating knowledge from medicine & behavioral science to understand health & illness & to prevent as well as treat psychological disorders & other illnesses in which a person's psyche plays a role

question

Behavioral Activation (BA) Therapy

answer

clinical approach to depression that seeks to increase participation in positively reinforcing activities

question

Brain Stem

answer

-- the part of the brain connecting the spinal cord with the cerebrum -- contains pons & medulla oblongata -- functions as a neural relay station

question

Cardiovascular Disease

answer

medical problems involving the heart & the blood circulation system such as hypertension or coronary heart disease

question

Cerebellum

answer

an area of the hindbrain concerned with balance, posture, & motor coordination

question

Cognition

answer

-- the process of knowing -- the thinking, judging, reasoning & planning activities of the human mind -- behavior is now often explained as depending on these processes

question

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

answer

-- behavior therapy that incorporates theory & research on cognitive processes such as thoughts, perceptions, judgments, self-statements, & tacit assumptions -- a blend of both cognitive & behavioral paradigms

question

Cognitive Behavioral Paradigm

answer

-- stems from behaviorism and cognitive theory -- general view that people can best be understood by studying how they perceive & structure their experiences & how this influences behavior

question

Cognitive Restructuring

answer

any behavior therapy procedure that attempts to alter the manner in which a client thinks about life so that he or she changes overt behavior & emotions

question

Copy Number Variation (CNV)

answer

-- refers to a variation in gene structure involving copy number changes in a defined chromosome region -- could be in the form of deletion or duplication

question

Corpus Collosum

answer

the large band of nerve fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres

question

Cortisol

answer

-- a "stress hormone" secreted by the adrenal cortices -- helps the body prepare to face threats

question

Diathesis

answer

predisposition toward a disease or abnormality

question

Diathesis-Stress

answer

biological vulnerabilities predispose the development of psychopathology, and an environmental stressor causes the psychopathology to be expressed

question

Dopamine

answer

-- central nervous system neurotransmitter -- a catecholamine that is also a precursor of norepinephrine -- apparently figures into schizophrenia & Parkinson's disease

question

Emotion

answer

the expression, experience, & physiology that guide responses to problems & challenges in the environment

question

Epigenetics

answer

the study of changes in gene expression that are caused by something other than changes in the DNA (gene) sequence or structure, such as DNA methylation

question

Exposure

answer

real-life (in-vivo) or imaginal confrontation of of a feared object or situation, especially as a component of systematic desensitization

question

Frontal Lobe

answer

-- the anterior portion of each cerebral hemisphere, in front of the central sulcus -- active in reasoning & other higher mental processes

question

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

answer

inhibitory neurotransmitter that may be involved in the anxiety disorders

question

Gene

answer

the smallest portion of DNA within a chromosome that functions as a piece of functional hereditary information

question

Gene Expression

answer

the switching on & off of the reading (transcription & translation) of genes into their products (usually proteins) & thus their associated phenotypes

question

Gene-Environment Interaction

answer

the influence of genetics on an individual's sensitivity or reaction to an environmental event

question

Genetic Paradigm

answer

how our genes interact with our environment to determine behavior

question

Genotype

answer

-- an individual's unobservable, genetic constitution, that is, the totality of genes present in the cells of an individual -- often applied to the genes contributing to a single trait

question

Gray Matter

answer

the neural tissue -- made up largely of nerve cell bodies -- that constitutes the cortex covering the cerebral hemisphere, the nuclei in lower brain areas, columns of the spinal cord, & the ganglia of the automatic nervous system

question

Health Psychology

answer

a branch of psychology dealing with the role of psychological factors in health & illness

question

Heritability

answer

the extent to which variability in a particular behavior/disorder within a population can be attributed to genetic factors

question

Hippocampus

answer

in the subcortical region of the brain, the long, tubelike structure that stretches from the septal area into the temporal lobe; thought to be the center of emotion, memory, and the autonomic nervous system

question

HPA-axis

answer

-- the neuroendocrine connections among hypothalamus, pituitary gland, & adrenal cortex -- central to the body's response to stress

question

Hypothalamus

answer

in the subcortical region of the brain, the structure that regulates many visceral processes, including metabolism, temperature, perspiration, blood pressure, sleeping, & appetite

question

In-Vivo

answer

as applied in psychology, taking place in a real-life situation

question

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

answer

-- a short-term, here-&-now focused psychological treatment initially developed for depression & influenced by the psychodynamic emphasis on relationships -- aims to guide a patient in solving problems in their interpersonal relationship -- studied as a treatment for postpartum depression and depression during pregnancy at the University of Iowa by Dr. O'Hara

question

Molecular Genetics

answer

studies that seek to determine the components of a trait that are heritable by identifying relevant genes & their functions

question

Neuron

answer

a single nerve cell

question

Neuroscience Paradigm

answer

mental disorders are a result of irregular brain processes

question

Neurotransmitters

answer

chemical substances important in transferring a nerve impulse from one neuron to another, for example, serotonin & norepinephrine

question

Nonshared Environment

answer

factors distinct among family members, such as relationship with friends or specific experiences unique to that person

question

Norepinephrine

answer

-- a catecholamine neurotransmitter, disturbances of which have been related to mania, depression, & particularly to anxiety disorders -- it is also a sympathetic nervous system neurotransmitter, a hormone released in addition to epinephrine & similar in action, & a strong vasoconstrictor

question

Object-Relations Theory

answer

variant of psychoanalytic theory that focuses on the way children internalize (introject) images of the people who are important to them (parents), such that these internalized images (object representations) become part of the ego & influence how the person reacts to the world

question

Occipital Lobe

answer

-- the posterior portion of each cerebral hemisphere, situated behind the parietal lobe & above the temporal lobes -- responsible for reception & analysis of visual information & for some visual memory

question

Parasympathetic Nervous System

answer

-- the division of the automatic nervous system that is involved with maintenance -- controls many of the internal organs & is active primarily when the organism is not aroused

question

Parietal Lobe

answer

-- the middle division of each cerebral hemisphere, situated behind the central sulcus -- the receiving center for sensations of the skin & of bodily positions

question

Phenotype

answer

-- the totality of psychical characteristics & behavioral traits of an individual or a particular trait exhibited by an individual -- the product of interactions between genetics & the environment over the course of development

question

Polygenic

answer

as applied to psychopathology or any other trait, cause by multiple genes contributing their effects, typically during multiple stages of development

question

Polymorphism

answer

any specific difference in DNA sequence that exists within a population

question

Prefrontal Cortex

answer

the region of the frontal lobe that helps maintain an image of threats & rewards faced, as well as maintain focus & plan relevant to those threats & rewards

question

Pruning

answer

in neural development, the selective loss of of synaptic connections, especially in the fine-tuning of brain regions devoted to sensory processing

question

Reuptake

answer

cellular process by which released neurotransmitters are taken back into the presynaptic cell, terminating their present postsynaptic effect but making them available for subsequent modulation of nerve impulse transmission

question

Schema

answer

a mental structure for organizing information about the world

question

Septal Area

answer

-- in the subcortical region of the brain, the area anterior to the thalamus -- pleasure zone in animals -- role in reward and reinforcement

question

Serotonin

answer

a neurotransmitter of the central nervous system whose disturbances apparently figure in depression

question

Serotonin Transporter Gene

answer

a particular gene critical to the gene-environment interactions that apparently contribute to the development of depression

question

Shared Environment

answer

factors that family members have in common, such as income level, child-rearing practices, & parental marital status & quality

question

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)

answer

-- a variation in gene sequence -- specifically, differences between people in a single nucleotide (A, T, G, or C) in the DNA sequence of an particular gene

question

Sympathetic Nervous System

answer

the division of the automatic nervous system that act on bodily systems -- for example, contracting blood vessels reducing activity of the intestines & increasing the heartbeat -- to prepare the organism for exertion, emotional stress, or extreme cold

question

Synapse

answer

small gap between two neurons where the nerve signal passes electrically or chemically from the axon of the first to the dendrites, cell body, or axon of the second

question

Temporal Lobe

answer

-- a large region of each cerebral hemisphere situated below the lateral sulcus & in front of the occipital lobe -- contains primarily auditory & general association areas

question

Thalamus

answer

-- a major brain relay station consisting of two egg-shaped lobes -- receives impulses from all sensory areas except the olfactory & transmits them to the cerebrum for higher processing

question

Time-Out

answer

an operant conditioning procedure in which, after bad behavior, the person is temporarily removed from a setting where reinforcers can be obtained & placed in a less desirable setting, for example, in a boring room

question

Transcription

answer

-- in genetics, the first step in gene expression -- a section of DNA sequence is transcribed to RNA -- a sequence of DNA synthesizes a copy of RNA

question

Ventricles

answer

cavities deep within the brain, filled with cerebrospinal fluid, that connect to the spinal cord

question

White Matter

answer

neural tissue, particularly of the brain & spinal cord, consisting of tracts or bundles of myelinated (sheathed) nevere fibers

question

Mary Ainsworth

answer

attachment styles

question

John Bowlby

answer

attachment theory

question

Thomas Kuhn

answer

subjective factors as well as our human limitations enter into the conduct of scientific inquiry

question

Alternate-Form Reliability

answer

the relationship between scores achieved by people when they complete two versions of a test that are judged to be equivalent

question

Behavioral Assessment

answer

a sampling of ongoing cognitions, feelings, & overt behavior in their situational complex

question

BOLD

answer

-- blood oxygen level dependent -- the signal detected by functional MRI studies of the brain -- measures blood flow & thus neural activity in particular regions

question

Categorical Classification

answer

a person either has or does not have a particular disorder

question

Clinical Interview

answer

-- general term for conversation between a clinition & a patient that is aimed at determining diagnosis, history, causes of problems, & possible treatment options -- can lead to low reliability of diagnoses -- several structured interviews have been developed in the past twenty years to increase interviewer reliability -- building rapport with the individual is important in obtaining information

question

Comorbidity

answer

the co-occurrence of two disorders, as when a person has depression & social phobia

question

Concurrent Validity

answer

the extent to which previously undiscovered features are found among patients with the same diagnosis

question

Construct Validity

answer

reflects the extent to which the variable that is measured by a test (i.e., depression) is related to other variables that would be predicted theoretically

question

Content Validity

answer

the extent to which a measure adequately samples the domain of interest

question

Criterion Validity

answer

the extent to which a measure is associated in an expected way with some other measure

question

CT or CAT Scan

answer

computerized axial tomopgraphy, a method of diagnosing in which x-rays are taken from different angles & then analyzed by computer to produce a representation of the part of the body in cross section

question

Diagnosis

answer

the determination that the set of symptoms or problems of a patient indicates a particular disorder

question

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)

answer

-- the system that describes the symptoms that make up categories of psychopathology -- by the American Psychiatric Association May of 2013

question

Dimensional Diagnostic System

answer

an approach to assessment in which a person is placed on a continuum

question

Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA)

answer

form of self-observation involving collection of data in real time (like diaries) regarding thoughts, moods, & stressors

question

Electrocardiogram (EKG)

answer

a recording of the electrical activity of the heart, made with an electrocardiograph

question

Electrodermal Responding

answer

a recording of the minute electrical activity of the sweat glands on the skin, allowing inference of an emotional state

question

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

answer

a graphic recording of electrical activity of the brain, usually of the cerebral cortex, but sometimes of lower areas

question

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

answer

modification of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that allows researchers to take pictures of the brain so quickly that metabolic changes can be measured, resulting in a picture of the brain at work rather than of its structure alone

question

Intelligence Test

answer

-- Alfred Binet -- a standerdized means of assessing a person's current mental ability, for example, the Stanford-Binet test or the Wechsler Adult Intelegence Scale -- consist of tasks assessing language, abstract thinking, visuo-spatial skills, attention and concentration, nonverbal reasoning, and speed of processing -- together, scores on these subtests make up an individual's intelligence quotient (IQ)

question

Internal Consistency Reliability

answer

the degree to which different items of an assessment are related to one another

question

Interrater Reliability

answer

the relationship between the judgments that at least two raters make independently about a phenomenon

question

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

answer

-- a technique for measuring the structure (or, in the case of functional magnetic resonance imaging, the activity) of the living brain -- the person is placed inside a large circular magnet that causes hydrogen atoms to move -- the return of the atoms to their original positions when the current to the magnet is turned off is translated by a computer into pictures of brain tissue

question

Metabolite

answer

-- a chemical breakdown product of an endogenous molecule, such as a neurotransmitter, or of an exogenous drug -- used to gauge current or recent level of its precursor

question

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

answer

-- most well-known personality inventory -- a lengthy personality inventory that identifies individuals with sates such as anxiety, depression, masculinity-femininity, & paranoia, through their true-false replies to groups of statements

question

Neurologist

answer

a physician who specializes in medical diseases that affect the nervous system, such as muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, or Alzheimer's disease

question

Neuropsychological Tests

answer

-- uses testing in order to localize areas of the brain that are not functioning properly -- usually include those that assess attention, verbal and visual memory, and perception -- older adults complete neuropsychological assessments to measure whether their cognitive abilities are declining

question

Neuropsychologist

answer

a psychologist who studies how brain dysfunction affects cognition, emotion, & behavior

question

Personality Inventory

answer

self-report measures that assess a variety of adaptive and maladaptive personality traits

question

PET Scan

answer

computer-generated picture of the living brain, created by analysis of emissions from radioactive isotopes injected into the bloodstream

question

Predictive Validity

answer

the extent to which predictions can be made about the future behavior of patients with the same diagnosis

question

Projective Hypothesis

answer

the notion that standard but highly unstructured stimuli, as found in Rorschach assessment's series of inkblots, are necessary to bypass defenses in order to reveal unconscious motives & conflicts

question

Projective Test

answer

-- a psychological assesment device, such as Rorschach assessment's series of inkblots, employing a standard but vague stimuli -- unstructured format allows an individual's unconscious motives, attitudes, & fears to emerge -- questionable reliability & validity of -- often take an inordinate amount of time to score and interpret -- use declining

question

Psychological Tests

answer

-- standardiszed proceedures designed to measure performance on a particular task or to assess personality -- the performance of an individual is compared to normative values in order to assess his or her relative standing on psychological variables

question

Psychophysiology

answer

-- the discipline concerned with the bodily changes that accompany psychological events -- combines biological approaches with the study of behavior -- usually used in research rather than in clinical settings because of the high cost of the purchase and maintenance of the equipment

question

Reactivity

answer

the phenomenon wherein behavior changes because it is being observed

question

Reliability

answer

consistency of measurement

question

Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)

answer

a long-term project by the National Institute of Mental Health to develop new ways of classifying psychological disorders based on dimensions of observable behavior & neurobiological measures

question

Rorschach Inkblot Test

answer

-- Hermann Rorschach -- a projective test in which the examinee us instructed to interpret a series of 10 inkblots reproduced on cards

question

Self-Monitoring

answer

in behavior assessment, a procedure whereby the individual observes & reports certain aspects of her or her own behavior, thoughts, or emotions

question

Standardization

answer

the process of constructing a normed assessment procedure that meets the various psychometric criteria for reliability & validity

question

Stress

answer

-- state of an organism subjected to a stressor -- can take the form of increased alertness & motor activity & in the long term can cause breakdown of an organ or development of a psychological disorder

question

Structured Interview

answer

-- the interview questions assess symptoms that make up DSM diagnoses and are asked in a standard manner -- questions and decision rules are specified in advance so that the interviewer uses his or her judgment only in rare instances

question

Test-Retest Reliability

answer

when the same individuals take a test on two different occasions

question

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

answer

a projective test consisting of black-&-white pictures, each depicting a potentially emotion-laden situation, about each of which the examinee is instructed to make up a story

question

Validity

answer

-- ensures that the test measures what it is supposed to measure -- pertains to the meaningfulness of the category

question

American Psychiatric Association

answer

-- main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States -- the largest psychiatric organization in the world -- publishes DSM

question

Alfred Binet

answer

intelligence testing

question

Hermann Rorschach

answer

projective Rorschach Inkblot Test

question

ABAB Design

answer

-- also reversal design -- experimental studies that can be conducted on single subjects -- behavior is measured during a baseline period (A), during a period when a treatment is introduced (B), during the reinstatement of the conditions that prevailed in the baseline period (A), and finally during a reintroduction of the treatment (B) -- commonly used in operant research to isolate cause-effect relationships

question

Adoptees Method

answer

research method that studies children who were adopted & reared completely apart from their parents, thereby eliminating the influenced of being raised by disordered parents

question

Analogue Experiment

answer

investigate variables that are related but not identical to psychopathology for ethical and convenience reasons

question

Association Study

answer

a type of molecular genetics study where researchers examine the relationship between a specific allele of a gene & a trait or behavior in the population

question

Case Study

answer

-- the collection of historical or biographical information on a single individual, often including experiences in therapy -- less rigorous than the correlational or the experimental design -- but has played an important role in the description of psychopathology -- especially useful for presenting information on rare instances of abnormal behavior

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Clinical Significance

answer

the degree to which effect size is large enough to be meaningful in predicting or treating a clinical disorder

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Concordance

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as applied to behavioral genetics, the similarity in psychiatric diagnosis or in other traits within a pair of twins

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Control Group

answer

those for whom the active condition of the independent variable is not administered, thus forming a baseline against which the effects of the active condition of the independent variable can be evaluated

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Correlation

answer

the tendency of two variables, such as height & weight, to covary

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Correlation Coefficient

answer

-- a statistic ranging in value from -1.00 to +1.00 that measures the degree to which two variables are related -- the sign indicates whether the relationship is positive or negative -- the magnitude indicates the strength of the relationship

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Correlational Method

answer

the research strategy used to establish whether two or more variables are related without manipulating the independent variable

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Cross-Fostering

answer

research method that studies offspring who were adopted & reared completely apart from their biological parents, where the adoptive parent has a particular disorder but the biological parent does not, thereby introducing the influence of being raised by disordered parents

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Cross-Sectional Design

answer

studies in which different age groups are compared at the same time

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Cultural Competence

answer

the capacity of the therapist to understand the patient's cultural framework and its implications for therapeutic work

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Dependent Variable

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in a psychological experiment, the behavior that is measured & is expected to change with manipulation of the independent variable

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Directionality Problem

answer

a difficulty that arises in the correlatioal method of research when it is known that two variables are related but it is unclear which is causing the other

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Dissemination

answer

the process of facilitating adoption of efficacious treatments in the community, most typically by offering clinicians guidelines about the best available treatments along with training on how to conduct those treatments

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Dizygotic (DZ) Twins

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-- birth partners who developed from separate fertilized eggs & who are only 50% alike genetically, just as siblings born from different pregnancies involving the same father -- also called fraternal twins

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Double-Blind Procedure

answer

-- a method for reducing biasing effects of the expectations of research participant & examiner -- neither is allowed to know whether the independent variable of the experiment is being applied to the participant

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Effectiveness

answer

how well the therapeutic treatment works in the real world in the hands of broader samples of nonacademic, less supervised therapists

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Efficacy

answer

how well a therapeutic treatment works under rarified academic conditions

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Empirically Supported Treatment

answer

approaches whose efficacy has been demonstrated & documented through research that meets the APA's standards for research on psychotherapy

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Epidemiology

answer

-- the study of the frequency and distribution of a disorder in a population -- important in identifying mental disorders that affect a large percentage of the population, preventative & educational efforts

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Experiment

answer

-- we can infer causality only here -- randomly assign participants to different conditions -- manipulate independant variable and observe its effect on dependent variable -- ethical problems creating psychopathology where none existed before for testing

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Experimental Effect

answer

a statistically significant difference between two groups experiencing different manipulations of the independent variable

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External Validity

answer

the extent to which the results of a study can be considered generalizable

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Family Method

answer

a research strategy in behavior genetics in which the frequency of a trait of of abnormal behavior is determined in relatives who have varying percentages of shared genetic background

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Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS)

answer

-- studies of variations in the entire human genome to identify associations between variations in genes & particular behaviors, traits, or disorders -- large sample sizes are needed for these types of studies

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High Risk Method

answer

a research technique involving intensive examination of people, such as the offspring of people with schizophrenia, who have a high probability of later developing a disorder

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Hypothesis

answer

specific explanation or prediction about what should occur or be found if a theory is true or valid

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Incidence

answer

in epidemiological studies of a particular disorder, the rate at which new cases occur in a given place at a given time

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Independent Variable

answer

in a psychological experiment, the factor, experience, or treatment that is under the control of the experimenter & that is expected to have an effect on participants as assessed by changes in the dependent variable

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Index Cases

answer

the person who in a genetic investigation bears the diagnosis or trait in which the investigator is interested

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Internal Validity

answer

the extent which results can be confidently attributed to the manipulation of the independent variable

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Longitudinal Design

answer

investigation that collects information on the same individuals repeatedly over time, perhaps over many years, in an effort to determine how phenomena change

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Meta-Analysis

answer

provides a method to integrate studies that test a similar research question by standardizing the results

question

Monozygotic (MZ) Twins

answer

genetically identical twins who have developed from a single fertilized egg

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Placebo

answer

in inactive therapy or chemical agent, or any attribute or component of such therapy or chemical, that affects a person's behavior for reasons related to his or her expectation of change

question

Placebo Effect

answer

-- the action of a drug of psychological treatment that is not attributable to any specific operations of the agent -- for example a tranquilizer can reduce anxiety both because of its special biochemical action & because the recipient expects relief

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Prevalence

answer

in epidemiological studies of a disorder, the percentage of a population that has the disorder at a given time

question

Probands

answer

the sample of people who in a genetic investigation bears the diagnosis or trait in which the investigator is interested

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Random Assignment

answer

-- a method of assigning people to groups by chance -- the procedure helps to ensure that groups are comparable before the experimental manipulation begins

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Randomized Control Trials (RCTs)

answer

-- studies in which clients are randomly assigned to receive either active treatment or a comparison (a placebo condition involving no treatment or an active-treatment control group that receives another treatment) -- experimental treatment studies, where the independent variable is the treatment type & the dependent variable is client outcome

question

Reversal Designs

answer

-- also ABAB design -- experimental studies that can be conducted on single subjects -- behavior is measured during a baseline period (A), during a period when a treatment is introduced (B), during the reinstatement of the conditions that prevailed in the baseline period (A), and finally during a reintroduction of the treatment (B) -- commonly used in operant research to isolate cause-effect relationships

question

Risk Factor

answer

a condition or variable that increases the likelihood of developing a disorder

question

Single-Case Experimental Design

answer

-- a design for an experiment conducted with a single subject -- typically, behavior is measured within a baseline condition, then during an experimental or treatment condition, & finally within the baseline condition again

question

Statistical Significance

answer

-- refers to the likelihood that results from a research study are due to chance -- if there is less than a 5 percent possibility that results were obtained due to chance -- depend on sample size, the more research subjects in a study, the smaller the correlation needs to be to achieve statistical significance

question

Theory

answer

a formally stated & coherent set of propositions that explain & logically order a range of phenomena, generating testable predictions or hypotheses

question

Third Variable Problem

answer

the difficulty in the correlational method of research whereby the relationship between two variables may be attributed to a third factor

question

Treatment Outcome Research

answer

studies designed to assess whether medical or psychological approaches are efficacious in relieving symptoms of a disorder

question

Twin Method

answer

research strategy in behavior genetics in which concordance rates of monozygotic & dizygotic twins are compared

question

Antidepressant

answer

-- any drug that alleviates depression -- also widely used to treat anxiety disorders

question

Attribution

answer

-- the explanation a person has for why an event or behavior has occurred ^stable/unstable ^global/specific

question

Attributional Style

answer

-- stable/unstable & global/specific -- people who believe negative life events are due to stable & global causes are likely to become hopeless

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Behavioral Couples Therapy

answer

-- clinical approach to depression in which a couple works to improve communication & satisfaction -- more likely to relieve relationship distress than individual cognitive therapy

question

Bipolar I Disorder

answer

-- individuals have experienced a full-fledged manic episode in their lifetimes -- does not require the experience of a major depressive episode, but most experience at least one

question

Bipolar II Disorder

answer

-- individuals have experienced episodes of elevated mood that are less intense than mania ^hypomanic episodes -- does require the experience of a major depressive episode

question

Cognitive Biases

answer

-- tendencies to perceive events in a negative manner -- for example, by attending to or remembering negative information more than positive information -- hypothesized to be driven by underlying negative schemas

question

Cushing's Syndrome

answer

an endocrine disorder usually affecting young women, produced by oversecretion of cortisone & marked by mood swings, irritability, agitation, & physical disfigurement

question

Cyclothymic Disorder

answer

a form of biopolar disorder characterized by frequent periods of depressed mood and hypomania, with intermittent periods of normal mood of up to two months duration

question

Deep Brain Stimulation

answer

a neurological treatment in which electrodes are implanted into specific brain regions

question

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder

answer

a DSM-5 disorder defined by severe temper outbursts & observably irritable mood between outbursts in you older than age 6

question

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex

answer

a region of the prefrontal cortex involved in working memory, motor planning, organization, & regulation & implicated in many psychopathologies

question

Episodic Disorder

answer

the tendency of symptoms to improve, and then recur later, like MDD

question

Expressed Emotion (EE)

answer

hostility, criticism, & emotional overinvolvement directed from other people toward the patient, usually within a family

question

Flight of Ideas

answer

a symptom of mania that involves a rapid shift in conversation from one subject to another with on superficial associative connections

question

Hopelessness Theory

answer

-- highlights the role of attributional styles (the manner in which an individual formulates explanations for events that occur in his or her life) and how they can lead to hopelessness/depression -- stable & global factors

question

Hypomania

answer

less intense periods of elevated mood

question

Lithium

answer

a drug useful for treating both mania & depression in bipolar disorder

question

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

answer

-- experience of at least two weeks of depressed mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure -- must experience at least several of the following ^poor appetite or overeating ^sleeping too much or too little ^psychomotor agitation or retardation ^loss of energy ^feelings of worthlessness ^difficulty concentrating ^thoughts of death or suicide

question

Mania

answer

intense emotional state that is accompanied by flight of ideas, feelings of grandiosity, and rapid speech

question

Melancholic

answer

subtype of major depressive disorder in which the individual is unable to feel better even momentarily when something good happens, regularly feels worse in the morning & awakens early, & suffers a deepening of other symptoms of depression

question

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

answer

-- recent adaptation of cognitive therapy/restructuring that focuses on relapse prevention after successful treatment for recurrent episodes of major depression -- aims to "decenter" the person's perspective in order to break the cycle between sadness & thinking patterns

question

Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) Inhibitors

answer

a group of antidepresant drugs that prevent the enzyme monoamine oxidase from deactivating catecholamines & indolamines

question

Mood Disorders

answer

disorders, such as depressive disorders or mania, in which there as disabling disturbances in emotion

question

Negative Triad

answer

-- Aaron Beck -- depression -- negative views of ^the self ^the world ^the future

question

Neuroticism

answer

-- the tendency to react to events with greater-than-average negative affect -- a strong predictor of onset of anxiety disorders & depression

question

Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)

answer

behaviors that are meant to cause immediate bodily harm but are not intended to cause death

question

Persistent Depressive Disorder

answer

-- also dysthymia -- a DSM-5 disorder defined by depressive symptoms that last at least two years

question

Peripartum Onset

answer

onset during pregnancy or within 4 weeks postpartum, characterizing a subtype of episodes of major depressive disorder or mania

question

Psychoeducational Approaches

answer

especially with bipolar disorder & schizophrenia, the component of treatment that helps people learn about symptoms, expected time course, triggers for symptoms, & treatment strategies

question

Psychomotor Agitation

answer

a symptom characterized by pacing, restlessness, & inability to sit still

question

Psychomotor Retardation

answer

a symptom commonly observed in major depressive disorder in which the person moves his or her limbs & body slowly

question

Rapid Cycling

answer

term applied to bipolar disorders if the person has experienced at least four episodes within the past year

question

Reward System

answer

-- system of brain structures involved in the motivation to peruse rewards -- believed to be involved in depression, mania, & substance use disorders

question

Rumination

answer

a person's tendency to dwell on negative thoughts may increase the risk of depression

question

Seasonal Affective Disorder

answer

-- a subtype of mood disorders in which episodes consistently occur at the same time of year -- in the most common form, MMD episodes consistently occur in the winter

question

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

answer

-- a specific form of serotonin reuptake inhibitors with less effect on dopamine & norepinephrine levels -- inhibit the reuptake of serotonin into the presynaptic neuron, so that serotonin levels in the cleft are sustained for longer periods

question

Striatum

answer

a subcortical part of the forebrain and a critical component of the reward system

question

Suicide

answer

the intentional taking of one's own life

question

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

answer

a noninvasive technique in which pulsing magnets are used to intensify or diminish brain activity in a given region

question

Tricyclic Antidepressants

answer

-- a group of antidepressants with molecular structures characterized by three fused rings -- they interfere with the reuptake of norepinephrine & serotonin

question

Tryptophan

answer

-- amino acid that is the major precursor of serotonin -- experimental depletion has found that a lowered serotonin level causes temporary depressive symptoms in people with a personal or family history of depression

question

Positive Effect

answer

ability to constructively analyze a situation where the desired results are not achieved, but still obtain positive feedback which assists our future progression, suffers in depression

question

Postpartum Onset

answer

oneset anytime either during pregnancy or within the four weeks following delivery

question

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

answer

a DSM-5 disorder defined by mood & physical symptoms that consistently emerge in the week before menses & clear within a week after menses

question

Psychotic Features

answer

-- delusions or hallucinations characterizing a subtype of episodes of MDD or mania -- also used to refer to positive symptoms of schizophrenia

question

Second Messengers

answer

-- a method of cellular signalling where the signalling molecule does not enter the cell, but rather utilizes a cascade of events that transduces the signal into a cellular change -- secondary messengers are a component of signal transduction cascades

question

Somatic Arousal

answer

the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as butterflies in the stomach, rather than the cognitive part

question

Suicide Prevention Centers

answer

-- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline -- crisis centers

question

DSM-5 Changes

answer

-- removal of the multiaxial system -- organizing diagnoses by causes ^diagnoses are still defined by symptoms -- enhanced sensitivity to the developmental nature of psychopathology -- new or combined diagnoses -- clearer criteria -- greater emphasis on ethnic & cultural considerations in diagnosis

question

Dysthymia

answer

a chronic depressive state similar to unipolar depression, but characterized by at least three depressive symptoms and a lack of suicidality

question

Interpersonal Therapy

answer

-- University of Iowa established for women with postpartum -- focuses on modifying problematic interpersonal interactions and relationships that contribute to an individual's depression

question

Behavioral Activation Therapy

answer

-- helps patients to increase their engagement with positively reinforcing activities -- research suggests is as effective without cognitive therapy in treating depression

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