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| Pregunta | Respuesta |
| What is abnormal psychology? | Abnormal psychology is the study of behaviour, cognition and emotions that tend to be characterised by their deviance from societal norms, unacceptance from culture, danger to themselves and/or others and dysfunction in their everyday lives. |
| If a person is suspected to have a psychiatric disorder, how do we approach the situation? | We approach any abnormal behaviour or mental disorder with the empirical approach: 1. Description - this involves classifying the individual (what class of disorder they fit under) and diagnosing the individual (determining the specific disorder) 2. Causation - determining if the cause(s) is biological (inherent genetic vulnerability), psychological (cognition and/or behaviour), social (socio-economic status, past learning, subjective experience) or a mixture of all three 3. Treatment - must ensure that the treatment is effective and that it targets the predominant cause and not the symptoms |
| Abnormal is an abstract noun, yet there is a whole scientific discipline that is founded upon it. How do we know if someone has abnormal behaviour, or has a mental disorder? Describe using examples and show how not one is a single determinant for abnormality. | Abnormal behaviour tends to be characterised by four properties: 1. Deviance from social norms - abnormal behaviour is often seen as being unusual or unexpected. However positively valued constructs such as beauty and talents can also be uncommon and rare 2. Unaccepted by culture - however cultural values can change with the passage of time. In the 70s, homosexuality was classified as a mental disorder by the DSM-IV, yet now the LGBT community has been retrospectively been accepted 3. Danger to themselves and/or others - mental disorders are often characterised by distress yet episodes of normal grief after the loss of a loved one for example is not classifed as a disorder. On the other hand, biopolaris typified by episodes of mania and feelings of elation which do not distress the person 4. Dysfunction in everyday life - most often, a psychiatric disorder can significantly obstruct a person from performing daily tasks. However disorders such as psychopathy and narcissism don't impede on the person's functioning |
| Throughout history there have been models to approach mental illness through a particular framework. Name and describe the first four that precede the current model. | 1. Supernatural - attributions to natural elements, past lives and spirits. Treatment involved the use of crystals, exorcisms and prayers 2. Biological - attributions to internal physical complications and biological dysfunction (e.g. neurochemical balance, structural damage). Treatment involved bleeding, medication, rest and exercise 3. Psychological - attributions to psychological dysfunction (e.g. distorted cognition, beliefs, perception and values). Treatment involved talking therapy and psychotherapy 4. Socio-economic model - attributions to poverty, prejudice and cultural norm. Treatment involved social work |
| The current model is integrative and is referred to as the bio-psycho-socio model. It is also largely clinically based. What are some of the criticisms and limitations of this model? | It is extremely reductionist. Mental illnesses operate on a continuum and therefore cannot be so easily reduced to a neural and molecular explanation. There is an over-extrapolation from animal research. Though animals are used in research because they are less complex, it is this simpler complexity that means we cannot generalise findings to human abnormal psychology There is a presumption of causation from treatment efficacy. The medical may not be applicable to psychological illnesses. Mental disorders are not clear-cut and easily defined like medical illnesses. Additionally a large proportion of symptoms for mental disorders are similar. |
| As reflective of the history of psychology and changing values, there are different types of psychological models. Describe the psyhoanalytic model. | The psyhoanalytic model was influential in the early 20th century. Freud was a very prominent psychoanalytic figurehead and defined personality in terms of the id, the ego and the superego. The ego was responsible for mediating a behavioural response that took into account the pleasure principle and moral thinking. A lack of resolvement resulted in internal conflict, physically manifested as anxiety. As a behavioural response, this lead to defence mechanisms, symptoms and potential development of a psychological disorder. |
| Describe the humanistic model. | The humanistic theory was founded in response to the psychoanalytic model, in the 60s to 70s. Humanists proposed that we are in fact born with perfect helath and that the development of psychological disorders were the result of interaction with the environment. Humans from birth, are in a process of attaining self-actualisation - a state of enlightenment where we are using our true potential to its full capacity. This process is thwarted when the environment imposes conditions of worth. In order to treat this, we need empathy, unconditioned positive regard, validation and radical acceptance. |
| Describe the behavioural model. | The behavioural model was developed as a reaction to the unfalsifiability of the psychoanalytic model. Behaviourists proposed that bheaviour which yielded observable, measurable empirical evidence was integral to the study of psychology. As such it disregarded any subjective, mental experience. In particular to the explanation of avoidance behaviour, the classical conditioning (Pavlov) and operant conditioning (Skinner) theories were established. Any maladjustment was therefore attributed to a person's past learning experience. Treatment involved exposure therapy to extinguish a learnt association. |
| Describe the cognitive-behavioural model. | The cognitive-behavioural model is a very predominant model in abnormal psychology. Aaron Beck states that everyone has core beliefs that help guide our understanding of the world. As such, how we interpret stimulus events is done through a particular framework. There is a reciprocal relationship between thoughts, emotion and behaviour. Maladapation occurs as the consequence of negative core beliefs. Behavioural responses are automatic and distortions and biases perpetuate cognitive thinking (overgeneralisation, catastrophising, black and white thinking). Treatment involves exposure therapy, cognitive reconstruction and behavioural experiments to challenge predicted negative consequences thought. |
| Why is it important to classify and diagnose psychiatric disorders? | It enables more effective communication between professionals and between researchers as 'incorrect' classifications are removed. It reduces stigma by normalising and labeling abnormal behaviour. |
| What is normal anxiety? When is it helpful and when is it not? | Anxiety is an increase in the activity of the autonomic arousal nervous system. There are two ways anxiety is normal. Firstly, anxiety has an evolutionary basis. It is necessary for survival and is activated in times of danger and distress if there is any perceived threat. Secondly, some people are just more genetically vulnerable to anxiety than others. Heightened sensitivity can be the baseline for a person's temperament. The optimal peak of autonomic arousal leads to optimal performance. At any point, below or above, performance is impaired. |
| Describe anxiety on a physical, cognitive and behavioural level. | A physical response involves the mobilisation of bodily resources to elicit a 'flight' or 'fight' response. This includes increased heart rate, high blood pressure, muscle tension, decreased salivation and increased breathing rate. A cognitive response allows us to determine if a perceived threat requires a reaction or not, and to ascertain the appropriate behavioural response. This includes attentional shift, hypervigilance and interpretation of the situation. A behavioural response is characterised by the decision to either 'fight' or 'flee'. The first occurs when the subject is cornered and sees no alternative but to be aggressive. In other cases, they can freeze. The latter is an avoidance behavioural response and is the most common and safest option to make. Prevention is the best treatment. |
| What types of anxiety disorders are there? | Separation AD - induced by being away from a primary caregiver or infant Specific phobia - induced by a specific object or situation Social phobia - immense fear of negative social evaluation Generalised AD - excessive, uncontrollable worrying about a range of unlikely outcomes OCD - obsession over intrusive thoughts that result in compulsion or ritualistic behaviour in order to relieve anxiety PTSD - induced by a traumatic experience Panic disorder - frequented by spontaneous, unexpected panic attacks, with or without agoraphobia that have no identifiable cause |
| What is a panic attack? | A panic attack is not a diagnosis, but is a symptom characteristic of all AD. It is a period of fear that appears abruptly and peaks within 10 mins. It has the same physiological anxiety response. Sufferers have a fear of dying, losing control or going mad. It can be situationally bound, expected to occur in the presence or anticipation of a trigger. Or non-situtationally bound. |
| What is panic disorder? | A panic disorder is characterised by recurrent panic attacks which has been followed by 1 month of persistent worry about future attacks and/or significant maladpative behavioural change. Behavioural responses include avoidance of trigger situations, panic-inducing activities and the employment of safety behaviours. It is more common in females than males and is comorbid with depression. Onset begins in early childhood/ adolescence and treatment is often sought much later, as it is often misattributed to physical illness. |
| What is specific phobia? | Specific phobia is an extreme, disabling fear of specific objects or situations that pose little or no danger. It is situationally bound and is triggered by the stimulus itself or reminders of it. Sufferers actively avoid the situation or endure it with intense fear. Persists, lasting for more than 6 months. Causes significant clinical distress or dysfunction. |
| What are the causes of specific phobia? How can we treat the disorder? | Specific phobia can be attributed to classical conditioning. However this is insufficient reasoning. Some sufferers have never actually had direct experience with a trigger. Treatment includes exposure therapy and CBT. |
| How does a person with SAD approach a social or performance situation? | SAD is the intense fear and avoidance of social or performance situations where embarrassment is likely. 1. Likelihood - assumption that others are highly critical 2. Cost - values the evaluation of others 3. Self-imposed perception - negative self evaluation 4. Immediate anxiety 5. Self-preoccupation and attention - what does this audience think of me? 6. Overcompensation for visible signs of anxiety |
| What is GAD characterised by? | Different autonomic arousal symptoms of anxiety: Restlessness, irritability, tension, inability to relax, sleep problems, difficulty in concentrating Constant stream of consciousness |
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