PSY 249 (Chapter 1-5)

Which statement is TRUE regarding electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)?

It sends brief electrical currents through the brain, stimulating a seizure.

_____ was a German physician who was the first to specialize in mental illness. He is now considered the founder of the modern study of psychopathology.

Johann Weyer

Understanding a person's unconscious processes is critical in explaining abnormality. Which model of abnormality does this quote MOST closely represent?

Psychodynamic

Which statement distinguishes a quasi-experimental study from a "pure experiment"?

The quasi-experiment does not allow for manipulation of the independent variable.

If a researcher did a study of anxiety and used cats for subjects instead of people, she would likely be doing a(n) _____ study.

analogue

Jena is experiencing sadness, lack of energy, and low self-worth. The condition is chronic and severe. If her psychiatrist prescribed medication, it would likely be a(n):

antidepressant drug.

Tanner is confused and usually thinks that he is a superhero. If his psychiatrist ordered medication, it would MOST likely be a(n):

antipsychotic drug.

A biological theorist studies a psychological disorder through the interconnectivity of an entire network of brain structures. This shows the recent belief that the key to psychological disorders lies in:

brain circuits.

Hippocrates' contribution to the development of understanding mental illness was the view that such conditions were the result of:

natural causes.

Research shows that danger to self or others is found in:

some cases of abnormal functioning.

An important factor to consider when prescribing drugs for the treatment of abnormality would be that:

some people do not benefit from drug treatments.

Which correlation coefficient is of the highest magnitude?

-.85

The force that operates on the 'reality principle' is an independent, powerful force in human functioning. What kind of theorist would agree MOST strongly with this statement?

Classical Freudian

With regard to assessing the effectiveness of the various models of abnormality, which model BEST lends itself to laboratory testing?

Cognitive-behavioral

Which is NOT one of the four Ds of abnormality?

Dread

A person has a recurring dream of losing her dog. In her dream, she panics and looks for her dog everywhere. This dream is interpreted to reflect the patient's emotional stress over losing her mother, who is terminally ill. Which is an example of latent content?

Feeling stress about her mother's illness

A therapist who describes her client as someone who has yet to fulfill his or her full potential, rather than as someone with a disorder, is MOST likely what kind of theorist?

Humanistic

When we try to establish how abnormality develops, we need to consider how individuals deal with the meaning of life and with the value they find in living. A psychologist from which background would agree MOST strongly with this statement?

Humanistic-existential

What is the main difference between group therapy and a self-help group?

In group therapy, a trained therapist leads the interaction; a self-help group is conducted by people who share a similar problem but without the help of a professional clinician to lead the group.

A patient has social anxiety disorder. Which is an example of a biological treatment for this condition?

Prescribing an antidepressant medication such as paroxetine

A theorist who believes that the multicultural perspective is the correct way to think about abnormality comes from which paradigm?

Sociocultural

Suicide prevention, substance abuse treatment, and eating disorder clinics are MOST similar to which kind of market?

Sweet Cupcakes, a store that specializes in only one type of food

Failure to treat many people with severe disturbances appropriately is MOST often a problem with which level of prevention?

Tertiary

According to ancient views of abnormality, if a standard exorcism failed to rid a person of abnormal behaviors, which step would then be taken?

The shaman would perform a more extreme exorcism, such as whipping or starving the person.

"Why do we do natural experiments?" asks a student. "After all, each disaster that causes a natural experiment is unique." A good answer would be:

The sheer volume has allowed researchers to identify patterns of reactions in those persons involved in disasters.

Which statement is the MOST accurate conclusion about the current state of abnormal psychology in the United States?

There is no single definition of abnormality or theoretical understanding of mental illness causes.

In which of these would aggressive behavior be seen as normal behavior?

a culture that emphasizes competitiveness

The form of experiment used MOST often to study the psychological effects of unusual or unpredictable events is:

a natural experiment.

One of the main differences between group therapy and a self-help group is the presence in group therapy of:

a professional therapist.

Just a few decades ago, a woman's love for racecar driving would have been considered abnormal. This statement illustrates that:

abnormality can be situational.

A theorist who takes an evolutionary perspective on abnormal behavior would MOST likely agree that:

at one time what is now often labeled abnormal behavior actually helped humans survive.

Huntington's disease has been linked in part to a loss of cells in the cortex and the:

basal ganglia.

A psychologist does a study of an individual that involves history-taking, tests, and interviews of associates. A clear picture is then constructed of this individual so that her behavior is better understood. This study is a(n):

case study.

If you are being encouraged to see the link between the way you interpret your experiences and the way you feel and to question the accuracy of your interpretations, you are probably receiving:

cognitive therapy.

The group of participants that is NOT exposed to the independent variable under investigation (in an experiment) is called the:

control group.

Which of these was Philippe Pinel's argument for his asylum reform?

control group.

Hippocrates attempted to treat mental disorders by:

correcting underlying physical pathology.

The outer layer of the brain is the:

cortex.

Commonly accepted features of abnormality include deviance, distress, dysfunction, and:

danger.

A person who is isolated and lacks social support or intimacy is more likely to:

develop depression when under stress.

The perspective that focuses on when, how, in what context, and to what degree the multiple factors in a person's life interact with one another is called:

developmental psychopathology.

Which event in the 1950s led to improvements in biological treatments for mental disorders?

discovery of psychotropic medications

College students who drink so much that it interferes with their lives, health, and academic careers are often not diagnosed as engaging in abnormal behavior because:

drinking is considered part of college culture.

Pearl's fear of open spaces often prevents her from leaving her house to socialize or go to work. This represents the aspect of the definition of abnormality called:

dysfunction.

The underlying premise of family therapy is that:

each member of the family affects and is affected by the family unit.

Greshka spilled iced coffee on her shirt while sitting in the park. She had another shirt with her and wanted to change right then and there. However, she went to the restroom to change instead. The force that is in control in this example is the:

ego.

The part of the personality that guides us to know when we can and cannot express our impulses is the:

ego.

"People have two options with their lives: to face up to our own 'being' and to give meaning to our lives or to shrink and hide from that responsibility." Which type of theorist would MOST likely say this?

existentialist

Hospitalized patients with mental illness who show symptom improvement while taking medications are likely to be discharged. Studies have shown that many of these patients:

fail to make lasting recoveries.

If a therapist advised you to pay attention to how you were communicating with family members and to change harmful patterns, the therapist would MOST likely to be practicing:

family therapy.

According to Freud's psychodynamic theory, ineffective interaction of the id, ego, and superego can result in a person becoming stuck at a developmental level. This is called:

fixation.

Which is NOT a characteristic of eccentrics noted by researchers in the field?

having a diagnosable mental illness

Someone who studies the _____ model of abnormality focuses on how values and choices affect behavior.

humanistic-existential

According to _____, human beings are driven to self-actualize, or to fulfill their natural potential for goodness and growth.

humanists

David Rosenhan sent pseudopatients to a mental hospital, where they pretended to be disturbed. The results of this study led him to conclude that _____ greatly affects mental illness.

labeling

In the first half of the 1900s, biological treatments for mental illness:

largely failed.

With mindfulness-based therapy techniques, clients would MOST likely be encouraged to:

let their thoughts flow, without judgment.

Which approach was LEAST likely to be used by an ancient Greek physician to treat someone believed to be suffering from an imbalance of the humors?

lobotomy

Studies that determine the incidence and prevalence of a disorder in a particular population are called:

longitudinal studies.

A study of informed consent forms showed that:

many research participants don't understand them.

People in the Middle Ages might find that a flash mob is MOST similar to:

mass madness.

The goal of cognitive-behavioral therapy is BEST described as:

modifying the client's negative behavior and dysfunctional ways of thinking.

People are motivated mainly by a need to have relationships with others. Severe problems in the relationships between children and their caregivers may lead to abnormal development. This idea BEST reflects the beliefs of which type of theorist?

object relations theorist

When Mathias did not get a job for which he applied, he was sure that everything was going wrong, that his life was completely off track. This thought is an example of:

overgeneralization.

The proper conclusion from research studies that show a relationship between devout religious people who see God as warm and caring and psychological health is that:

people who are more devout are also psychologically healthier.

A "fake" pill used as the control condition in a drug study is a:

placebo.

A researcher finds that individuals who report large numbers of "hassles" in their lives usually also report higher levels of stress. Those who report fewer hassles generally report lower levels of stress. The correlation between number of hassles and stress level is:

positive.

A general term used for Freud's, Adler's, and Jung's theories is:

psychodynamic.

A man has cheated on his partner and he feels very guilty, but soon he begins to make excuses, saying that his partner has nagged him for years. The defense mechanism that BEST explains his behavior is:

rationalization.

According to Jerome Frank, all forms of therapy have three essential features: a sufferer who seeks relief, a trained and socially accepted healer, and a(n):

series of contacts between the sufferer and the healer.

Depression has been linked to low activity of the neurotransmitters _____ and _____.

serotonin; norepinephrine

The Middle Ages condition of mass madness referred to a large group of people who:

shared delusions and hallucinations.

If a client-centered therapist were treating a very anxious woman, the therapist would try to:

show unconditional positive regard for the client's statements.

Compared with the number of patients hospitalized in U.S. mental hospitals in the 1950s, the number of hospitalized patients today is:

significantly less.

Multicultural theorists would explain the higher levels of mental illness among poor people as MOST likely due to:

social factors leading to stress.

Which depressed person would be the LEAST likely to be diagnosed with a mental disorder because of the specific circumstances present in his or her life?

someone whose community was recently destroyed by a hurricane

General paresis, an irreversible disorder that causes physical and mental symptoms that include paralysis and delusions of grandeur, was found to be caused by:

syphilis.

Which was NOT a factor in the decline in the use of moral treatment and the rise in the use of custodial care in mental hospitals at the end of the twentieth century?

the total lack of success of moral treatment

According to psychodynamic theorists, when people behave with their therapist the way they interacted with their parents, they are demonstrating:

transference.

Freud believed that all functioning, normal and abnormal, originates from:

unconscious psychological processes.