ch 5

lesson 1 terms

abnormal not normal disorder mental health disturbance idiosyncrasies specific behaviors or mannerisms that are peculiar to just one person observable noticeable; able to be seen severity intensity

What is the benefit of being diagnosed correctly?

A person can get the right type of treatment or medication he needs.

social facilitation

Jeremiah tries extra hard to score points because his mom is watching him from the sideline.

terms lesson 8

bystander effect a person is less likely to give help when there are many people around confederate an accomplice (a person who helps another commit a crime.) conformity people change their behavior because of social influence diffusion of responsibility a person feels less responsible to help when more people are present social facilitation the watchful presence of others makes a person willing to work harder social loafing people don't work as hard in groups than if they were to work alone

terms lesson 3

catharsis releasing emotions that have been held within counselor a person who helps people through their problems mental disorder disturbance of normal behavioral and emotional functioning treatment specific care given to help a person get well strategies techniques for working through tough situations

What Is Altruism?

All selfless acts are examples of altruism. It simply means you do things for others with no expectations in return. You have concern for others. You want to do helpful things out of the sheer goodness of your heart, and you have no desire for reward or any favors in return. Altruism is a great trait for anyone to develop.

What can a person learn from the Bay of Pigs incident?

If you don't speak your opinion against bad ideas, sometimes awful results can happen. Don't be afraid to voice an opinion that may be different from the leader. It's normal for people to feel uncomfortable about disagreeing with a leader.

Why does it not always work when you declare yourself a leader of a group?

People are less likely to obey people that are just like themselves. People are more likely to obey someone who represents authority.

What did the Milgram Experiment demonstrate?

People will obey authority even when the results will harm someone.

People who believe in altruism say that the opposite view is very cynical. Why is this?

It makes a person come across as skeptical and suspicious. It appears that you are judging whether or not a person's actions are sincere.

Social loafing.

Social loafing. In 1968, an experiment was conducted to see if people really were less likely to help out when others are present. The experiment began with a woman bringing a person into a room and telling him/her to sit and wait for just a bit. In some cases, there were already other people in the room; in other cases, the person was in the room alone. The woman then left the room and through the door came the sounds of the woman first tripping and then groaning in pain about how much she had hurt herself. Actually, the woman really didn't trip. It was a tape-recorded track of the tripping and moaning. But the waiting people didn't know this. The results? Seventy percent of the people who were waiting in the room all by themselves actually went next door to try to help. Only thirteen percent of the people who were in the room with other people got up and went next door to try to help.

Problems with DSM diagnoses

What if you suffer slightly from anxiety, or experience brief bouts of depression? These are the two most common disorders in the United States. Any diagnosis from the DSM-IV indicates that you have a mental illness. But what if your symptoms are mild and with just a few sessions of therapy, you could be back to normal? Now you have on a permanent record that you've been diagnosed with mental illness. That can seem a bit extreme to some. Sometimes people don't fit into specific diagnosis categories. Many of the Axis II personality disorders overlap. How do you know which personality disorder you truly have if you have symptoms from many categories? That's a tough situation that many mental health professionals face and still need time to figure out.

When You Aren't Altruistic

When You Aren't Altruistic It's possible to be seen as altruistic, when in reality your actions aren't. Not everyone can discern sincerity. When altruism fails to be the real reason we selflessly do something for others, you can guarantee the reason is this: desire for a reward. The type of desired reward varies from person to person, and the rewards might not even be immediate. But when you consider the deeper meaning for any action that isn't selfless, you'll always find the desire for a reward at the heart of the action. People can do nice things that appear altruistic because they want praise, money, favors, status, appreciation, love, compliments, you name it. Anything that you want, even something good like "desiring friendship," can be the root of an action that seems altruistic but really isn't.

What does Axis III of the DSM categorize?

medical conditions and physical disorders

Travis helped Carlos work on his car. In return, Carlos helped Travis learn some guitar chords. Travis didn't expect to get some extra guitar help, but now Travis is inspired to help Carlos again, since it seems Carlos always returns a favor. What does this situation describe?

the paradox of altruism

what is DSM

this "rule book" that mental heath practitioners use? It's called the DSM, which stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The Roman numeral "IV" represents the fourth edition, which was published in 1994. The first edition was printed in 1952, and two other editions (with revisions) were printed in 1968, and 1980. The manual (which happens to be nearly 1000 pages long) categorizes disorders into five "axes" and each axis has a specific set of criteria used for diagnosing disorders.

conformity

wearing blue jeans because everyone else does

diffusion of responsibility

Two of the five members of a group are goofing off and not helping with the assignment.

What is a possible explanation for why two people had different reactions to Jonathon's compliment?

Compliments are sometimes mistaken as cynical remarks. (Wrong) Sometimes it's difficult to discern a person's sincerity. (new)

Conformity

Conformity is very powerful. You wouldn't think that people would purposely choose the wrong answers when they knew the correct answer with complete confidence. But sometimes when people are unsure or not confident of their own opinions, they are more willing to conform to what someone else says. Solomon Asch's famous conformity experiment in 1958 demonstrates this very concept.

Group therapy

Group therapy allows a counselor to discuss specific topics with several people present, and then people can share their opinions or ask for suggestions from others. Group therapy is often collaborative, but it is always guided by a professional.

What can leaders count on that makes obedience always happen?

Leaders can give assurances for people's different choices.

Peter is concerned about the horrible feelings he constantly has and his tendency to always feel anxious. What is a healthy action he could take?

Listen to a mental health professional who can guide him through his troubles.

What is something positive that has resulted from changing views on abnormal behavior?

Men today are more emotionally expressive than six decades ago. Women respond to emotional stresses in a different, more controlled way. People view epileptics as normal and not demonically possessed.

Michelle told Jason some personal information and then Jason turned around and told it to Emily. Jason really liked Emily and hoped that sharing information he knew would impress Emily and she would like him. Was Jason's action altruistic?

No, because he didn't respect Michelle's privacy. (wrong) No, because he was hoping to get Emily's approval by impressing her. (new)

Views on Abnormal Behavior Change

Some behavior that once was considered abnormal is now normal by American standards. Take epilepsy, for example. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder. That means the brain is malfunctioning when a person experiences seizures as a result of having epilepsy. But even just half a century ago, this physical disorder was not understood well and throughout many centuries, epilepsy has been viewed as a mental disorder and it was thought that people who had it were possessed by demons when they had convulsions. In reality, it's just a disorder of the body. Not the mind. Ignorance and fear led people to assume that people with epilepsy were mentally disturbed.

What is the most believable reason why someone might not accept a compliment?

Sometimes it's difficult to discern a person's sincerity.

terms lesson 2

adverse extremely unfavorable depression persistent feelings of general sadness diagnose to classify or determine DSM Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders psychotic suffering from delusions or hallucinations symptom a sign or indication of something

terms lesson 7

altruism selfless actions cynical distrusting (doubt the honesty or reliability of; regard with suspicion) or pessimistic discern to recognize or perceive paradox a statement or idea that seems to contradict itself ulterior motives hidden reasons for acting a certain way

People are most likely to be obedient to rules that _____.

are set up by people in authority

terms lesson 6

compliant obedient contention dispute; strife; controversy corral gather dictator a person exercising absolute power obedience conforming to rules made by authority; dutiful or submissive compliance stewardship responsibility given to you to watch over someone or something

Altruism is when you do something for others and have very little expectation of getting something in return

false

Cultural custom

influence what people think is normal and abnormal.

Withholding judgment on the mentally ill is wise because _____.

it saves you from embarrassing yourself often people have disorders that don't affect you then you can try to understand what a person is experiencing

Why do people sometimes fear or make fun of mental illness?

lack of understanding knowing the truth of a disorder is frightening

Conforming is troublesome when _____.

people choose to follow behavior that is wrong people choose to act illegally

the 1992 Los Angeles Riots is an example of _____.

people conforming their behavior people following the illegal actions of others people's behavior being influenced by others

Asch's conformity experimented showed that _____.

people were easily influenced to give the wrong answer

What does Axis I of the DSM categorize?

personal disore

What traits can you demonstrate to be kind of leader people want to obey?

responsibility aptitude planning skills competency analytical skills

Zimbardo's Prison Experiment

In 1971, Philip Zimbardo, a professor at Stanford University, wanted to observe how someone might react to being a prison guard. He set up a situation where twenty-four people were selected to play the role of either a prison guard or a prisoner. People volunteering for the experiment did not know which role they would play. The experiment was to last two weeks as psychologists took notes and made observations of how people reacted in their roles. But in a matter of six days, the whole experiment was shut down. These normal people who were assigned as prison guards became extremely mean and sadistic. They had no formal training on how to be a guard. They were allowed to make up their own rules for keeping order. The Stanford prison experiment showed that sometimes normal people can just slip into a role and abuse their authority. Mistreatment is never right, but the prison experiment does tend to show that it's possible for people to act horribly in evil situations even though they are not normally horrible or evil people.

review test

Abnormal behavior, while it does apply to psychology, is not always associated with mental illness. Cultural customs and beliefs can influence what people think is normal and abnormal. Some behavior that once was considered abnormal is now normal by American standards. One example is our views on epilepsy. Unless you are a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist or another type of clinical practitioner, it's not your responsibility to diagnose someone with a disorder. Even psychiatrists and psychologists may sometimes have a hard time diagnosing an illness. Mental health professionals use the DSM-IV to guide their diagnosis of mental illness. The DSM-IV categorizes disorders into five "axes," and each axis has a specific set of criteria used for diagnosing disorders. Categories of mental illness have become more specific and descriptions of a single mental illness are listed in detail. When a modern professional is evaluating a patient according to the DSM, a specific diagnosis can be made rather than just citing that a patient has some "neurosis" or "psychosis." Obedience means following the rules that are set down by people with authority over you, or by someone who is in authority of a situation. You can be obedient to rules that are not laws. People in authority positions are expected to act responsibly about the rules they choose to make and enforce. Zimbardo's Stanford prison experiment showed that normal people at times can just slip into a role and abuse their authority. Milgram's experiment showed that many people definitely obey authority, even when it means the results aren't good or could harm someone else. All selfless acts are examples of altruism. It simply means you do things for others with no expectations in return. It's possible to be been seen as altruistic, when in reality one's actions aren't. Not everyone can discern sincerity. Every altruistic action can have some hidden reason for why it really isn't altruistic. The presence of other people affects us to behave differently. Diffusion of responsibility, social loafing, and social facilitation are all concepts that occur when people are present. Conformity means changing how you act or think to match the people around you. Conforming is not a bad thing. Just careful if you find yourself conforming to ideas, actions, or beliefs that are unethical or illegal or personally destructive to you and your well-being.

Understanding Abnormal Behavior

Abnormal behavior, while it does apply to psychology, is not always associated with mental illness. In some instances, it is; in others, it isn't. Imagine dressing up as a goblin or superhero and going from house to house asking for candy on June 15th. It's just some random day. Dressing up like a ghoul or princess or some bloodied monster and requesting edible stuff from people at random is rather abnormal. Don't you agree? If these actions took place on Halloween, you'd not even think twice. But does a costumed person on June 15th have a mental disorder? Maybe. Maybe not. You just don't know.

Bay of Pigs

Also in 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy made plans—with several government officials in support—to launch an attack on the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. The goal was to overthrow Fidel Castro, Cuba's leader. The attack turned out to be a disaster. Afterward, when people were questioned about supporting such a poorly conceived attack, they responded by saying they didn't want to disagree with the president.

review lesson 7

Altruism means you have selfless concern and actions for others. You want to do helpful things out of the sheer goodness of your heart, and you have no desire for reward or any favor in return. Altruism is a great trait for anyone to develop. It's possible to be been seen as altruistic, when in reality our actions aren't. Not everyone can discern sincerity. When altruism fails to be the real reason we selflessly do something for others, you can guarantee the reason is this: desire for a reward. Some people don't believe in altruism. They believe every altruistic action can have some hidden reason why it really isn't altruistic. Every kind act has some potential for you personally benefiting. Some people say that altruism is a paradox. Those who do believe in altruism say the opposite view is very cynical.

TYPES OF THERAPY

At the turn of the twentieth century, anyone who wanted counseling had to pay for it out of his own pocket. Insurance was not available to pay for sessions. This kept a lot of people from seeking help who truly needed it. It's a different century now, with different options. Not only do you have more options than just receiving psychotherapy, a person often can get financial assistance from their insurance company, which pays for a portion of the therapy costs. This works for and against a person at times, such as those who need drug rehabilitation or other rehab services for an extended period. (use google doc)

Behavior

Behavior shows itself through our individual actions in groups or just by what our minds influence us to do. Behavior can be abnormal, meaning that it's just different and weird or odd, but not incapacitating. Behavior can also be abnormal and be an indication of mental illness. The key is not to assume someone is ill or make diagnoses on your own. Wait until you have all the facts and encourage someone to seek help if you really do think he/she has a problem. When it comes to group behavior, it's well-known that the presence of others encourages us to act in ways we normally wouldn't. Sometimes we fail to act or help others if lots of people are around. Sometimes we are more willing to take risky behavior or hurt others because someone else said to. Sometimes we are nice to others and sometimes we only think we are. Humans behave in such interesting ways! This lesson is a review of concepts about abnormal and group behavior.

MENTAL ILLNESS

It's unfortunate that we consider mentally ill people weak, unstable, or not worthy of our trust. Maybe they are and maybe they aren't. Or maybe they were untrustworthy prior to getting help and medication, but now they are just fine. However, there are many people who aren't trustworthy and they are not mentally ill. It's wise to withhold judgment until you understand exactly what a person is dealing with.

Cultural Views Influence Thoughts About Abnormal Behavior

Cultural customs and beliefs can influence what people think is normal and abnormal. Other cultures who don't celebrate Halloween might look at Americans and say their observable behavior is weird and that it's not normal to dress up in costumes and expect people to give you candy, even if it is a holiday. In Saudi Arabia, women are required to veil their faces and have their bodies completely covered when out in public. This might seem abnormal to Americans who are free to wear skimpy clothing in public. In some African cultures, women use big rings in their ears that stretch out their earlobes. To them it's beautiful. Americans might see this body disfigurement as odd and abnormal, but to the Africans, it's normal. In many countries, the imaginary concept of Santa Claus is present, even if he goes by different names, and we accept that belief as normal. In other words, what is considered normal and abnormal depends a lot on what your society and culture believes is or isn't acceptable behavior. Abnormal behavior simply means that a person is acting differently from what is normally expected. Abnormal behavior can simply be the result of people choosing to act weird or wanting to be different on purpose. Some abnormal behaviors are mild; some abnormal behaviors are extreme. Some people have mild mental illness in that their behavior is uncomfortable but perhaps manageable (such as people who are functionally depressed). Then there are some who have extremely abnormal behaviors due to mental illness, like paranoid accusations that someone has installed surveillance cameras to watch you in your own home, hallucinations, or impulsive behavior—any which could lead a mentally ill person to act in harmful ways to herself or threaten the safety of others. Mental disorders, mild or severe, are nothing to treat lightly. Good health, physical and mental, is always desirable. Regardless of the mildness or severity of mental illness, professional help is always available. Luckily, you are a high school student, which means you have a school counselor that is always available and willing to talk to you. It's also free. Everything you tell the school counselor is confidential.

Depression

Depression, a mood disorder, has fourteen ways of being diagnosed. Adjustment disorder has six ways a person can be diagnosed. Sleeping disorders have four ways of being diagnosed (hypersomnia, insomnia, mixed, parasomnia). A quick search of any Web search engine for "DSM diagnosis codes" will give you several results that will show all the Axis I and Axis II disorders and their many diagnosis codes. The great thing about such detail is that an appropriate professional can much more accurately diagnose a person's disorder.

The Altruism Paradox

Every altruistic action can have some hidden reason for why it really isn't altruistic. Every kind act has the potential to somehow benefit the person performing it. And thus the argument against altruism begins. You already know that being altruistic means that your actions come from the goodness of your heart. You truly want to give or say the things you do with no reason other than to do the right thing or simply to let someone know how much you appreciate or love them. There are so many situations in which you can give your time and service to people. Even a simple smile or nod of the head to a stranger in passing could really make the day of someone who needs it. You have the option to do many nice acts. The point that some psychologists argue is that no matter how much you think you are being altruistic, you really aren't. Some people say that altruism is a paradox. That we give and in return get a reward, which inspires us to give again. Some people say that altruism doesn't exist, period; that it's impossible for someone to really be selfless. What those who argue against altruism are saying is that supposedly people never truly do anything out of the goodness of their hearts. Those who do believe in altruism say the opposite view is very cynical. Why would you want to go around judging whether or not people's actions were sincere? Rather than become skeptical and suspicious of people's motives, just accept their nice gestures at face value. When someone gives a compliment, accept it for what it is.

Couples therapy.

Husbands and wives who are having trouble in their marriage can attend couples therapy to work through differences. In couples therapy, the two people meet with a counselor, and the counselor helps them become more aware of how to work through differences. Then the therapist teaches the couple strategies for overcoming their differences.

review lesson 2

Just because someone displays temporary abnormal behavior, it does not necessarily mean that a person is suffering from a mental disorder. Unless you are a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist or another type of clinical practitioner, it's not your responsibility to diagnose someone with a disorder. Even psychiatrists and psychologists sometimes have a hard time diagnosing an illness. It's hard to always pin down with complete accuracy what is right or wrong with a person and determine what is abnormal or normal for that person, especially when culture is a major factor in a person's experiences. Mental health professionals have a "rule book" called the DSM to follow, which guides them in making diagnoses. The first edition was printed in 1952, and two other editions (with revisions) were printed in 1968 and 1980. The current edition was printed in 1994. DSM diagnoses come with problems. What if you'd like a little help to make it through a tough time? Any diagnosis from the DSM-IV indicates that you have a mental illness, even if you just have moodiness due to your menstrual cycle. Sometimes the DSM-IV categories don't fit a person. Sometimes symptoms get mislabeled.

Being Sensitive to Mental Illness

Many people, even the ones you think are the healthiest, have been or currently are in therapy. More than 9.5 percent of the American population suffers from depression. That's almost 19 million people. Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety. These two illnesses alone cover a broad spectrum of people. Six percent of Americans have social anxiety disorder. One percent of the population have obsessive compulsive disorder. Eight percent have specific phobias. Be sensitive to the fact that people may have a mental illness that you don't know of. Be aware that you or someone very close to you could be suffering from anxiety or depression (the two most common disorders in America) or some other mental struggles.

Conformity

Many teens face pressures to fit in and belong. Adults feel the pressure too. But very often, people find their decisions influenced by the way other people make their decisions. This is conformity, when a person's behavior is influenced other people. Conformity is very powerful. You wouldn't think that people would purposely choose wrong answers when they knew the correct answer with complete assurance. But sometimes when people are unsure or not confident of their own opinions, they are more willing to conform to what someone else says. Solomon Asch's famous conformity experiment in 1958 demonstrated this very concept. When people were asked to identify which of three lines on a paper was longer, the correct answer wasn't always given if others in the room purposely gave the wrong answer. Other people's wrong answers influenced the person who knew the true information to go against what was correct. The concept of conforming has its benefits and drawbacks. There is nothing wrong with behaving the way other people do, speaking slang, listening to the same types of popular music, giving gifts on holidays, participating in club meetings, or wearing a team uniform. However, there is a problem with conformity when people conform to behavior that is obviously wrong. It's inappropriate when you conform your behavior to bad, unethical, or illegal behavior, or if you give up your personal values simply because you don't want to be different. Stick to what you know and believe and be willing to resist conforming if you must.

OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORITY- Understanding Obedience

Obedience means following the rules that are laid out by people in authority over you or by someone who is in authority of a situation. You can be obedient to rules that are not laws, such as holding on the phone when a business owner asks you to or not chewing gum in class. Likewise, you can be obedient to rules that are laws, like crossing the street in a crosswalk instead of jaywalking, following curfew hours, not assaulting people or shoplifting. The point, though, is that people tend to be equally obedient to rules that are set up by people in authority, regardless of whether these rules are laws or not. Quite simply, people in charge have a lot of power. Remember that the next time you are given a privileged position. Maybe you can't command your classmates to march into a pit if you are given responsibility to be the lead line monitor. But students who see your teacher giving you public permission to lead a line of students as you please, well . . . those students will follow you. Some may scoff, but their obedience to you is based on their willingness to follow a teacher's bestowal of power onto you.

review lesson 6

Obedience means following the rules that are requested by people in authority over you or by someone who is in authority of a situation. You can be obedient to rules that are not laws. People are more willing to obey people in authority as opposed to their peers or people whom they perceive to be just as themselves. People in authority positions must act responsibly about the rules they choose to make and enforce. Zimbardo's prison experiment shows that it's possible for normal people to act horribly in evil situations rather than just being an evil person. Milgram's experiment concluded that many people definitely obey authority even when it means the results aren't good or the outcome may even harm someone else. The poor planning of the Bay of Pigs disaster demonstrated that often people are unwilling to voice an opinion that is the opposite of their leader's.

review lesson 1

People can display abnormal behavior at almost any time by doing something that is not socially acceptable. Cultural customs and beliefs can influence what people think is normal and abnormal. Abnormal behavior simply means that a person is acting differently from what is normally expected. Abnormal behavior can simply be the result of people choosing to act weird or wanting to be different on purpose. Not all abnormal behavior is a result of cultural views and traditions, though. Some abnormal behaviors occur due to mental illness. Some abnormal behaviors are mild; some abnormal behaviors are extreme. Some people have mild mental illness in that their behavior is uncomfortable but perhaps manageable (such as people who are functionally depressed). Regardless of the mildness or severity of mental illness, professional help is always available. Mental illness is a strong word in our society, and it's easy to make fun of or mock people who have mental illness. One thing to always remember is that people are able to change. Nobody chooses to be mentally ill. Why make fun of what people don't have control over?

The Responsibility of Being an Authority

People in authority positions have to act responsibly about the rules they choose to make and enforce. In your position of leadership, you do have the power to demand that people obey your rules. But you also cannot count on the constant loyalty of people's hearts and feelings. You may be able to rule a person's actions, but as a leader, you can never rule a person's heart by force. On the other hand, you can have authority over people and be wiling to consider ideas or choose the common consensus for what people want. If you are in charge of lunch one day and five out of seven people choose to eat lunch over at the subway sandwich shop, for all practical purposes, the subway shop is the best place to go and you can use your influence as a leader to corral and encourage the subway haters to come along and enjoy a sandwich. Perhaps you can even give assurance that next time you'll attempt to accommodate their preferences for a pizza lunch. With your authority, you can use your position wisely and have people obey you for good, sound, moral reasons.

review lesson 3

People who have mental illness, either severe or mild, have hope and help waiting for them. Although at times they may feel isolated or misunderstood, or it may seem as though they are all alone, they are not. Mental heath professionals are extremely compassionate and understanding. There is nothing to be embarrassed about. Therapy was once for the rich. Because all costs were paid by the individual seeking therapy, only the wealthy could afford these services. Today, many communities offer free or limited-priced therapy, guidance, and counseling. Students can turn to their school counselors for free. However, private individual counseling still does have a cost affixed to it. There are five main types of therapy methods: psychoanalytical, behavioral, cognitive, cognitive behavioral, and humanistic. Counseling can be for individuals or couples or can be done in groups. Many Americans suffer from anxiety and depression. Many others suffer from other disorders. Being sensitive to these illnesses is helpful since you never know who might have a mental illness.

The DSM

So what is this "rule book" that mental health practitioners use? It's called the DSM, which stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The Roman numeral "IV" represents the fourth edition, published in 1994. The first edition was printed in 1952, and two other editions (with revisions) were printed in 1968 and 1980. The manual—which is nearly one thousand pages long—categorizes disorders into five "axes" and each axis has a specific set of criteria used for diagnosing disorders. (google doc) The DSM has come a long way since it was first published. Just as people change and develop, so do ideas about disorders and treatment. As more awareness of certain disorders emerged, categories and classifications were modified. Categories of mental illness have become more specific, and detailed descriptions of each single mental illness are available. When a modern professional is evaluating a patient according to the DSM-IV, a specific diagnosis can be made rather than just citing that a patient has some "neurosis" or "psychosis." For example, Bipolar I Disorder (a mood disorder) has thirty different ways in which a patient can be diagnosed. The number in the left column is a diagnosis code and the wording in the right column is the specific diagnosis of bipolarism. Examine the following table and notice some of the thirty ways bipolar disorder can be diagnosed: in full remission, in partial remission, mid, moderate, severe with psychotic features, severe without psychotic features, etc. Diagnosis Code Disorder 296.56 Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Depressed, In Full Remission 296.55 Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Depressed, In Partial Remission 296.51 Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Depressed, Mild 296.52 Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Depressed, Moderate 296.54 Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Depressed, Severe With Psychotic Features 296.53 Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Depressed, Severe Without Psychotic Features 296.50 Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Depressed, Unspecified (use google doc)

Social Facilitation

Social Facilitation. Are you a social loafer? Actually, if you're involved in sports, it is possible for you to say no. There is very little social loafing—perhaps none at all—in sports. When you play a team sport, everyone puts in their best effort to help the team win. Additionally, each individual player is being watched by those who came to view the game. When a person believes that he/she is being watched as an individual, that person is more likely to work very hard. This is called social facilitation. Have you ever run at a track meet or participated in some other game where your parents or friends came to watch you? Have there been times when someone familiar wasn't there to watch you. Odds are you probably didn't perform as well during the times that you were competing without any moral support or watchful eyes from the sidelines. Or it's possible in a game of tug-of-war that you don't pull as hard because you know that others are around you that will help out with the pulling and never notice if you really were trying your hardest. It's just that same concept we mentioned a minute ago: people behave differently when others are around.

The Milgram Experiment

Ten years prior to Zimbardo's prison experiment, Stanley Milgram conducted an experiment in 1961 to see if normal people would obey orders to hurt people if the orders were given by someone in authority. Without knowing, the people volunteering in the experiment were always given the role of teacher. And the learner was actually someone who already knew all the details of the experiment and had a bunch of electrodes set up on his body. Milgram was amazed that more than half of the teacher participants would knowingly physically harm the learner simply because the teacher was told to deliver a voltage shock for each wrong answer. Milgram concluded that many people definitely obey authority even when it means the results aren't good or could even harm someone else.

People's Presence Affects How Others Behave

The bystander effect teaches us that people are less willing to help out a troubled person when many people are around. When fewer people are present, a person is more likely to volunteer to help a troubled person. We tend to feel less responsible. This is called diffusion of responsibility. It might seem strange, especially when you read about this little phenomenon in print. Perhaps you are even thinking to yourself that you would never diffuse responsibility and that you'd be the first one go help out. But has your teacher ever asked, "I need a volunteer; who would like to come up to the front." Did you immediately raise your hand? If you actually did, do you always volunteer? Social loafing. In 1968, an experiment was conducted to see if people really were less likely to help out when others are present. The experiment began with a woman bringing a person into a room and telling her to sit and wait for just a bit. In some cases, the room was empty; in others, there were people already present. The woman left and through the door came the sounds of her tripping and then groaning in pain about how much she had hurt herself. Actually, the woman really didn't trip. It was a tape-recorded track of the tripping and moaning. But the waiting people didn't know this. In fact, 70 percent of the people who were waiting in the room all by themselves actually went next door to try to help, but only 13 percent of the people who were in a room with other people did. Social Facilitation. Are you a social loafer? Actually, when it comes to athletic activities, it is possible for you to say no. There is very little, if any, social loafing in sports. When you play a team sport, everyone puts in their best effort to help the team win. Additionally, each individual player is being watched by those who came to view the game. When a person believes that he/she is being watched as an individual, that person is more likely to work very hard. This is called social facilitation.

cynica

believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity. concerned only with one's own interests and typically disregarding accepted or appropriate standards in order to achieve them.

Making Diagnoses

Unless you are a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist or another type of clinical practitioner, it's not your responsibility to diagnose someone with a disorder. It's also best to not even suggest that someone is mentally ill or suffering when you don't know what they are suffering from or even what the different disorders are. Let the professionals handle it—that is why they have gone through years of schooling and practice. Even psychiatrists and psychologists may sometimes have a hard time diagnosing an illness. Psychologists love to be right and love to have exact terms to describe people. But so much of what goes on in a person's life is culturally influenced. Therefore it's hard to always pin down with complete accuracy what is right or wrong with a person and determine what is abnormal and normal, especially when culture is a major factor in a person's experiences. The importance of being diagnosed correctly. Mental health professionals have a "rule book" to follow, which guides them for making diagnoses. Not only is a psychiatrist or psychologist given guidelines for what to look for when making diagnoses, this "rule book" is helpful for someone to not get mislabeled and then recommended for treatment over the wrong mental illness.

review lesson 8

When there are fewer people around to give assistance, a person is more likely to volunteer to help out. When more people are around, people are less inclined to help. This is called the bystander effect. The bystander effect teaches us that people are _less_ willing to help out a <<<<troubled>>>> person when many people are around. When fewer people are present, a person is more likely to volunteer to help a troubled person. We tend to feel less responsible. This is called diffusion of responsibility. When people work in groups, social loafing often occurs. People don't work as hard when they know others are helping out. However, a person is more likely to work hard when he/she knows that they're being individually watched. This is called social facilitation. Often, people find their decisions influenced by the way other people make their own decisions. This is conformity. Conformity is not a bad thing. It's only inappropriate when you conform your behavior to bad, unethical, or illegal behavior, or if you give up your personal values.

final review ch 5 terms

abnormal not normal adverse extremely unfavorable altruism selfless actions bystander effect a person being less likely to give help when there are many people around catharsis releasing emotions that have been held within compliant obedient confederate an accomplice conformity people changing their behavior because of social influence contention dispute; strife; controversy corral gather counselor a person who helps people through their problems cynical distrusting or pessimistic depression persistent feelings of general sadness diagnose to classify or determine dictator a person exercising absolute power diffusion of responsibility a person feels less responsible to help when more people are present discern to recognize or perceive disorder mental health disturbance DSM Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fourth edition) idiosyncrasies specific behaviors or mannerisms that are peculiar to just one person mental disorder disturbance of normal behavioral and emotional functioning obedience conforming to rules made by authority; dutiful or submissive compliance observable noticeable; able to be seen paradox a statement or idea that seems to contradict itself psychotic suffering from delusions or hallucinations severity intensity social facilitation the watchful presence of others that makes a person willing to work harder social loafing people don't work as hard in groups than if they were to work alone stewardship responsibility given to you to watch over someone or something strategies techniques for working through tough situations symptom a sign or indication of something treatment specific care given to help a person get well ulterior motives hidden reasons for acting a certain way