Chapter 18: Psychological Disorders

somatization

the expression of psychological distress through physical symptoms

typicality

the normality of a behavior or mental process often determined by the degree to which it is average of the behavior or mental processes of the majority of people

Psychoanalytic perspective on Schizophrenia

the result of the overwhelming of the ego by urges from the id

post-traumatic stress disorder

a disorder that follows a distressing event outside the range of normal human experience and is characterized by intense fear, avoidance of stimuli associated with the event, and reliving of the event

depersonalization

a dissociative disorder characterized by persistent feelings that one is unreal or is detached from one's own experiences or body

agoraphobia

a fear of crowded, public places

schizophrenia

a group of severe psychotic disorders characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotion, and behavior

mania

a mood characterized by extreme elation and hyperactivity

psychological disorder

a pattern of behavior or a mental process that causes serious personal suffering or interferes with a person's ability to cope with everyday life

Biological Views on Schizophrenia

appears to be a brain disorder; research suggests that the difficulties may reflect a loss of synapses, the structures that connect neurons and make it possible for neurons to communicate with one another

Biological Views on Mood Disorders

mood disorders have a genetic basis; believe that two neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, in the brain: serotonin and noradrenaline, may at least partly explain the connection between genes and mood

DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

most widely used classification system for psychological disorders

Learning theory (on anxiety disorders)

phobias are conditioned, or learned in childhood, either through direct experience or observing others. People avoid threatening situations to reduce anxiety

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

unwanted thoughts or ideas (obsessions); impulses that are difficult or impossible to resist, such as repeated hand washing (compulsions) connected with the idea that one's hands remain unclean (an obsession)

Psychoanalytic theory on Somatoform Disorders

somatoform disorders occur when individuals repress emotions associated with forbidden urges and instead express them symbolically in physical symptoms

Behavioral theorists' explanation on Somatoform Disorders are...

somatoform symptoms can serve as a reinforcer if they successfully allow a person to escape from anxiety

Cognitive theorists' explanation on Mood Disorders

some people are prone to depression because of their habitual style of explaining life events

Psychoanalytic view on Mood Disorders

some people are prone to depression because they suffered a real or imagined loss of a loved object or person in childhood

Dependent Personality Disorder

submissive, clinging

Conversion Disorder

sudden severe loss of physical functioning, as in blindness or paralysis, despite the fact that no medical explanation can be found for the physical symptoms; usually characterized by the person's apparent lack of concern about his or her physical symptoms

Learning theorists' explanation on Personality Disorders

suggested that childhood experiences "teach" children how to relate to other people; if children are not reinforced for good behavior and only receive attention when they behave badly, they may learn antisocial behavior

Aaron Beck

suggested that people who are depressed have a negative view of themselves, their experiences, and their future

Other psychological views on Schizophrenia

suggests that a family environment in which a parent frequently expresses intense emotions and has pushy, critical attitude puts children at risk of developing schizophrenia

malingering

the conscious attempt to "fake" and illness in order to avoid work, school, or other responsibilities

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

grandiosity, need for admiration, lack of empathy

Personality Disorders

patterns of inflexible traits that disrupt social life or work and/or distress the affected individual

Psychoanalytic theory on Dissociative Disorders

people dissociate in order to repress unacceptable urges

Cognitive theory (on anxiety disorders)

people exaggerate threats and believe they are helpless to deal with them

Multifactorial Model of Schizophrenia

-genetic factors -complications during pregnancy and birth -viral infections -family environment -stress

bipolar disorder

a disorder in which a person's mood inappropriately alternates between extremes of elation and depression

Psychoanalytic theory (on anxiety disorders)

anxiety represents the "leakage" of primitive aggressive or sexual ideas or urges that were repressed during childhood

Phobic Disorder

a persistent, excessive or irrational fear of an object or a situation

depression

a psychological disorder characterized by extreme sadness, an inability to concentrate, and feelings of helplessness and dejection

anxiety

a psychological state characterized by tension and apprehension, foreboding, and dread

obsessions

a recurring thought or image that seems to be beyond control

dissociation

a split in consciousness

Biological factors (on anxiety disorders)

anxiety disorders tend to run in families, suggesting a role for genetic factors; anxiety disorders may be exaggerated descendants of adaptive fears

Other learning theorists' explanation on Personality Disorders

antisocial personality disorder develops when a child lacks appropriate role models and when the role models they encounter act aggressively

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

acute discomfort in close relationships, eccentricities of behavior

simple phobia

an anxiety disorder characterized by a persistent, irrational fear of a specific object or situation

compulsion

an apparently irresistible urge to repeat an act or engage in ritualistic behavior

panic attack

an episode of intense dread in which a person experiences terror or frightening sensations such as chest pain, rapid heartbeat, or choking

phobia

an excessive, irrational fear out of proportion to the actual danger

catatonic stupor

an immobile, expressionless, coma-like state associated with schizophrenia

social phobia

an irrational fear of social situations in which one might be exposed to the close scrutiny of others

Hypochondriasis

an unhealthy fear of having, or the unsubstantiated belief that one has, a serious disease; characterized by the person's misinterpretation of his or her normal bodily symptoms or functions

Cognitive theorists' explanation on Personality Disorders

antisocial adolescents tend to see other people's behavior as threatening, even when it is not; they use this faulty interpretation of other people's actions to justify their own antisocial behavior

Other psychologists' explanation on Somatoform Disorder is...

have argued that people with conversion disorder "convert" psychological stress into actual medical problems

maladaptivity

behavior that impairs an individual's ability to function adequately in everyday life

socially unacceptable behavior

behavior that violates a society's accepted norms

Learning theorists' explanation on Mood Disorders

believe that learned helplessness makes people prone to depression

Biological Views on Personality Disorders

believe the frontal part of the brain, an area that is connected with emotional responses may explain the antisocial personality disorder; discovered that people with antisocial personality disorder had fewer neurons in the frontal part which might make their nervous system less responsive

Dissociative Amnesia

characterized by a sudden loss of memory, usually following a particularly stressful or traumatic event

Dissociative Fugue

characterized not only by forgetting personal information and past events but also by suddenly relocating from home or work and taking on a new identity

Psychoanalytic theory on Personality Disorders

children who are rejected by adults and harshly punished rather than treated with affection tend to lack a sense of guilt which underlies the antisocial personality

culture-bound syndromes

clusters of symptoms that define or describe an illness in a particular culture

Catatonic Schizophrenia

disturbance of movement; hold unusual, uncomfortable body positions for long periods of time, even after their arms and legs swell and stiffen

Most common form of dissociation is...

daydreaming

Paranoid Schizophrenia

delusions or frequent auditory hallucinations, all relating to a single theme

Martin Seligman

demonstrated the concept of learned helplessness in a classic experiment in which he taught dogs that they were helpless to escape from electric shock

Most common mood disorder is...

depression

Histrionic Personality Disorder

excessive emotionality, need for attention

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

excessive or unrealistic worry that appears to be present nearly all the time

Depersonalization Disorder

feelings of detachment from one's mental processes or body

Disorganized Schizophrenia

incoherent in their thought and speech and disorganized in their behavior

Schizoid Personality Disorder

individuals have no interest in relationships with other people; lack normal emotional responsiveness

Antisocial Personality Disorder

individuals show a persistent behavior pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others; they do not feel guilt or remorse for their antisocial behaviors, and they continue the behaviors despite the threat of social rejection and punishment

Paranoid Personality Disorder

individuals tend to be distrustful and suspicious of others and to interpret others motives as harmful or evil; perceive other people's behavior as threatening or insulting even when it is not

Avoidant Personality Disorder

individuals who desire relationships with other people, but they are prevented from forming these relationships by tremendous fear of the disapproval of others

Somatoform Disorders

individuals who have psychological problems but experience inexplicable physical symptoms

Learning theorists' view on Dissociative Disorders

individuals with dissociative disorders have learned not to think about disturbing events in order to avoid feelings of guilt, shame, or pain

Borderline Personality Disorder

instability in interpersonal relationships and self-image

Stress Disorders

intense, persistent feelings of anxiety that follow traumatic events

Dissociative Identity Disorder

involves the existence of two or more personalities within a single individual

Mood Disorders

mood changes that seem inappropriate for or inconsistent with the situations to which they are responding

The most common psychological disorders are...

mood disorders

emotional discomfort

loss of interest in virtually everything someone once enjoyed and believe that life is no longer worth living

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

obsession with orderliness, perfectionism, and control

Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia

recurring, unexpected panic attacks characterized by rapid heart rate; Agoraphobia is a panic disorder in which people fear being caught in crowded, public places when they have an attack

Dissociative Disorder

when dissociation occurs as a way to avoid stressful events or feelings