PSYCH 270 PSU Exam 1

Operant Conditioning

Asserts that learned behavior is a function of its consequences

Hindbrain

Bodily functions involved in sustaining life, regulation of stages of sleep

Paradigm

A set of shared theoretical substance and common beliefs Often applied to psychopathology in an attempt to explain causes

DSM-5

A diagnostic system developed and refined by a panel of experts Mental disorders are defined as clusters of persistent, maladaptive behaviors that are associated with personal distress or impairment in social functioning

Stress:

A difficult experience; risk factors may contribute to mental disorders

Syndrome

A group of symptoms that appear together and are assumed to represent a specific type of disorder

Diathesis:

A predisposition toward developing a disorder

Statistical deviancy

Abnormal behaviors are defined by their relative infrequency in the population

Rational-Emotive Therapy

According to Albert Ellis, emotional disorders are caused by irrational beliefs. Absolute, unrealistic views of the world

Humanistic Paradigm

An explicitly positive view of human nature

Case study

An in-depth look at the symptoms and circumstances surrounding one person's mental disturbance Can provide: An exhaustive catalog of symptoms The manner in which the symptoms emerged The developmental and family history that preceded the onset of the disorder

Synaptic Transmission

Communication within a neuron is electrical. Communication between neurons is chemical. Electrical nerve impulse reaches the end of the neuron.

Social work

Concerned with helping people achieve an effective level of psychosocial functioning

Clinical psychology

Concerned with the application of psychological science to the assessment and treatment of mental disorders

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT)

Encourages Collaborative therapist-client relationships Focuses on the present Direct efforts to change problems Use of research-based technique

humanistic therapies

Encourages people to recognize and experience their true feelings Views the therapist-client relationship as the method of change

psychological factors

Human nature Temperament Emotion Learning and cognition Sense of self Human development

relaxation training

Deep breathing Muscle relaxation training

Cultural deviancy

Defining deviance based on the degree to which it violates social or cultural norms

Psychological distress

Depressed mood, irritability, anxiety, worry, panic, confusion, frustration, anger, dysphoria Usually assessed by self-report

Family Systems Therapy

Emphasize interdependence among family members and the importance of viewing the individual within the family system

Developmental Psychopathology

Emphasizes the importance of developmental norms—age-graded averages—to understanding influences on abnormal behaviors

Family Therapy

Might include two or more family members Goals are to improve communication, resolving conflicts, and perhaps change family relationships and roles.

flourishing

People who function at highest levels

Psychophysiological responses

Pounding heart Flushed face Tears Sexual excitement

Endocrine System

Produces hormones into the bloodstream

Forebrain

Site of most sensory, emotional, and cognitive processes

systems theory

Integrative approach to science Offers important perspective on causes of abnormal behavior Includes biopsychosocial model Includes elements of each of the four paradigms

Midbrain

Involved in the control of some motor activities (fighting and sex), regulation of sleep

Couple Therapy

Involves seeing intimate partners together in therapy The goal is to improve the relationship, not to treat the individual, by improving: Communication and negotiation skills Conflict resolution

Group Therapy

Involves treating several people facing similar emotional problems or life issues

Degree of impairment

Thoughts, behaviors, or actions that interfere with the individual's functioning

Lifetime prevalence

Total proportion of people in a given population who have been affected by the disorder at some point during their lives

Culture

Values, beliefs, and practices that are shared by a specific community or group of people These values and believes have a profound influence on opinions regarding the difference between normal and abnormal

Free will

We control, choose, and are responsible for our actions.

Efficacy

Whether a treatment can work under prescribed circumstances

Effectiveness

Whether therapy does work in the real world

Psychoeducational groups

Teach specific psychological information or life skills

Social Skills Training

Teaches clients new ways of behaving that are both desirable and likely to be rewarded in everyday life

Assertiveness training

Teaches clients to be direct about their feelings and wishes

Psychopharmacology

The use of medications to treat psychological disturbances Often safe and effective Alleviate symptoms, not cure causes of illness Many must be taken for long periods of time. All medications have side effects

Psychotherapy

The use of psychological techniques and the therapist-client relationship to produce emotional, cognitive, and behavior change

Multifinality

The view that the same event can lead to different outcomes

Equifinality

The view that there are many routes to the same destination (multiple pathways)

Determinism

The scientific assumption that human behavior is caused by potentially knowable factors

Epidemiology

The scientific study of the frequency and distribution of disorders within a population

Developmental transitions

mark end of one and beginning of another stage.

Gender roles

may influence the development, expression, or consequences of psychopathology

Disease burden

measured by combining two factors: Mortality: lost years of healthy life/premature death Living with a disability

Cultural deviancy Limitation

norms vary considerably from culture to culture

statistical deviancy limitation

not all infrequent behaviors indicate mental disorders

Etiology

cause of abnormal behavior

Psychotropic medications

chemical substances that affect psychological states

Degree of impairment limitation

impairment in functioning may not always be apparent

Parent management training:

teaches parents new parenting skills

Abnormal psychology

the application of psychological science to the study of mental disorders

problems with humanistic paradigm

Can be antiscientific

Psychodynamic paradigm

Can be unyielding in focusing on childhood and the unconscious conflicts

Biological paradigm

Can overemphasize the medical model

problems with cognitive behavioral paradigm

Can overlook social and biological context of human behavior

Family Incidence Studies

Can provide strong evidence about genetic and environmental contributions to a disorder Inconclusive

Twin Studies

Can provide strong evidence about genetic and environmental contributions to a disorder Provide a concordance rate for two sets of twins Differences attributed to genes/environment Shared environment Nonshared environment

Systematic Desensitization

Research focused on eliminating phobias. Assumed that some phobias were learned through classical conditioning Progressive muscle relaxation Hierarchy of fears Learning process In Vivo, Imagined, or Flooding

evidence-based treatment

Research-based 2 large randomized controlled trials, or several smaller studies Conducted by different groups of researchers Brief, time limited Manualized Generalizable

Meta-analysis

A statistical procedure that allows researchers to combine the results from different studies in a standardized way

Psychiatry

Branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of mental disorders Licensed to practice medicine prescribe medication

Client-Centered Therapy

Carl Rogers (1902-1987) Viewed three qualities as essential in a therapist: Warmth Genuineness Empathy—emotional understanding

Psychological distress Limitations

Distress is often subjective Some individuals with mental health diagnoses do not experience negative emotions related to those problems

Community psychology

Improve individual well-being by promoting social change

Primary prevention

Improve the environment in order to prevent new cases

Self-control

Learned through the process of socialization Externalized rules become internalized

Contingency

Relationship between a behavior and its consequences Reinforcement strategies are often a component of CBT

Experiential group therapy

Relationships are the primary mode of treatment

Autonomic nervous system

Sympathetic NS—mobilizes resources during increased arousal Parasympathetic NS—slows arousal

psychopathology

Symptoms and signs of mental disorders

Harmful Dysfunction

The condition results from the inability of some internal mechanism to perform its natural function. The condition causes some harm to the person as judged by the standards of the person's culture. Not every dysfunction leads to a disorder

Prevalence

The number of active cases (old and new) present in a population during a specific period/time

Incidence

The number of new cases of a disorder that appear in a population during a specific period of time

Comorbidity

The presence of more than one condition within the same period of time

Psychophysiology

The study of changes in the functioning of the body that result from psychological experiences

Aversion Therapy

The use of classical conditioning to create, not eliminate, an unpleasant response Used primarily in treating substance abusers Effectiveness is not clear.