Chapter 14 psych

phobic disorder

- a highly focused fear of a specific object or situation - ex. irrational fear of snakes

DSM-IV-TR

- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used for the diagnosis and classification of psychological disorders - composed of 5 major rating dimensions, or axes - intended to give objective, measurable criteria for diagnosing disorders - does not suggest therapies or treatment - does not discuss possible causes

schizophrenia

- a class of disorders characterized by fundamental disturbances in thought processes, emotion or behavior - complex disorder that may be expressed in a variety of ways - diagnosis comes from a variety of symptoms

dissociative disorders

- a class of disorders characterized by the separation, or dissociation, of conscious awareness from previous thoughts or memories

anxiety disorders

- a class of disorders marked by excessive apprehension and worry that in turn impairs normal functioning

dissociative identity disorder

- a condition in which an individual alternates between what appear to be two or more distinct identities or personalities - recognized by DSM-IV-TR, but not all clinicians believe it - some symptoms can be faked; others, such as optical changes, less easy to fake - some clinicians view it as role playing

panic disorder

- a condition marked by recurrent discrete episodes or attacks of extremely intense fear or dread - many physical symptoms such as chest pains - may be associated with agoraphobia

role of culture

- a culture that emphasized thinness may predispose you to an eating disorder - cultural background may influence the kinds of delusions seen in schizophrenia

manic state

- a disordered state in which the person becomes hyperactive, talkative, and has a decreased need for sleep - a person in a manic state may engage in activities that are self-destructive or dangerous - must last at least a week to be classified as such, but may last for months (traditional def) - functioning is severely impaired

learned helplessness

- a general sense of helplessness that is acquired when people repeatedly fail in attempts to control their environment - may also contribute to depression

insanity

- a legal term usually defined as the inability to understand that certain actions are wrong, in a legal or moral sense, at the time of the crime - John Hinckley Jr, Jeffrey Dahmer

somatization disorder

- a long lasting preoccupation with body symptoms that have no identifiable physical cause

hypochondriasis

- a long lasting preoccupation with the idea that one has developed a serious disease, based on what turns out to be a misinterpretation of normal body reactions

dissociative fugue

- a loss of personal identity that is often accompanied by a flight from home

dependent personality disorder

- a personality disorder characterized by an excessive and persistent need to be taken care of by others

antisocial personality disorder

- a personality disorder characterized by little, if any, respect for social laws, customs or norms

paranoid personality disorder

- a personality disorder characterized by pervasive distrust of others

borderline personality disorder

- a personality disorder characterized by problems with emotional regulation, social relationships, and sense of self

dissociative amnesia

- a psychological disorder characterized by an inability to remember important personal information

major depressive episode

- a type of mood disorder characterized by depressed mood and other symptoms - 5 or more of these symptoms must last for at least 2 weeks

agoraphobia

- an anxiety disorder that causes an individual to restrict his or her normal activities - someone suffering from agoraphobia tends to avoid public places out of fear that a panic attack will occur

obsessive-compulsive disorder

- an anxiety disorder that manifests itself through persistent and uncontrollable thoughts, called obsessions, or by the compelling need to perform repetitive acts, called compulsions

personality disorders

- chronic or enduring patterns of behavior that lead to significant impairments in social functioning - tendency to act inflexibly

axis 1

- common psychological disorders - schizophrenia, depression

cognitive symptoms

- difficulties in memory and decision making and in the ability to sustain attention

neurotransmitter imbalances

- dopamine excess in schizophrenia - serotonin involved in mood disorders, but exactly how is less clear

negative symptoms of schizophrenia

- elimination or reduction of normal behavior - flat effect: little or no emotional reaction to events - refusing to take care of self

generalized anxiety disorder

- excessive worrying, or free-floating anxiety, that lasts for at least six months and that cannot be attributed to any single identifiable source - chronic worrying lasting over 6 months

axis 3

- general medical conditions - diseases of the circulatory system

genetic contributions

- genetic component of schizophrenia: likelihood of having it increases with closeness of a relative who has it; highest likelihood for identical twin - similar pattern for depression, bipolar disorder

axis 5

- global assessment of functioning scale

biological factors

- include physical problems with the body, brain, as well as genetic influences

social anxiety disorder

- intense fear of being watched, judged, and embarrassed in social situations

maladaptive attributions

- internal, stable, global attributions for negative experiences may play a role in depression

cognitive factors

- maladaptive thought patterns may contribute

positive symptoms of schizophrenia

- observable expressions of abnormal behavior - hallucinations (auditory), delusions, disorganized speech

suicide

- one possible consequence of mood disorders, including bipolar - third leading cause of death among adolescents, eighth leading among all ages - risk factors besides mood disorders include alcohol use, stressful events - another major predictor: prior suicide attempts and thoughts

Rosenhan (1973)

- participants faked disorders to enter psychiatric ward (schizophrenia) - other patients saw through deception, but staff did not - suggests that diagnostic labels can become self-fulfilling prophecies

axis 2

- personality disorders - paranoid personality disorder

mood disorders

- prolonged and disabling disruptions in emotional state

somatoform disorders

- psychological disorders that focus on the physical body

axis 4

- psychosocial and environmental problems - homelessness

axis

- rating dimension - involve a wide range of factors including medical history, functioning in daily life

structural problems in the brain

- schizophrenia associated with enlarged ventricles

conditioning factor

- specific phobias may be acquired through classical conditioning or observational learning

diagnostic labeling effects

- the fact that labels for psychological problems can become self-fulfilling prophecies - the label may make it difficult to recognize normal behavior when it occurs, and it may actually increase the likelihood that a person will act in an abnormal way

bio-psycho-social perspective

- the idea that psychological disorders are influenced, or caused, by a combination of biological, psychological (cognitive), and social (environmental) factors

conversion disorder

- the presence of real physical problems, such as blindness or paralysis, that seem to have no identifiable physical cause

medical model

- the view that abnormal behavior is symptomatic of an underlying "disease", which can be "cured" with the appropriate therapy - some question it because causes of mental illness are often unclear and social, cultural context of symptoms is important more so than for physical illness

bipolar disorder

-a type of mood disorder in which the person experiences disordered mood shifts in 2 directions: from depression to manic state

Statistical deviance

A criterion of abnormality stating that a behavior is abnormal if it occurs infrequently among the members of a population.

dysfunction

a breakdown in normal functioning; abnormal behaviors are those that prevent one from pursuing adaptive strategies

cultural deviance

a criterion of abnormality stating that a behavior is abnormal if it violates the rules or accepted standards of society (walking to class nude)

emotional distress

a criterion of abnormality stating that abnormal behaviors are those that lead to personal distress or emotional upset