Exam 2 Empathy Psych

Transference

The client transfers their emotions towards someone personal to the therapist

Countertransference

The therapist transfers their own personal feelings and attitude towards the client

SHLDNT DO IT

Gestalt psychotherapy

psychodynamic

Fritz Perls

Cognitive-oriented Therapy

Albert Ellis

Humanistic, "client-centered" therapy

Carl Rogers

Behavioral approaches

inspired by B.F.Skinner

systematic desensitization, modeling, token economy

Rogerian therapist

non-directive

empathy, unconditional positive regard, and congruence

showing emapathy through active listening:

1. summarize/paraphrase

2. Invite clarification and elaboration

3. Reflect feelings

The gloria tapes: Carl Rogers

- accepts Gloria without judgment

- paraphrases

- doesn't lead her, emphasizes self-exploration

Gloria:

felt understood and safe

The gloria tapes: Fritz Perls

- confrontational

- blunt, challenging

- avoid feelings, face the truth

Gloria:

flet defensive and anxious

The gloria tapes: Albert Ellis

- teacher and coach

- change irrational beliefs

- assertive, logical, critical

Gloria:

felt pressured, somewhat resistant, but recognized logic

CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy)

focused on how thoughts affect our emotions and behaviors

future oriented

help client find more adaptive and new ways of thinking

What is the primary focus of Stark alternative therapy compared to Rogerian therapy?

It offers clear guidance on how to modify dysfunctional behavior and thought.

What is a potential concern regarding Stark alternative therapy?

Clients may feel a lack of true compassion from the therapist.

What is the gold standard for evaluating the effectiveness of therapy?

A fully randomized, double-blind design with a placebo group.

What does 'double-blind' mean in the context of therapy studies?

Neither the patients nor the doctors know who is assigned to which condition.

What is a significant challenge in testing psychotherapy effectiveness?

Randomly assigning patients to different therapies is often considered unethical.

What is a waitlist control in therapy studies?

A group of patients matched on variables who do not receive therapy initially.

What did the Smith and Glass study in 1977 conclude about different therapies?

Most therapies offer benefits over waitlist controls, but few differences exist between types.

What factor was found to predict therapy success according to the Smith and Glass study?

The empathic orientation of the therapist.

What are the key characteristics of a good therapist?

Accepting, understanding, empathic, calm, warm, collaborative, and helpful.

What is rapport in therapy?

A foundational relationship of trust, empathy, and mutual understanding between client and therapist.

What are the potential benefits of better rapport in therapy?

Improved communication, treatment adherence, retention, and symptom improvement.

What are the three dimensions of empathy burnout?

Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased sense of personal accomplishment.

What is a possible consequence of empathy burnout in clinicians?

Dehumanization, where clinicians distance themselves from patients.

What did the experiment comparing doctors and non-doctors reveal about emotional responses?

Doctors showed less neurological response to painful stimuli than non-doctors.

How does down-regulation of emotional responses work in clinicians?

Higher brain regions inhibit lower-level emotion-generating regions.

What is the significance of empathy in clinical practice?

It is essential for effective therapy and building a strong therapist-client alliance.

What is a common challenge in finding therapists for studies on psychotherapy effectiveness?

Therapists may vary significantly in their level of experience and approach.

What is the role of the prefrontal cortex in down-regulation?

It inhibits the amygdala, which generates emotional responses.

What is the impact of empathy on clinician-patient communication?

Better empathy leads to improved communication and treatment outcomes.

What is the relationship between therapist training and therapy outcomes?

The type and level of training do not significantly affect therapy outcomes.

What is emotional exhaustion in the context of empathy burnout?

A state of depletion where clinicians feel unable to offer emotional support.

What does depersonalization refer to in empathy burnout?

An impersonal response toward recipients of care, leading to emotional detachment.

What part of the brain is associated with emotional regions?

The limbic system

Why are adolescents often more impulsive?

Self-control skills (prefrontal processes) develop later.

What is 'news fatigue'?

A condition related to the 24/7 news cycle and increased internet access, leading to exposure to a lot of mostly negative information.

What is 'caregiver burnout'?

Burnout experienced by individuals providing long-term care for someone, such as a younger sibling, older family member, or disabled loved one.

What is 'workplace burnout'?

Burnout that may result from a toxic workplace environment or stress.

What are some strategies to prevent empathy burnout?

Assess personal feelings of burnout, take effective breaks, maintain self-care, and lean on support from others.

What is the significance of self-care in preventing burnout?

Self-care is important not only for preventing burnout but also for effectively performing one's job.

What does 'objectification of women' refer to?

The act of treating women as sexual objects rather than as complex human beings, often involving demeaning portrayals.

What was the focus of the study by Cogoni et al. regarding ingroup bias?

It examined neurological responses to sexualized female targets shown in different attire.

What is a common neurological response observed in individuals when seeing outgroup members in pain?

Observers can neurologically downregulate empathic responses.

Who showed broad insensitivity to the pain of others, according to the study on psychopaths?

Psychopaths show far-ranging insensitivity to the pain of any other person but are sensitive to anger.

What did the study by Sims (2017) find about agreeableness?

Agreeableness was the best predictor of empathic listening skills.

What is active listening?

A concept used by empathy researchers to define a good listener, involving full attention and unconditional acceptance.

What are some techniques for effective active listening?

Be present, give active listening cues, avoid rehearsing responses, and ask for clarification when needed.

What are Gottman's 'four horsemen of the apocalypse' in the context of marital conflict?

Negative, harsh, overly general, or critical start-ups that predict whether couples will stay together or divorce.

What is a simple way to increase empathic understanding in relationships?

Engage in activities together.

What did Zaki et al. find about highly empathic perceivers?

They can be accurate in their perceptions, but only if social targets are sufficiently expressive.

How did the original version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) differ from the new measure for couples?

The statements changed from general to specific, focusing on partners rather than individuals.

What is the relationship between IRI for couples and individual relationship satisfaction?

IRI for couples is moderately correlated with their own relationship satisfaction for both heterosexual and same-sex relationships.

What aspect of relationship satisfaction is missing in the study of IRI for couples?

The relationship between a person's IRI for couple score and their partner's rating of relationship satisfaction.

What is oxytocin and how is it different from oxycodone?

Oxytocin is a naturally-produced hormone that differs from oxycodone, which is a frequently abused opioid.

What are some speculated benefits of oxytocin supplements?

They may improve empathic connections, enhance theory of mind abilities, and improve trust in others, although evidence is weak.

How do infants learn to associate food with social interaction?

Infants learn to associate food with soothing and social interaction from an early age.

What does 'comfort food' signify for adults?

Comfort food signifies consolation after disappointment and represents more than just satiety.

What is the social aspect of eating?

Eating is an inherently social behavior, and meals shared with others are more significant than food consumed alone.

What is a warning regarding food intake in the context of empathy?

Stress can lead to unhealthy eating behaviors, such as consuming comfort food excessively.

What did Study 1 by Crenshaw (2019) find about stress levels and empathy accuracy in couples?

Heterosexual couples with moderate stress levels show higher empathy accuracy compared to those with low or high stress levels.

How does high personal distress affect empathy?

High personal distress can lead to high empathy, but may also cause individuals to avoid helping others due to stress.

What is the effect of resolving issues in close relationships on empathy?

Couples who resolve issues tend to have a more accurate and empathic understanding of each other compared to those who avoid issues.

What is the 'Love is Blind' effect in relationships?

Individuals in happy relationships may have lower levels of empathy, causing them to overlook problems in their partner or relationship.

What is a potential downside of high empathy in relationships?

High empathy can reveal both positive and negative aspects of a partner, leading to a distorted view of the relationship.

What type of meditation might improve empathy?

Compassion meditation, which focuses on lovingkindness and compassion, may improve empathy and attention towards others.

What was the outcome of the study on participants engaging in extended compassion meditation?

Participants showed increased spontaneous expressions of empathy when shown pictures of people suffering.