Paper 2 ERQs

Abnormal Psychology

Treatments

Davidson

Methodology: A double-blind study was conducted on 208 patients with moderate to severe PTSD. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either Zoloft (an SSRI) or a placebo to test the drug's effectiveness while minimizing researcher bias.
Results: After 12 weeks, 60% of the Zoloft group reported improvement compared to 38% in the placebo group. However, side effects in the Zoloft group included insomnia, diarrhea, nausea, decreased appetite, and withdrawal symptoms in 9% of participants.

MacNamara

Methodology: 34 male veterans (half with PTSD) from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom had fMRI scans before and after 12 weeks of SSRI treatment (Paroxetine). Scans measured brain activity during cognitive reappraisal and emotional regulation tasks. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the CAPs scale.
Results: 70% of the PTSD group showed at least a 50% reduction in CAPs scores. Increased activity was found in brain regions involved in top-down emotional regulation, including the dorsolateral PFC and SMA, suggesting improved regulation of the amygdala.

Rothbaum

Methodology: 8 Vietnam War veterans underwent Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET), where they were exposed to two different environments: 1) flying over a landscape resembling Vietnam in a Huey Helicopter, or 2) being in a field surrounded by a jungle. PTSD symptoms were measured using the Clinically Administered PTSD Scale (CAPs).
Results: All participants showed symptom reduction, ranging from 15% to 67%, when assessed at a 6-month follow-up.

Felmingham

Methodology: 8 participants (5 females, 3 males) with PTSD from car crashes or assaults underwent 8 weeks of CBT (imagination therapy or cognitive restructuring). PTSD symptoms were measured with CAPS, and brain activity was assessed by reactions to fearful and neutral faces.
Results: All participants showed at least a 30% reduction in CAPS scores. Greater anterior cingulate cortex activation after treatment correlated with lower PTSD symptoms, and decreased amygdala activation was linked to symptom reduction.

Jimenez

Methodology: Over 2,000 participants aged 65 and older were surveyed, grouped by ethnicity: non-Latino White, African American, Asian American, and Latino. They were asked questions like, "What do you think causes depression?"
Results: African Americans were more likely to attribute disorders to stress or worry and sought spiritual advice. Latinos preferred medication as a treatment option. Non-Latino Whites were more likely to seek help from a psychiatrist, while African Americans sought help from someone in their household. Asian Americans were less likely to speak to anyone and preferred a provider of the same ethnicity. The findings revealed significant ethnic differences in perceptions of the causes of mental disorders and treatment preferences. Clinicians need to consider cultural backgrounds when administering treatments and align options with patients' beliefs to improve adherence and effectiveness.

Turvey

Methodology: The study compared attitudes toward depression in Russian, South Korean, and American participants over the age of 60 using a questionnaire.
Results:
Only 6% of American participants viewed depression as a sign of weakness.
Russian and South Korean participants were much more likely to label individuals with depression as weak (61% and 78%, respectively).
This cultural attitude could discourage individuals from seeking help due to the fear of being perceived as weak.

Human Relationships

Group Dynamics

Radke

Methods: 54 healthy females received testosterone or placebo, then did an approach/avoid task in an fMRI while viewing emotional faces.
Results: Testosterone increased amygdala activity when approaching angry faces, not when avoiding them.

Goetz

Methodology 16 healthy males received an injection that brought their testosterone levels to a baseline level. They then received an injection of testosterone (on one day) and a placebo (on another). They lay in an fMRI and viewed images of different faces, including happy, angry, sad, and neutral. Results There was a significant activation of the amygdala and the hypothalamus in the testosterone condition when participants were viewing angry faces (but not when viewing the neutral ones) Conclusion: Testosterone influences the reactivity of the amygdala and the hypothalamus when we perceive faces that are threatening. Testosterone may play an important role in increasing the activation of the amygdala and the hypothalamus in order to help prepare to defend ourselves against a threat by increasing levels of adrenaline in the body.

Tajfel

Methodology: 48 boys from a public school in Bristol were grouped based on supposed preference for Klee or Kandinsky paintings. They then allocated money to anonymous individuals identified only by group membership using a matrix system, where allocations to in-group vs. out-group members were compared.
Results: Participants consistently favored their in-group members with higher monetary allocations, despite group membership being arbitrarily assigned.

Sherif

Methodology: At Robber's Cave summer camp in Oklahoma, 22 white, middle-class, Protestant boys (with married parents) were divided into two groups: the Rattlers and the Eagles.
Phase 1: In-group bonding
Phase 2: Competition between groups, involving games like baseball and tug-of-war, with prizes awarded only to the winners.
Researchers deliberately created situations where one group benefited at the expense of the other.
Results: Competition led to intense intergroup hostility (violence, discrimination)

Aronson

Methodology: Students from desegregated schools in Austin, Texas participated in a field experiment using the jigsaw classroom technique. Each student received a unique piece of information, formed expert groups to learn it, then returned to teach it to their original group.
Results: Improved self-esteem, academic performance, and inter-group relations.The jigsaw technique reduced racial barriers and promoted cooperation.