Psychological Disorders and Assessment

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to psychological disorders, assessment, and foundational psychological theories.

Superego

The part of the personality that represents moral standards.

Ego

The mediator between the Id and the Superego, operating on the reality principle.

Id

The part of the personality that contains primal impulses and desires.

Intrapsychic conflicts

Conflicts within the individual's mind or psyche.

Reliability

The consistency of a measure; does it yield similar results over time?

Validity

The accuracy of a measure; does it measure what it claims to measure?

Prevalence

The total number of cases of a disorder in a population during a specific time.

Incidence

The number of new cases of a disorder in a population during a specific period.

Comorbidity

The occurrence of two or more disorders in the same individual.

Classical Conditioning

Learning through paired associations.

Operant Conditioning

Learning through consequences or rewards.

Antagonist

A substance that blocks the action of a neurotransmitter at its receptor site.

Agonist

A substance that enhances or mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across the synapse between neurons.

Clinical Assessment

A systematic evaluation of psychological, biological, and social factors.

Learned Helplessness

A condition where a person feels unable to control the outcomes of their actions.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The part of the nervous system that calms the body and restores baseline functioning.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The part of the nervous system that mobilizes the body for action during stress.

Behavioral Model

A psychological model that focuses on observable behaviors and learning.

Person-Centered Therapy

A therapeutic approach that emphasizes acceptance and nonjudgment.

Moral Therapy

An early treatment approach that emphasized humane care and normal social interaction.

DSM

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; provides standardized diagnostic criteria.

Validity Issue

When a test measures something unintended, such as stress instead of anxiety.

Neuroimaging

Techniques used to visualize the structure and function of the brain.

Cerebellum

The brain area responsible for motor coordination.

Occipital Lobe

The brain region primarily responsible for vision.

Temporal Lobe

The area of the brain associated with hearing and memory.

Reticular Activating System

The part of the brain involved in arousal and attention.

Systematic Evaluation

A structured method for assessing psychological conditions.

Biopsychosocial Model

A framework that considers biological, psychological, and social factors in health.

Reuptake

The process of recycling neurotransmitters back into the presynaptic neuron.

Symptoms

Observable indications of a disorder.

Statistical Significance

A statistical result indicating that an effect is unlikely to be due to chance.

Clinical Significance

A change in symptoms that is meaningful in a real-world context.

Research Designs

Different methodologies used in psychological research, including correlational and experimental approaches.

Behavioral Assessment

Recording behavior as it occurs in real-time to minimize recall bias.

Unconditional Positive Regard

A concept in humanistic psychology where the therapist accepts the client without conditions.

Contextual Considerations

The importance of cultural and situational factors in evaluating behavior.

Synapse

The gap between neurons where neurotransmitters are released and received.

Receptors

Protein molecules that receive and bind neurotransmitters, affecting neuronal activity.

Medication Mechanism

The way a drug interacts with biological processes to alter symptoms.

Koala Effect

A term describing how behavior may change based on perceived control.

Distress Criterion

One of the main criteria in defining a psychological disorder, indicating suffering.