Abnormal Psychology Final Exam

Roblyn Lewter, Spring 2026

What is psychopathology?

Scientific study of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors which are problematic

What are the three things we might use to determine if an action is pathological?

1. Deviance from the norm

2. Difficulty adapting to lifes demands

3. Experience personal distress

What did Hippocrates believe about psychology?

He rejected demons and evil spirits as an explanation and said the brain was the central organ

What is the dimensional perspective?

Everyone experiences bad thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, but not the level of a mental disorder. It is a continuum.

What is the biological model of psychopathology?

Mental states, emotions, and behaviors arise from brain function and physical processes

What are some advantages of the biological model?

1. Reduces moral blame

2. Good for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

3. Gave us medication

What are some disadvantages of the biological model?

1. Bad for finding meaning and addressing trauma

2. Not the whole story

What is the psychodynamic model of psychopathology?

Internal mental structures and unconscious motives lead to mental states

What famous psychologist created the psychodynamic model?

Sigmund Freud

What is the ego?

Balance between superego and id

What is superego?

Overly cautious side

What is id?

Impulsive side (Think IDiot)

What are the advantages of the psychodynamic model?

It offers depth and meaning

What are two disadvantages of the psychodynamic model?

1. No empirical evidence

2. No measurement

What is the humanistic model of psychopathology?

It assumes people are naturally good and want to grow. Behavior is caused by self and others perception.

What are 2 advantages of the humanistic model?

1. Compassionate

2. Emphasizes client responsibility

What are two disadvantages of the humanistic model?

1. Unscientific

2. Less applicable to severe cases

What is the cognitive-behavioral model of psychopathology?

There is an interaction between environment, thoughts. and behaviors.

What is an advantage of the cognitive-behavioral model?

It’s evidence based

What is a disadvantage of the cognitive-behavioral model?

It does'n’t explain where the problem begins (the behavior is learned)

What is the sociocultural model of psychopathology?

Other people, institutions, and forces influence mental health

What is the diathesis-stress model?

Genetic predisposition combines with stress and causes psychopathological behaviors

What is incidence?

Rate of cases during a specific time period

What is prevalence?

Rate of new and existing case of a condition observed

What is lifetime prevalence?

Proportion of those who exhibit symptoms of a disorder up to time assessed

What is universal prevention?

Prevention targeting large groups of people

What is primary prevention?

Given to people with no disorder present

What is secondary prevention?

Addressing problems while they are manageable

What did Rosenbaum teach us about diagnosis?

It is context dependent, and labels influence perception

What is the issue with the Harvard Happiness Study?

The sample is not representative

What are three advantages of diagnosis?

1. Allows for easy communication

2. Groups people based on symptoms to study

3. Clinicians can find useful assessment strategies

What is worry?

A cognitive construct which refers to concern about a possible future threat

What is anxiety?’

An emotional state that occurs as a threatening event approaches.

What is fear?

An immediate and negative emotional reaction to imminent threat

What is the key fear involved with panic disorder?

Fear of having panic attacks

What is agoraphobia?

Avoidance of places or situations in which you might have a panic attack

What situations do people with social anxiety disorder avoid?

Situations involving performance or judgement

What is generalized anxiety disorder?

Constant, disproportionate worry about non-dangerous situations, involves physical symptoms of tension.