Intro to Psych - Exam 4

What are the three main functions of emotions?

Intrapersonal, interpersonal, and social/cultural functions.

What do intrapersonal functions of emotions help us do?

They help us act quickly, prepare the body for action, influence our thoughts, and motivate future behaviors.

How do interpersonal functions of emotions facilitate behavior?

They facilitate specific behaviors in others, indicate the nature of interpersonal relationships, and provide incentives for desired social behaviors.

What is the role of social and cultural functions of emotions?

They transmit culture through worldviews related to emotions, dictate which emotions are ideal, and help maintain social order.

What are some benefits of experiencing frequent positive emotions?

Higher well-being, improved physical health, greater resilience to stress, better social connections, and longer lives.

What can too little negative emotion lead to?

It can be problematic, leading to lower life satisfaction and increased risk of psychopathology.

What is the relationship between emotion intensity and well-being?

Very intense positive emotions can be associated with risky behaviors and lower life satisfaction.

What does fluctuation of emotions refer to?

It refers to the variability in emotional experiences, which can be indicative of emotional instability.

What are the three aspects of emotion experience that impact well-being?

Intensity, fluctuation, and context.

What is drive-reduction motivation?

It arises from homeostasis, where deprivation of a physiological need drives behaviors to reduce that need.

What does Arousal Theory suggest about human motivation?

It suggests that humans are motivated to seek optimal levels of arousal.

What is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

A theory that states basic physiological needs must be satisfied before higher-level needs can be fulfilled.

What are the three basic psychological needs in Self-Determination Theory?

Autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

What is the significance of cultural display rules?

They are learned rules that specify how to manage and modify emotional expressions according to social circumstances.

How do emotions influence our thoughts?

Emotions serve as the affective basis for attitudes, values, and beliefs about the world.

What is social referencing?

The process by which individuals look for information from others to clarify a situation and then act based on that information.

What are the effects of experiencing mixed emotions?

Mixed emotions can complicate emotional experiences and impact well-being.

What is the impact of negative emotion fluctuation?

It has been linked to depressive symptoms and emotional instability.

What is the relationship between emotions and societal functioning?

Emotions play a crucial role in maintaining social order and cultural transmission.

What can intense negative emotions lead to?

They can lead to lower social support, lower grades, and worse physical health.

What is the significance of emotional experience in well-being?

Emotions affect cognitions, behaviors, and social connections, influencing overall well-being.

What is the evolutionary perspective on motivation?

It suggests that genes predispose certain species-typical behaviors.

What is the role of instincts in motivation?

Instincts are complex behaviors that are rigidly patterned and unlearned, but they cannot explain most human motives.

How do emotions give meaning to life?

They provide context and significance to our experiences and interactions.

What is the relationship between emotions and memory?

Emotions are tied to many memories and influence how we recall experiences.

What are the potential downsides of striving for intense positive emotions?

It may lead to risky behaviors and lower overall life satisfaction.

Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Therapy

Made famous by Sigmund Freud; stresses that mental health concerns are rooted in unconscious conflicts and desires.

Id

Pleasure-driven unconscious urges.

Superego

Semi-conscious part of the mind where morals and societal judgement are internalized.

Ego

Partly conscious, mediates between the id and superego.

Free association

Client shares any/all thoughts that come to mind without censoring or organizing.

Dream analysis

Involves manifest content (what literally happened) and latent content (symbolic content/unconscious reflections).

Transference

Patient displacing feelings for people in their life onto the therapist.

Countertransference

Therapist displaces their own emotions onto the patient.

Humanistic and Person-Centered Therapy

Developed by Carl Rogers; believes all people have the potential to change and improve.

Unconditional positive regard

Attitude of warmth, empathy, and acceptance adopted by the therapist to foster feelings of inherent worth in the client.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Developed by Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis; aims to alleviate psychological symptoms by changing underlying cognitions and behaviors.

Automatic thoughts

Thoughts clients report experiencing spontaneously.

Reappraisal or cognitive restructuring

Process of identifying, evaluating, and changing maladaptive thoughts.

Mindfulness

Process that reflects a non-judgmental, yet attentive, mental state focusing on awareness of bodily sensations, thoughts, and the outside environment.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Created for the treatment of borderline personality disorder; focuses on skills training to address symptoms.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

People are taught to observe their thoughts from a detached perspective, recognizing which are beneficial and which are harmful.

Mindfulness (in DBT)

One of the skills trained to address symptoms in DBT.

Distress tolerance

Coping with maladaptive thoughts.

Emotional regulation

Skill focused on managing emotional responses.

Interpersonal effectiveness

Skill aimed at improving relationships and communication.

Dialectical worldview

Joint importance of acceptance and change; two opposing things can be true together.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR)

Lays out specific criteria for psychological disorders, used for diagnostic purposes.

Psychological Disorders

A syndrome marked by a clinically significant disturbance in a person's cognitions, emotion regulation, or behavior, often accompanied by distress.

Anxiety

Negative mood state accompanied by bodily symptoms such as increased heart rate, muscle tension, and sense of apprehension about the future.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Excessive worry about everyday things that is out of proportion to the specific causes of the worry, lasting at least 6 months.

Panic Disorder

Unexpected panic attacks with continued intense anxiety and avoidance related to the attack for at least one month.

Agoraphobia

Anxiety distinguished by feelings that a place is unsafe or uncomfortable due to its openness or being crowded.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Sense of intense fear triggered by memories of a traumatic event, requiring the experience of a traumatic event.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Disorder characterized by the desire to engage in certain behaviors excessively or compulsively to reduce anxiety.

Major Depressive Episode

Symptoms that co-occur for at least two weeks and cause significant distress or impairment in functioning.

Manic Episode

Distinct period of abnormally or persistently euphoric, expansive, or irritable mood with increased goal-directed activity.

Unipolar Mood Disorders

Include Major Depressive Disorder and Persistent Depressive Disorder, characterized by depressive episodes without mania.

Bipolar I Disorder

Characterized by a single or recurrent manic episode; depressive episode is not necessary but common.

Bipolar II Disorder

Characterized by single (or recurrent) hypomanic episodes and depressive episodes.

Triple Vulnerabilities

Influences that channel our anxiety, including specific genetic and neurological factors, early experiences, and how we view the world.

Interoceptive Avoidance

Avoiding internal bodily or somatic cues paired with panic.

Thought-action fusion

Tendency to overestimate the relationship between a thought and an action, perceiving having a thought as bad as doing the unwanted behavior.

Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Include muscle tension, fatigue, agitation/restlessness, irritability, sleep difficulties, and difficulty concentrating.

Diagnostic criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Must have experienced a traumatic event and exhibit symptoms like distressing memories, flashbacks, nightmares, and hypervigilance.

Criteria for Major Depressive Episode

Require 5 out of 9 symptoms including depressed mood, diminished interest, weight changes, sleep disturbances, and suicidal ideation.

Criteria for Manic Episode

Require at least 3 symptoms including inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, and excessive involvement in risky behaviors.