Abnormal Psychology: Key Terms (Video Notes)

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering major terms from the Abnormal Psychology lecture notes.

Psychological Disorder

Psychological dysfunction within an individual associated with distress or impairment in functioning and a response that is not typical or culturally expected.

Psychological Dysfunction

Breakdown in cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning.

Distress or Impairment

The individual is extremely upset and cannot function properly.

Atypical or Not Culturally Expected

Deviates from the culture's norm.

Psychopathology

Scientific study of psychological disorders.

Clinical/Counseling Psychologist

Ph.D.-level professional; graduate training ~5 years.

Psy.D.

Doctor of Psychology; emphasis on clinical training; less research.

Ph.D. (Psychology)

Integrates clinical and research training.

Psychiatrists

Medical doctors (M.D.) who specialize in psychiatry.

Psychiatric Social Workers

Masters in social work; focus on social/family context.

Scientist-Practitioners

Clinicians who stay current with science and conduct research; evaluate effectiveness of treatments.

Presenting Problem

Why the person came to the clinic; the presenting issue.

Clinical Description

Unique combination of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings of a disorder.

Prevalence

How many people in the population have/had the disorder.

Incidence

How many new cases occur during a given period.

Course

Individual pattern of symptoms over time.

Chronic

Lasts a long time.

Episodic

Likely to recover for months, with recurrence.

Time-Limited

Disorder improves without treatment in a relatively short period.

Onset

Beginning of the disorder.

Acute

Sudden onset.

Insidious

Gradual onset over an extended period.

Prognosis

Anticipated course of the disorder.

Etiology

Study of origins or why the disorder begins.

Ego-Syntonic

Behaviors aligned with personal values and self-image.

Ego-Dystonic

Actions inconsistent with ego or self-image.

Supernatural History

Historical view: disorders caused by devil/witches; exorcisms.

Exorcism

Treatment aimed at expelling demonic influence.

Wandering Uterus

Ancient humoral theory; uterus movement causes symptoms.

Hippocrates

Father of modern medicine; linked disorders to brain, heredity; coined ‘hysteria’.

Humoral Theory

Four humors (blood, black bile, yellow bile, phlegm) determine temperament.

Bloodletting

Old treatment to balance humors.

Induced Vomiting

Old treatment to balance humors.

General Paresis

Neurological deterioration from advanced syphilis.

John P. Grey

Advocated physical (biological) causes of insanity; improved hospitals.

Insulin Shock Therapy

Large insulin doses to induce convulsions/comas for treatment.

Freud

Pioneer of psychoanalysis; unconscious mind.

Catharsis

Release of emotional material.

Id

Pleasure principle in Freud’s structure of mind.

Ego

Reality principle in Freud’s structure of mind.

Superego

Morality principle in Freud’s structure of mind.

Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious processes that protect the ego from distress.

Psychosocial Stages

Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, Genitals (Freud).

Fixation

Gratification frustration during a stage leading to later behavior.

Oedipus Complex

Boy’s sexual desire for mother; fear of castration by father.

Electra Complex

Girl’s desire for father; penis envy.

Neuroses

Disorders of the nervous system.

Anna Freud

Ego psychology; defense mechanisms and ego dynamics.

Heinz Kohut

Self-psychology; development of self-concept.

Object Relations

How children internalize others’ images/relationships.

Carl Jung

Concept of collective unconscious; cultural memory.

Alfred Adler

Inferiority Complex.

Free Association

Say whatever comes to mind without censorship.

Dream Analysis

Therapist interprets dream content.

Transference

Patients relate to therapist as they did to important figures.

Countertransference

Therapist’s own unresolved issues projected onto patient.

Self-Actualizing

Actualizing one’s highest potential.

Maslow

Hierarchy of Needs.

Carl Rogers

Humanistic: Person-Centered Therapy.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Complete and nonjudgmental acceptance of client’s feelings.

Empathy

Understanding another’s viewpoint and feelings.

Thomas Szasz

Criticized the concept of mental illness as social control.

Joseph Wolpe

Systematic Desensitization for phobias.

Hans Selye

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) to stress.

GAS

Three-stage stress response: Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion.

Introspection

Reporting inner thoughts after experiencing stimuli.

John B. Watson

Founder of behaviorism; Little Albert experiment.

Operant Conditioning

Behavior changes as a function of consequences.

Reinforcement

Reward that strengthens behavior.

Shaping

Reinforcing successive approximations to a final behavior.

Classical Conditioning

Learning by pairing a neutral stimulus with a response.

Unconditioned Stimulus

Natural stimulus that elicits a response.

Unconditioned Response

Natural response to an unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Stimulus

New stimulus paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

Conditioned Response

Learned response to the conditioned stimulus.

Extinction

Reduction of conditioned response when CS is no longer paired.

Stimulus Generalization

Responding to similar objects or stimuli.

Introspection

Noting inner thoughts after stimuli.

John B. Watson (Behaviorism)

Focused on observable behavior; Little Albert.

Operant Conditioning (repeat)

Behavior shaped by consequences.

Genes

DNA; 46 chromosomes; 23 pairs; autosomes and sex chromosomes.

46 Chromosomes/23 Pairs

Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.

Autosomes

22 pairs of non-sex chromosomes.

Sex Chromosomes

X and Y determine sex (XX=female, XY=male).

Dominant

Gene that exerts effect when present.

Recessive

Gene whose effect is masked by dominant allele.

Diathesis-Stress Model

Inherit vulnerability that is activated by stress.

Diathesis

A vulnerability or susceptibility to a disorder.

Gene-Environment Correlation Model

Genetically influenced tendency to shape the environment risks.

Epigenetics

Environment can alter gene expression without changing DNA sequence.

Neuroscience

Study of nervous system function and its relation to behavior.

Central Nervous System

Processes information from senses and coordinates action.

Neurons

Nerve cells that transmit information.

Dendrites

Receive messages from other neurons.

Axon

Transmits impulses to other neurons.

Synapses

Gaps between neurons where communication occurs.

Action Potentials

Electrical impulses that travel along neurons.

Terminal Button

End of the axon; releases neurotransmitters.

Synaptic Cleft

Space between terminal button and dendrite.

Neurotransmitters

Biochemicals released at synapses to transmit signals.