VCE Psych Unit 1 AOS 1

Development

psychological or physical change in an organism that occurs over time

Emotional development

developmental changes in how an individual experiences different feelings and how these feelings are expressed, interpreted and dealt with

Cognitive development

developmental changes in mental abilities

Social development

developmental changes in an individual's relationships with other people and their skills in interacting with others

Developmental norms

a data set showing the typical skills and expected levels of achievement associated with a particular age or stage of development

Heredity

transmission of characteristics from biological parents to their offspring via genes at the time of conception

Environment

all the experiences, objects and events to which we are exposed throughout our entire lifetime

Biopsychosocial model

an approach to describing and explaining how biological, psychological and social factors combine and interact to influence an individual's behaviour and mental processes, including mental wellbeing

Biological factor

a physiologically based or determined influence, often

not under our control, such as the genes we inherit

Psychological factor

in the biopsychosocial model, an internal, mental process and influence such as the effects of our prior experiences, memories and ways of thinking

Social factor

developmental changes in an individual's relationships with other people and their skills in interacting with others

Attachment

the emotional bond which forms between an infant and another person

Strange situation

a test to measure the attachment relationships a child has with their parent

Stranger anxiety

the distress and uneasiness experienced by young children when they are around people who are unfamiliar to them

Separation anxiety

the distress and uneasiness experienced by a child when away (or facing the prospect of being away) from the person or people to whom they are attached

Secure attachment

a type of attachment proposed by Ainsworth where there is a positive relationship and the infant feels safe and secure

Insecure avoidant attachment

a type of attachment proposed by Ainsworth where there is a negative relationship and the infant does not seek closeness or contact with the caregiver and treats them much like a stranger

Insecure resistant attachment

a type of attachment proposed by Ainsworth where there is a negative relationship and the infant constantly checks the caregiver's whereabouts, calling, pleading, tries to re-establish contact, clings, then resists contact

Adaptation

in Piaget's theory, taking in, processing, organising and using new information in ways to adjust to change

Assimilation

in Piaget's theory, taking in new information and fitting it into a pre-existing mental idea

Accommodation

in Piaget's theory, changing a pre- existing mental idea to fit new information

Schema

in Piaget's theory, a mental idea of what something is and how to act on it

Social behaviour

any action that is influenced, directly or indirectly, by the actual, imagined, expected, or implied presence of others

Typical behaviour

behaviour that would usually occur and is appropriate and expected in a given situation

Atypical behaviour

behaviour that differs markedly in some way from what is expected in a given situation

Social norm

a widely held standard that governs what people should and should not do in different situations, especially in relation to others

Cultural norms

a set of norms about what is considered acceptable behaviour according to a particular cultural or ethnic group

Statistical rarity

when a behaviour is common among a small minority of people and therefore considered atypical

Adaptive behaviour

any behaviour that enables the individual to adjust to the environment appropriately and effectively

Maladaptive behaviour

any behaviour that interferes with a person's ability to successfully adjust to the environment and fulfil their typical roles in society

Abnormality

any deviation from what is considered normal, typical, usual or healthy

Neurotypicality

describes people whose neurological development and cognitive functioning are typical, conforming to what most people would consider to be normal in the general population

Autism

a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the way people communicate and interact with others and the world

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

a neurodevelopmental disorder involving a persistent pattern of inattention, and/or hyperactive-impulsive behaviour that adversely affects development or everyday functioning

Disability

any impairment that makes it significantly more difficult for a person to undertake an everyday activity

Learning disability

any disorder that impairs learning and results in the person learning with greater difficulty than a person without the disorder

Dyslexia

a learning disability characterised by significant difficulties with accurate and fluent word reading, spelling and writing words

Dyspraxia

a learning disability that affects coordination of physical movements, which may include the muscles for speaking, it is a specific learning disability that impairs acquisition and/or execution of skills required for motor coordination and possibly speech

Dyscalculia

a learning disability that affects acquisition of mathematical concepts and skills

Psychiatrist

a medical doctor who has obtained additional qualifications to specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses

Psychologist

a professional trained in the science of how people think, feel and behave; can only work as a psychologist or use that title if formally registered by the relevant Board

Diagnosis

the process of identifying the type of disorder affecting an individual on the basis of its signs and symptoms

DSM

the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, now in its 5th edition

Diagnostic criteria

the signs and symptoms used for the diagnosis of a specific type of disorder

Labelling

in mental health, the process of classifying an individual as having a specific mental disorder following a diagnosis

Self-stigma

when an individual accepts the negative views and reactions of others, internalises them, and applies them to themself

Social stigma

the negative attitudes and beliefs held in the wider community that lead people to fear, exclude, avoid or unfairly discriminate against people with a disorder

Stigma

a sign of social disapproval or social deficiency, often involving shame or disgrace.

Mental health problem

adversely affects the way a person thinks, feels and/or behaves, but typically to a lesser extent and of a shorter duration than a mental disorder. Sometimes referred to as a 'rough patch', a 'low point'

Mental disorder

a mental health state that involves a combination of thoughts, feelings and/or behaviours which are usually associated with significant personal distress and impair the ability to function effectively in everyday life

Mentally healthy

being in a generally positive state of mental wellbeing, having the ability to cope with and manage life's challenges, working productively, striving to fulfil one's goals and potential, and having a sense of connection to others and the community in general

Protective factor

any characteristic or event that reduces the likelihood of the occurrence or recurrence of a mental disorder

Predisposing risk factor

increases susceptibility to a specific mental disorder

Precipitating risk factor

increases susceptibility to and contributes to the occurrence of a specific mental disorder

Perpetuating risk factor

maintains or prolongs the occurrence of a specific mental disorder and inhibits recovery

Biological risk factors

factors that either originate or develop within the body and consequently may not be under our control. Eg: imbalance in brain chemistry, family history (genetics), traumatic brain injury, poor sleep habits

Psychological risk factors

factors that originate or develop within the mind, which means there is often the potential to exert some control over their occurrence or influence. Eg: catastrophic thinking, classical conditioning, rumination

Social risk factors

factors that originate in the external environment and interact with biological and psychological factors in influencing our mental health state. Eg: stigma, social learning, trauma, insecure attachment

Specific phobia

disorder characterised by significant anxiety provoked by exposure to a specific feared object or situation, often leading to avoidance behaviour

Two-Hit Hypothesis

A mental disorder develops when two events happen: (1) a genetic vulnerability is present, and (2) a major life stressor occurs. Both are needed for the disorder to appear.

Common diagnostic criteria

To diagnose a disorder, behaviour must cause distress, interfere with daily functioning, and not be explained by another condition.

Stigma and labelling

Labelling someone with a disorder can lead to stigma (negative stereotypes, discrimination), which can make symptoms worse and stop people from seeking help.

Neurodiversity

The idea that differences in brain function (like ADHD, autism, dyslexia) are natural variations, not always deficits or problems.