Psychology Comprehensive Review: MDD, Obesity, and Cognitive Theories

Practice flashcards covering Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) etiologies, obesity mechanisms, cognitive models, social identity theory, and research methodologies based on cultural dimensions.

According to Kendler et al. (2006), what is the estimated heritability of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)?

Approximately $38\text{-}44\%$, with monozygotic (MZ) twins showing higher concordance rates than dizygotic (DZ) twins.

What does the monoamine hypothesis suggest regarding the biological basis of MDD?

It suggests that low levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are associated with depressive symptoms.

How does the short allele variant of the 5-HTT gene influence serotonin signaling?

It reduces the efficiency of the serotonin transporter, which disrupts signaling and increases biological sensitivity to environmental stressors.

What findings did Caspi et al. (2003) report regarding the 5-HTT gene and life events?

Individuals with the short allele variant were significantly more likely to develop MDD following stressful life events compared to those with the long allele variant.

According to the DSM-5, what are the minimum requirements for a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder?

A patient must display $5$ or more of $9$ listed symptoms for at least $2$ weeks, with at least one symptom being depressed mood or anhedonia (loss of interest/pleasure).

What significant change occurred regarding bereavement in the transition from DSM-IV to DSM-5?

The removal of the bereavement exclusion, meaning depressive symptoms following the death of a loved one can now be diagnosed as MDD.

Define the interaction at the core of the Diathesis Stress Model.

MDD develops through the interaction of an underlying biological or psychological predisposition (diathesis) and exposure to environmental triggers (stress).

What is the 'Cognitive Triad' in Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Model of Depression?

Three interconnected patterns of negative automatic thinking: a negative view of the self, a negative view of the world, and a negative view of the future.

How did Alloy et al. (1999) provide longitudinal support for Beck's model?

They found that students with negative cognitive styles were significantly more likely to develop MDD over several years, suggesting negative schemas precede the disorder.

According to Nolen-Hoeksema, how does rumination affect depressive episodes?

It is a maladaptive response style that repetitively focuses on distress, which prolongs and intensifies depressive episodes.

How are System 1 and System 2 processing affected in individuals with MDD according to the Dual Processing Model?

System 1 becomes dominated by automatic negative thoughts and biases, while System 2 (analytical thinking) becomes impaired and fails to override these cognitions.

What differences in symptom expression (idioms of distress) are observed between individualistic and collectivist cultures?

Individualistic cultures often report emotional/psychological symptoms (sadness), while collectivist cultures often report somatic (physical) symptoms like headaches or bodily pain.

What did the Brown & Harris (1978) study reveal about the onset of MDD in women?

MDD was predicted by the combination of a severe life event (social stressor) and a vulnerability factor, such as the lack of social support or early maternal loss.

Distinguish between domino causality and cumulative causality in the context of MDD.

Domino causality suggests a single linear trigger, while cumulative causality suggests MDD results from the build-up of multiple risk factors over time.

What are the two core components of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for MDD?

Cognitive restructuring (challenging negative thoughts) and behavioral activation (re-engaging in rewarding activities).

How do leptin and ghrelin regulate appetite, and how is this disrupted in obesity?

Leptin signals satiety and ghrelin stimulates hunger; in obesity, leptin resistance often develops, meaning the brain does not respond to fullness signals.

According to Wilding et al. (2021), what was the average weight loss produced by the GLP-1 agonist semaglutide (Ozempic)?

An average weight loss of approximately $15\%$ of body weight over $68$ weeks.

What are the four processes involved in Bandura's Social Learning Theory?

Attention, Retention, Reproduction, and Motivation.

What is the 'imposed etic' problem in psychological research?

Occurs when a researcher assumes their own cultural framework (universal/etic) is applicable to another culture where it may not fit, such as applying Western DSM-5 criteria to Asian populations.

Describe the four strategies in Berry’s (1997) Acculturation Framework.

Integration (maintaining heritage while adopting host), Assimilation (adopting host only), Separation (maintaining heritage only), and Marginalization (losing connection to both).

What did the Asch (1951) line experiment demonstrate about conformity?

Approximately $75\%$ of participants conformed to an obviously incorrect group answer at least once due to normative social pressure.

Define anchoring bias as demonstrated by Tversky & Kahneman (1974).

The tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered (the anchor) and make insufficient adjustments from that point when making judgements.

What is the difference between positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement in Operant Conditioning?

Positive reinforcement adds a pleasant stimulus to increase behavior, while negative reinforcement removes an aversive stimulus to increase behavior.

What did Bartlett's (1932) study using the story 'War of the Ghosts' demonstrate about memory?

Memory is reconstructive; participants distorted the story to make it consistent with their own cultural schemas.

In Social Identity Theory, what is the 'minimal group paradigm'?

The finding that even arbitrary or trivial group assignments are sufficient to produce ingroup favoritism and outgroup discrimination.