AP Psychology Unit 5: Disorders, Treatment, & Personality

acrophobia

an intense and irrational fear of heights

acute schizophrenia

a form of schizophrenia with sudden onset and often a better chance of recovery

agoraphobia

an anxiety disorder involving fear of situations where escape might be difficult such as crowds or public spaces

anorexia nervosa

a feeding and eating disorder where a person maintains an extremely low body weight and has an intense fear of gaining weight

anti-social personality disorder

a personality disorder characterized by a lack of empathy guilt or remorse and repeated violation of others’ rights

anxiety disorders

a group of psychological disorders characterized by excessive fear worry and behavioral disturbances

arachnophobia

an extreme and irrational fear of spiders

ataque de nervios

a culturally related syndrome often involving intense emotional upset shouting crying trembling or aggression

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by persistent patterns of inattention hyperactivity and impulsivity

autism spectrum disorders

neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by difficulties with social communication and restricted repetitive behaviors

bipolar disorder

a mood disorder involving cycles of depression and mania or hypomania

bipolar I

a type of bipolar disorder defined by at least one full manic episode often with depressive episodes

bipolar II

a type of bipolar disorder involving hypomanic episodes and major depressive episodes but not full mania

bulimia nervosa

a feeding and eating disorder involving binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting or excessive exercise

catatonia

a state of motor immobility or excessive purposeless movement often associated with schizophrenia

chronic schizophrenia

a long lasting form of schizophrenia often involving persistent symptoms and poorer prognosis

cluster A personality disorders

odd or eccentric personality disorders including paranoid schizoid and schizotypal personalities

cluster B personality disorders

dramatic emotional or erratic personality disorders including antisocial borderline histrionic and narcissistic personalities

cluster C personality disorders

anxious or fearful personality disorders including avoidant dependent and obsessive compulsive personality types

compulsion

a repetitive behavior or mental act performed to reduce anxiety caused by an obsession

delusion

a false belief strongly held despite clear evidence that it is not true

depression

a mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness loss of interest and changes in sleep appetite or energy

depressive disorders

a group of disorders marked by prolonged sadness hopelessness and loss of interest in activities

diathesis-stress model

a theory that psychological disorders develop from a combination of genetic vulnerability and environmental stress

dissociation

a mental process where a person disconnects from thoughts feelings memories or sense of identity

dissociative amnesia

a disorder involving inability to recall important personal information usually after trauma or stress

dissociative disorders

disorders involving disruptions in memory identity or consciousness

dissociative identity disorder

a rare disorder in which a person displays two or more distinct identities or personality states

distress

emotional suffering or discomfort that interferes with daily functioning

dopamine hypothesis

the theory that schizophrenia is linked to excessive dopamine activity in certain brain pathways

dysfunction

impairment in psychological emotional or behavioral functioning

epigenetics

the study of how environmental factors influence gene expression without altering the DNA sequence

feeding and eating disorders

disorders characterized by abnormal eating behaviors that negatively affect physical or mental health

flashbacks

sudden vivid reexperiencing of a traumatic event as if it is happening again

flat affect

a reduced or absence of emotional expression often seen in schizophrenia

generalized anxiety disorder

a disorder involving persistent excessive worry about many aspects of life

hallucination

a sensory perception such as seeing or hearing something that is not actually present

hoarding disorder

a disorder involving persistent difficulty discarding possessions regardless of their value

hostility

anger resentment or aggression toward others

hypervigilance

an enhanced state of sensory sensitivity and constant scanning for potential threats

insomnia

persistent difficulty falling asleep staying asleep or getting restful sleep

major depressive disorder

a severe depressive disorder involving persistent sadness loss of interest and other symptoms lasting at least two weeks

maladaptive behaviors

actions or patterns of behavior that interfere with effective functioning or adjustment

mania

an abnormally elevated mood with increased activity energy reduced need for sleep and impulsive behavior

neurodevelopmental disorders

disorders that begin in childhood and involve impairments in personal social academic or occupational functioning

obsession

a persistent intrusive thought image or urge that causes anxiety

obsessive-compulsive disorder

a disorder characterized by recurring obsessions and compulsions that interfere with daily life

obsessive-compulsive personality disorder

a personality disorder marked by extreme perfectionism orderliness and control

panic attack

a sudden episode of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart pounding sweating and shortness of breath

panic disorder

an anxiety disorder involving recurrent unexpected panic attacks and fear of future attacks

persistent depressive disorder

a long lasting form of depression with less severe but chronic symptoms lasting two years or more

personality disorders

enduring patterns of inner experience and behavior that deviate from cultural expectations and cause distress or impairment

phobia

an intense irrational fear of a specific object activity or situation

post-traumatic stress disorder

a trauma related disorder involving flashbacks nightmares avoidance and heightened arousal after a traumatic event

psychological disorder

a condition involving thoughts emotions or behaviors that cause distress dysfunction or deviance

psychotic disorders

disorders characterized by distorted thinking hallucinations or delusions and loss of contact with reality

schizophrenia spectrum disorders

a group of disorders involving psychosis including schizophrenia and related conditions

social anxiety disorder

an anxiety disorder involving intense fear of being judged embarrassed or rejected in social situations

specific phobia

a strong irrational fear of a particular object or situation

stigma

negative attitudes or discrimination toward individuals with mental illness

stupor

a state of near unconsciousness or unresponsiveness to external stimuli

taijin kyofusho

a culture related social anxiety disorder involving fear of offending or embarrassing others

trauma

a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope

trauma-and stressor-related disorders

disorders caused by exposure to traumatic or stressful events

word salad

disorganized speech where words are strung together without logical meaning

agreeableness

a personality trait characterized by kindness trust cooperation and compassion

Big Five Factors

a personality model including openness conscientiousness extraversion agreeableness and neuroticism

collectivism

a cultural orientation that prioritizes group goals and social harmony over individual goals

conscientiousness

a personality trait characterized by organization responsibility and dependability

defense mechanisms

unconscious strategies used by the ego to reduce anxiety by distorting reality

denial

a defense mechanism where a person refuses to accept reality or facts

displacement

a defense mechanism where emotions are redirected from the original source to a safer target

ego

the rational part of personality that mediates between the id superego and reality

empirically derived test

a personality test developed by testing a large group and identifying patterns that differentiate groups

extraversion

a personality trait characterized by sociability energy and assertiveness

factor analysis

a statistical method used to identify clusters of related traits or behaviors

free association

a psychoanalytic technique where patients say whatever comes to mind to reveal unconscious thoughts

id

the unconscious part of personality driven by basic instincts and the pleasure principle

individualism

a cultural orientation that values personal independence and individual achievement

narcissism

excessive self admiration and a sense of entitlement or superiority

neuroticism

a personality trait involving emotional instability anxiety and moodiness

openness

a personality trait involving curiosity imagination and willingness to experience new ideas

personality

an individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking feeling and behaving

personality inventory

a self report questionnaire used to assess personality traits

personality psychology

the study of patterns of thoughts feelings and behaviors that make individuals unique

preconscious

thoughts that are not currently in awareness but can be easily brought to mind

projection

a defense mechanism where a person attributes their own unacceptable thoughts to someone else

projective test

a personality test that presents ambiguous stimuli to reveal unconscious motives and feelings

psychodynamic theories

theories that emphasize unconscious motives conflicts and childhood experiences

psychoanalysis

a therapeutic approach developed by Freud focusing on unconscious conflicts and early experiences

rationalization

a defense mechanism where a person justifies behaviors with logical reasons instead of true motives

reaction formation

a defense mechanism where a person behaves in a way opposite to their true feelings

reciprocal determinism

the interaction between personal factors behavior and environment in shaping behavior

regression

a defense mechanism where a person reverts to earlier childish behaviors under stress

repression

a defense mechanism that pushes threatening thoughts into the unconscious mind

Rorschach inkblot test

a projective test using ambiguous inkblots to analyze personality characteristics

self

the organized consistent sense of who a person is

self-actualization

the process of reaching one’s full potential and personal growth

self-concept

the beliefs and perceptions a person has about themselves

self-efficacy

a person’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations