psych cycle test

tricyclics

• increases levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in brain by preventing them from being re-absorbed

• drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, and weight gain

monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

• increase levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine by blocking the enzyme monoamine oxidase (which normally breaks them down)

• can interact negatively with other medication

• dry mouth, hypertension, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, headaches

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

• anti-depressent drug (e.g. Prozac, Fluoxetine)

• when serotonin is released into the synapse, it binds to receptors on post-synaptic neuron. unused serotonin is reabsorbed by pre-synaptic neuron. SSRI blocks this re-absorption

• help improve mood and reduce anxiety

• fewer side effects than MAOIs and tricyclics

supportive research

rucci et al. found SSRIs may delay the onset of suicidal thoughts in major depression compared to psychotherapy

cognitive restructuring

• therapy aims to identify and challenge irrational thoughts

• clients are trained to recognize and record automatic negative thoughts which are challenged through reality testing and re-attribution

• based on Beck’s cognitive triad

research support for cognitive restructuring

• march et al found CBT as effective as antidepressants (81% improvement in both groups, CBT + antidepressants boosted to 86%)

• wiles et al found CBT reduced symptoms in those not responding to anti-depressants

ellis’s rational emotive behavior therapy

• argued people become depressed because of internal constructions

• activating event, beliefs, consequences

research for REBT

lyons and woods found individuals receiving REBT demonstrated a sig. improvement over baseline measures/ctrl groups

genetic explanations of schizophrenia

• abnormalities such as sensory dysfunction and working memory impairment have genetic origins known as endophenotypes

• monozygotic twins share their entire DNA so they are used in this type of research

gottesman and shields sample

57 twin pairs (MZ and DZ) from hospital in UK where at least one twin had schizophrenia

gottesman and shields method

• classified as MZ or DZ using blood type and physical similarity

• data collected through interviews, hospital records, and cognitive tests

gottesman and shields findings

• MZ had 42% concordance, DZ 9%

• schizophrenia has sig. genetic component, but environment also plays a role

tienari et al aim

to examine how genetic predisposition and adoptive environments influence schizophrenia

tienari et al sample

155 adoptees w/ biological parents w/ schizophrenia (high risk) 186 w/out (low risk)

tienari et al findings

• high risk adoptees more likely to develop schizophrenia especially in dysfunctional families

• schizophrenia arises from a combo of genetic vulnerability and environmental stress

biological explanation of schizophrenia

• excessive firing of dopamine neurons contributes to schizophrenia symptoms

• schizo peeps believed to have an elevated number of D2 receptors, leading to increased dopamine firing and binding

• disruptions in dopamine can result in attention, perception, and thought

evidence for biological hypothesis

• drugs like LSD and amphetamines induce schizophrenic like states in non-schizos and exacerbate symptoms in schizos

• falkai et al found increased dopamine levels in left-amygdala of post-mortem schizos

cognitive explanation of schizophrenia

• frith found biochemical processes, brain structure, and genetics contributed to schizophrenia’s positive statements

• described schizophrenia as “abnormality of self-monitoring” where patients misinterpret inner speech as external voices

• suggests delusions arise from misinterpreting perceptions

• suggests negative symptoms stem from difficulty generating spontaneous action

biological explanation for fear-related disorders

we may be programmed to fear certain objects that potentially could be harmful (e.g. arachnophobia, ophidiophobia)

ost et al sample and method

• 81 peeps with blood phobia and 59 with injection phobia underwent screening interview and completed self report questionnaire on phobia’s history and nature

• blood phobia peeps instructed to watch a 30-min silent surgery for as long as possible, test ended if they looked away or stopped the video

• injection phobia was live 20-step process and ppts were asked if they wanted to continue or not

• measured maximal performance, fainting behaviour, anxiety levels, test thoughts, physiological responses

ost et al results

• 50% of blood phobia and 27% of injection peeps had parents with same phobia

• 21% blood peeps had a sibling with same disorder

• fainting occurred in 70% of blood phobia and 56% of injection

ost et al. conclusion

blood and injection phobias have strong genetic links and trigger more pronounced responses

watson and raynor

• lil albert cried and crawled away

• over next month, remained fearful of rat and showed negative reactions to rabbit, fur coat, and Santa mask

mowrer 2-process model

• aquisition (classical conditioning)

• maintainence (operant conditioning)

psychodynamic explanation of fear-related disorders

• suggested anxiety/fear can result from the impulses of the ID when it is denied/repressed

• little hans