Chapter 14 - Introduction to Psychology

How many criterion are there that defines whether a behavior is considered abnormal?

4

What are the four major criteria which define whether a behavior is considered abnormal?

1. The behavior is infrequent

2. The behavior is deviant

3. The behavior is maladaptive

4. The behavior leads to Personal Distress

What is the behavior is infrequent?

Any behavior that occurs infrequently is abnormal. this is a statistical definition, that is it defines abnormality in terms of the relative frequency of the behavior in population

How many limitations are there to the behavior is infrequent?

2

What are the two limitations to the behavior is infrequent?

1. Artistic and/or Scientific creativity - Scarce, but really abnormal?

2. Psychological disorders are not infrequent as implied by the definition

What is the behavior is deviant?

Behavior is abnormal if it is socially deviant. This includes behavior that violates social norms

How many major limitations are there to the behavior is deviant?

2.

What are the two major limitations to the behavior is deviant?

1. Implies that abnormality is culturally relative. What’s deviant in one society may not be in others

2. Not all deviant behavior is unusual or harmful enough to be considered truly abnormal

What is the behavior is maladaptive?

Behavior that fails to promote survival of the species (i.e., the well-being & growth of the individual or group) is considered maladaptive. This is a very common symptom, but not the only cause of abnormal behavior. Usually leads to impaired social functioning.

What is the behavior leads to Personal Distress?

When you experience anxiety, depression, pain or other physical symptoms as well as cognitive impairment.

What percent of the population suffers from one or more of the symptoms of personal distress?

80% However, this needs to be looked at in connection with the other criteria

What is a tool for diagnosing abnormal behavior?

DSM-V

What does the DSM-V stand for?

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - 5th Edition - 2013 (Updated March 2022 (DSM-%-TR)

How many dimensions does the DSM-V organize psychological disorders into?

5

What are the five dimensions known as?

Axes

What are Axes?

Concerned with different aspects of the disorder

What are three examples of Abnormal Behavior?

1. Anxiety Disorders

2. Mood Disorders

3. Schizophrenia

What are Anxiety Disorders?

There are several conditions in which a person attempts to cope with overwhelming levels of anxiety. The symptoms vary from person to person

What disorders are classified under Anxiety Disorders?

Phobic Disorders, Panic Disorders, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

What are Phobic Disorders?

(Phobias) A person experiences anxiety only in specific settings or when confronted by a specific stimulus.

How many criterion are there for a phobia?

3

What are the three criteria for a phobia?

1. The anxiety is out of proportion to the objective danger

2. The person knows that the anxiety is irrational

3. The anxiety motivates the person with a compelling desire to avoid the fearful setting or stimulus

What are Panic Disorders?

A person who experiences repeated attacks of abrupt extreme anxiety - usually lasts for several minutes. Very uncomfortable - accompanied by a feeling of impending doom and a need to escape

What are Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders?

A form of an anxiety disorder characterized by persistent & irresistible urges to engage in repetitive, stereotyped thoughts or actions.

How many criterion are in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders?

2

What are the 2 criteria for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders?

1. Obsessions

2. Compulsions

What are Obsessions?

Recurrent thoughts & images that are experienced as involuntary intrusions into consciousness

What are Compulsions?

Ritualistic & rigid behavior sequences that the person feels compelled to carry out

How can Obs/Comp. people become extremely anxious?

If they try to resist their repetitive thoughts or actions. This can severely affect everyday life

What are Mood Disorders?

(Affective Disorders) The primary symptoms involve persistent & extreme disturbances of mood

How many criterion are in Mood Disorders?

3.

What are the three criteria in Mood Disorders?

1. Depression

2. Mania

3. Bipolar Disorder

What is Depression?

Intense feelings of hopelessness, despair & low self-esteem

What is Mania?

Feelings of euphoria, elation & invulnerability

What is Bipolar Disorder?

(Manic-Depression)

What is Schizophrenia?

A serious & severe psychological disorder marked by disorganization of thinking, perception & cognition

What percent of the population is diagnosed as schizophrenic?

1%

What percent of patients in mental facilities are diagnosed with schizophrenia?

20%

How many ways are the symptoms of Schizophrenia classified?

3..

What are the three Schizophrenia symptoms?

1. Positive Symptoms

2. Negative Symptoms

3. Cognitive Deficits

What are Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia?

“Positive” refers to overt symptoms that should not be present. These include: hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thoughts

What are Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia?

“Negative” does not refer to a person’s attitude, but instead to a lack of characteristics that should be present. These include: reduced speech even when encouraged to interact (logia), lack of emotional and facial expression (affective flattening), diminished ability to begin and sustain activities (abolition), decreased ability to find pleasure in everyday (anhedonia), social withdrawal (asociality)

What are Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia?

Difficulties with following aspects of cognition can make it hard to live a normal life or earn a living: Memory, attention, planning, decision making

What Delusions are included in Schizophrenia?

1. “Word Salads”

2. Visual Hallucinations

3. Auditory Hallucinations & Delusions

What is a “Word Salad”?

Speech that sounds like nonsense because the person’s thoughts are severely disorganized.

What is an example of a “Word Salad”?

“Blue cats running softly beneath the idea of yesterday’s coffee, singing triangles to the hopeful rain.” It sounds like a sentence, but the ideas don’t connect in any meaningful way.

What are Visual Hallucinations?

Perceptions of seeing something that isn’t actually present in the external environment

What are some examples of Visual Hallucinations?

• Seeing people who aren’t there

• Seeing bugs crawling on walls

• Seeing bright lights or shapes that others cannot see

• Watching objects move or distort

What are Auditory Hallucinations & Delusions?

False perceptions of sound—hearing something that is not actually present in the environment.

What are some examples of Auditory Hallucinations & Delusions?

• Music

• Whispering

• Knocking

• Screaming

• Footsteps

How many types of Schizophrenia are there?

4.

What are the four types of Schizophrenia?

1. Paranoid

2. Disorganized

3. Catatonic

4. Undifferentiated

What is the Paranoid type of Schizophrenia?

Delusions of persecution are prominent; intellectual functioning and affect are relatively intact, but auditory hallucinations are common. People with this subtype have the best prognosis for recovery

What is the Disorganized type of Schizophrenia?

Disorganized speech and behavior and flat or inappropriate affect are prominent

What is the Catatonic type of Schizophrenia?

Catatonic (bizarre, immobile, or relentless) motor behaviors are prominent

What is the Undifferentiated type of Schizophrenia?

Symptoms do not clearly fall into any of the above three subtypes

What are the three possible explanations for Schizophrenia?

1. Heredity

2. Structural Brain Abnormalities

3. Dopamine Hypothesis

What is the equation for Schizophrenia?

Genetic Predisposition + Environmental, Social and Psychological Factor

→ Neurodevelopmental abnormalities and target features

→ Brain dysfunction, improper balance of chemicals

= Schizophrenia

Who has the highest rate of Schizophrenia among relatives of Schizophrenic patients?

Identical twins