PSY 212 Midterm Study Guide (Chapters 1–7)

This flashcard set covers the essential vocabulary from Chapters 1 through 7 for the PSY 212 midterm, including models of psychopathology, neuroscience terms, research methods, assessment standards, childhood disorders, mood disorders, and stress-related conditions.

Psychopathology

The scientific study of mental disorders.

Abnormality

Behavior causing distress, dysfunction, deviance, or danger.

Stigma

Negative attitudes or discrimination toward people with mental illness.

Signs

Observable indicators of a disorder.

Symptoms

Experiences reported by the individual.

Syndrome

A group of symptoms occurring together.

Biopsychosocial Model

The view that mental disorders result from biological, psychological, and social factors.

Hippocrates

A figure who believed mental illness had biological causes.

Philippe Pinel

An individual who promoted the humane treatment of mental illness.

Frontal Lobe

The area of the brain responsible for planning, decision-making, and personality.

Amygdala

The part of the limbic system associated with fear and emotion.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with reward; excess is linked to schizophrenia.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter associated with mood; low levels are linked to depression.

GABA

The main inhibitory neurotransmitter.

Epigenetics

The study of how environment changes gene expression.

Falsification

The ability to disprove a hypothesis.

Operational Definition

A description of how a variable is measured.

Prevalence

The number of existing cases of a disorder in a population.

Incidence

The number of new cases of a disorder in a population.

Internal Validity

The level of confidence that the independent variable (IV) caused the results.

External Validity

The extent to which results can be generalized.

Reliability

The consistency of measurement.

Validity

The accuracy of measurement.

DSM-5-TR

The diagnostic manual for mental disorders.

Comorbidity

The presence of two or more disorders appearing together.

Attachment

The emotional bond between an individual and their caregiver.

ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder)

A disorder characterized by defiant and argumentative behavior.

Conduct Disorder

A disorder involving serious rule violations and aggression.

ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

A disorder involving social deficits and repetitive behaviors.

Mania

A mood state lasting at least 1 week and causing severe impairment.

Hypomania

A mood state lasting at least 4 days that is less severe than mania.

Negative Cognitive Triad

A pattern of negative views regarding the self, world, and future.

Diathesis-Stress Model

A model suggesting that the combination of vulnerability plus stress causes a disorder.

HPA Axis

The body's major stress-response system.

General Adaptation Syndrome

The three stages of stress response: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Trauma symptoms that last for over 1 month.