Psych Exam 4 study guide terms

abnormal psychology

the study of psychological disorders

comorbid

2 or more disorders in the same individual

DSM

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; handbook for diagnosis of mental disorders

Characterizing feature of autism spectrum disorder

decreased social relatedness

ADHD characteristics

hyperactivity and attention deficit (inattentiveness)

Factors that may play a role in ADHD

genetics, low birth weight, led exposure

Schizophrenia characteristics

delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thoughts and speech, asociality

delusion

unrealistic belief (paranoia, grandiosity)

hallucination

sensory perception (auditory, visual, etc)

Factors that may cause schizophrenia

stress, genetics, trauma, cannabis use

Bipolar disorder characterization

alternative periods of mania and depression

mania

period of excessive goal-directed activity, elevated mood, low sleep and appetite. May not actually accomplish goals, but nonstop works toward them; usually lasts a few days to a week

depression (in context of bipolar disorder)

subdued mood and appetite, usually lasts for a months between short bouts of mania

major depressive disorder characterization

lengthy period of depressed mood, loss of pleasure in previously pleasurable things (anhedonia).

2 things required for diagnosis of depression

lengthy period of depressed mood and anhedonia

learned helplessness

experiencing random or uncontrolled consequences leads to feelings of helplessness or possible depression; after failing due to outside circumstances, a person may stop putting in effort, believing that they have no chance of succeeding either way

diathesis-stress model

stress interacts with an individual’s biological, environmental, predisposition to produce a psychological disorder; stress triggers the predisposition

2 major components of anxiety

1. strong negative emotions


1. physical tension

phobia vs generalized anxiety disorder

phobias are with specific things, general is more consistent

panic disorder

repeated panic attacks and fear of future attacks

panic attack

intense fear and automatic arousal in the absence of a real threat. Sometimes mistaken for a heart attack

obsession

intrusive, distressing thought

compulsion

repetitive, ritualistic behavior associated with high anxiety

social anxiety disorder

fear of the scrutiny of others

agoraphobia

fear of open spaces, being out alone, being in a crowd

body dysmorphic disorder

unrealistic perception of physical flaws

PTSD

caused by trauma (required for diagnosis); results in flashbacks, dreams, hypervigilance

somatic symptom disorder

physical symptoms of an illness with no medical cause

antisocial personality disorder

pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others; little regard for normal social rules and conventions

borderline personality disorder

instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, and emotion

narcissistic personality disorder

grandiosity, need for admiration, low empathy. 2 types

grandiose narcissist

tends to show inflated views of self-worth, aggressiveness, and dominance

vulnerable narcissist

inflated views of self-worth combined with insecurity, defensiveness, and negative emotions

psychotherapy

treatment designed to improve symptoms of psychological disorders through conversation between a therapist and the patient or client

evidence-based practice

5 steps to determine best treatment. Problem solving process, logical, based on evidence

* evidence= experiments, research

psychologist

has a PhD (usually in philosophy)

psychiatrist

has an MD, can diagnose and prescribe medication

3 therapists that don’t need a license to practice

religious leaders, hypnotherapists, life coaches

brief therapies

focus on solution building, avoids history that leads to problems. Usually only have a few sessions.

family therapy

various family members participate as individuals and in combination; those who need treatment the most may refuse to participate. Runs the risk of one member becoming the scapegoat

approaches to psychoanalysis

insight therapy, free-association, transference, resistance

insight therapy

improves symptoms of psychological disorders by building people’s understanding of their situation

free-association

encouraging a patient to say whatever comes to mind without censoring

transference

when patient uses an earlier relationship as a prototype for a current relationship

* ex. parent/child → therapist/patient

resistance

occurs when a patient is nearing insight; patient will change subject, be in denial, or maybe skip appointments

person-centered therapy

humanistic approach (Carl Rogers) to help clients achieve congruence; unconditional positive regard

behavior therapies

classical and operant conditioning principles to the treatment of symptoms; helpful in reducing negative behaviors and increasing the frequency of positive behaviors; focuses on observable behaviors; uses token economies

cognitive therapy

based on the notion that the way we think about our circumstances is critical; how we think about our situation causes abnormal behavior, not the situation itself

cognitive restructuring

new, ration beliefs replace earlier, irrational beliefs held by the client

cognitive behavioral therapy

combination of restructuring with behavioral treatments that is effective in reducing the symptoms of many psychological disorders

biological therapies

Medications, Electroconvulsive therapy, psychosurgery, brain stimulation, neurofeedback

medications

most commonly used medical therapy; 75% of patients would rather do psychological treatment to meds

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

used in severe cases of depression that don’t respond to treatment; seizures induced in patient, results in increased responsiveness to dopamine and norepinephrine; 1/3 experience persistent memory loss

psychosurgery

attempt to improve symptoms by operating on the brain; high-intensity focused ultrasound used to reduce muscular tremors

brain stimulation

electrical stimulation applied through surgically implanted electrodes; used to treat anxiety and mood disorders; shows promise in treating MDD, mixed results with schizophrenia

neurofeedback

biofeedback that concentrates on brain activity; EEG records brain activity

Most common treatment for autism spectrum disorder

Applied behavioral analysis; focuses on observable, socially important behavior

typical ADHD treatment

medication and behavior therapy

* less common treatment: operant conditioning

Primary treatment for bipolar disorder

medication (lithium carbonate). Side effects: at toxic levels, nausea, vomiting, muscular tremors, coma, seizures

MDD treatment

combination of medication, cognitive and behavioral therapy, and aerobic exercise

anxiety disorder typical treatment

medication and cognitive behavioral therapy

typical PTSD treatment

prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive processing therapy, trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy

stress

unpleasant emotional state that results from the perception of danger

stressor

source of stress

brief stress

short-term challenges

* ex. taking an exam, driving a car, etc.

chronic stress

ongoing, long-lasting, usually requires us to rethink our identities and social roles.

general adaption syndrome

3 stage model from Hans Selye for an organism’s response to stressors

stage 1 of GAS

alarm reaction: similar to fight-or-flight response

stage 2 of GAS

resistance: prolonged and ongoing stressors; organism must adapt and cope

stage 3 of GAS

exhaustion: severe and long-lasting stessors; strength and energy drop to potentially fatally low levels

How the autonomic nervous system prepares us for fight or flight?

neural pathways coordinate responses in the cerebral cortex; sensory input is processed in the thalamus, sent to the amygdala which assesses danger, is passed to hypothalamus which triggers fight or flight

SAM system

sympathetic adrenal-medullary system; circuit that responds to perceived stressors by initiating the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine into the bloodstream

HPA system

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; a circuit that responds to perceived stressors by initiating the release of cortisol into the bloodstream

cortisol

stress hormone that is released from the adrenal gland; over-exposure (during development or later in life) can lead to long term health issues (ex. neuron death)

Results of stress in early life

* increased HPA response
* increased norepinephrine in the system
* decreased volume in hippocampus
* increased responses by amygdala to threat stimuli

“tend to befriend”

a behavior mainly associated with women in which they form social alliances for further protection, increased caretaking motivation

problem-focused coping

designed to address an issue head-on by finding solutions

emotion-focused coping

a response to stress that targets negative emotions arising from the situation

* positive: spending time with friends
* negative: drinking yourself into oblivion (whoops)

relationship-focused coping

a response to stress designed to maintain and protect social relationships; can be positive and negative at the same time

How stress affects our immune systems and lymphocytes

weakens the immune system and suppresses the activity of lymphocytes

* ex. how you may get sick immediately after finals

resilience

ability to adapt to life’s challenges in positive ways;

serves as a buffer for stress and can lead to growth; can form closer bonds, increased self-confidence and self-efficacy, and greater appreciation

health psychology

branch of psychology that investigates the relationships between psychological variables and health

positive psychology

an approach to psychology that emphasizes normal behavior and human strengths

* positive human experiences and adjustment

how does happiness change regarding marriage

married people report being happier and have longer lives

how does happiness change regarding wealth

once a certain point of wealth is reached to cover all needs, happiness stops increasing with wealth. Less materialistic people report being happier

traits that contribute to well-being

hope, resilience, spirituality, gratitude

hope

expectation that your goals will be met in the future

spirituality

recognizing things that are bigger than one’s own personal existence, shared social values and virtues

gratitude

positive outcomes, appreciation for that which we value