Psych Exam 4 (12,14 & 15)

Psychological Disorders

Persistently harmful thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that impair functioning

Deviant

Behavior that differs significantly from societal norms

Distress

Emotional suffering or discomfort caused by behavior

Dysfunctional

Behavior that interferes with daily life or well-being

Situational Context

The specific social or environmental circumstances in which behavior occurs

Cultural Relativity

Judging behavior based on the norms and values of one’s culture

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

A manual used by mental health professionals to classify and diagnose psychological disorders

DSM-5

The most recent version (2013) of the DSM that includes updated classifications of disorders

Insanity

A legal term describing inability to understand or manage one’s actions or distinguish right from wrong

Anxiety

Feelings of fear, dread, or uneasiness

Anxiety Disorders

Psychological disorders characterized by excessive fear or anxiety

Adjustment Disorders

Emotional disturbances caused by ongoing stress that exceed a person’s ability to cope

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Persistent and uncontrollable worry along with physical tension and arousal

Autonomic Arousal

Physical symptoms of anxiety such as increased heart rate or sweating

Panic Disorder

Sudden episodes of intense fear with physical symptoms like chest pain, choking, or rapid heartbeat

Phobias

Persistent and irrational fears of specific objects or situations that disrupt behavior

Hemophobia

Fear of blood

Claustrophobia

Fear of enclosed spaces

Acrophobia

Fear of heights

Agoraphobia

Fear of open or public spaces

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A disorder involving unwanted repetitive thoughts and behaviors

Obsessions

Repeated, unwanted thoughts or impulses

Compulsions

Repetitive behaviors or rituals performed to reduce anxiety

Exposure Therapy

A treatment that exposes individuals to feared situations while preventing compulsive responses

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A disorder involving prolonged anxiety after a traumatic event

PTSD Symptoms

Haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, and sleep problems lasting 4+ weeks

Personality Disorders

Enduring patterns of behavior that impair social functioning

Antisocial Personality Disorder

A disorder where a person lacks conscience and is manipulative, impulsive, and selfish

Psychopath/Sociopath

Terms often used to describe individuals with antisocial personality disorder

Histrionic Personality Disorder

A disorder where a person seeks attention and overreacts emotionally

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

A disorder involving inflated self-importance, lack of empathy, and sensitivity to criticism

Borderline Personality Disorder

A disorder characterized by emotional instability, impulsivity, and unpredictable behavior

Mood Disorders

Disorders characterized by extreme disturbances in mood

Major Depressive Disorder

A disorder with prolonged feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest lasting at least 2 weeks

Symptoms of Depression

Fatigue, worthlessness, loss of interest in people and activities

Depression Onset

Usually begins after adolescence, increases in early adulthood, most common in middle age

Sex Differences in Depression

After puberty, women are twice as likely as men to experience depression

Hormonal Differences

Hormonal changes may contribute to higher depression rates in women

Coping Style Differences

Men tend to distract themselves, while women tend to ruminate on feelings

Genetic Predisposition to Depression

Increased likelihood of depression if biological or adoptive relatives have it

Bipolar Disorder

A disorder involving cycles of depression and mania

Mania

A state of elevated mood, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior

Manic Symptoms

Euphoria, high energy, rapid thoughts, desire for action

Depressive Symptoms

Tiredness, slow thinking, withdrawal, sadness

Prevalence of Disorders: Sex

Women have more anxiety and mood disorders; men have more substance abuse and antisocial disorders

Prevalence of Disorders: Geography

Rural and urban populations have similar rates of psychological disorders

Flat Affect (Schizophrenia)

Reduced emotional expression, often seen in schizophrenia

Psychotherapy

When a therapist helps a client gain awareness and change harmful behaviors, thoughts, or feelings

Behavioral Therapies

Therapies that use learning principles to change maladaptive behaviors

Behavior Therapy

The application of learning principles to make constructive changes in behavior

Behavior Modification

Using classical or operant conditioning to directly change behavior

Classical Conditioning Techniques

Therapy methods that use learning through associations to change behavior

Counterconditioning

Learning new, healthier responses to stimuli that trigger unwanted behaviors

Exposure Therapy

Therapy that repeatedly exposes a person to a feared object or situation to reduce anxiety

Habituation

Reduction of anxiety after repeated exposure to a feared stimulus

Aversive Conditioning/Aversion Therapy

Pairing an unwanted behavior with an unpleasant stimulus to reduce that behavior

Conditioned Aversion

A learned dislike or negative emotional response to a stimulus

Rapid Smoking

A technique where a person smokes rapidly to create a negative association with smoking

Systematic Desensitization

A type of exposure therapy that pairs relaxation with gradually increasing anxiety-provoking stimuli

Reciprocal Inhibition

The idea that one emotional state (relaxation) can block another (anxiety)

Hierarchy

A ranked list of feared situations from least to most anxiety-provoking

Vicarious Desensitization

Reducing fear by observing others safely engage with the feared stimulus

Virtual Reality Exposure

Using computer-generated environments to expose patients to feared stimuli in a controlled way

Operant Conditioning

Learning based on consequences, where behavior is shaped by rewards or punishments

Reinforcement

A consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior

Positive Reinforcement

Adding something pleasant to increase behavior

Negative Reinforcement

Removing something unpleasant to increase behavior

Punishment

A consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior

Positive Punishment

Adding something unpleasant to decrease behavior

Negative Punishment

Removing something pleasant to decrease behavior

Reinforcement and Token Economies

Behavior modification systems using rewards to encourage desired behaviors

Tokens

Symbolic rewards that can be exchanged for real rewards

Token Economy

A system where individuals earn tokens for desired behaviors and exchange them for rewards or privileges

Psychoanalysis

A therapy developed by Freud focusing on uncovering unconscious conflicts

Sigmund Freud

Founder of psychoanalysis

Unconscious Conflicts

Hidden emotional struggles that influence behavior

Free Association

A technique where a patient says whatever comes to mind to reveal unconscious thoughts

Resistance

The blocking of thoughts or feelings during therapy

Transference

When a patient transfers emotions about important people onto the therapist

Brief Psychodynamic Therapy

A shorter form of psychoanalysis aimed at quicker insight

Spontaneous Remission

Improvement of symptoms without formal treatment

Waiting-List Control Group

A group that does not receive treatment, used to evaluate therapy effectiveness

Cognitive Therapy

Therapy focused on changing negative thought patterns to improve behavior

Selective Perception

Focusing only on certain negative aspects of a situation while ignoring others

Overgeneralization

Applying one negative experience to unrelated situations

All-or-Nothing Thinking

Seeing things in extreme, black-and-white terms

Humanistic Therapies

Therapies that focus on personal growth and reaching one’s full potential

Humanistic Therapy

The belief that people can grow and lead fulfilling lives

Client-Centered Therapy

A therapy by Carl Rogers emphasizing a supportive, nonjudgmental environment

Carl Rogers

Founder of client-centered therapy

Unconditional Positive Regard

Accepting a person without judgment regardless of their actions or feelings

Empathy

Understanding and sharing another person’s feelings

Authenticity

Being genuine and honest in the therapeutic relationship

Reflection

Repeating or rephrasing a client’s thoughts to increase awareness

Antipsychotic Drugs

Medications used to treat symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and delusions

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

A treatment for severe depression that uses electrical stimulation to induce a brief seizure