2 Psych Test 3: Psychological Disorders

Abnormal Behavior

Behavior that deviates from the norm in a way that is unusual distressing or harmful

Deviance

Behavior that is statistically rare or violates cultural norms

Statistical Deviance

Behavior that occurs infrequently within a population

Cultural Deviance

Behavior that violates the standards or expectations of a culture

Distress

Emotional suffering or discomfort experienced by an individual

Dysfunction

Impairment in daily functioning including work relationships or self care

Danger

Behavior that poses a risk to oneself or others

Continuum of Abnormality

The idea that normal and abnormal behavior exist on a spectrum rather than separate categories

Insanity

A legal term meaning inability to understand actions are wrong at the time of a crime

Medical Model

The view that psychological disorders are illnesses with causes and treatments

Diagnostic Labeling

Assigning a diagnosis that can affect how others perceive and treat a person

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Expectations about a person that lead them to behave in ways that confirm those expectations

DSM Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Manual used to diagnose and classify psychological disorders

American Psychiatric Association Organization

Group that publishes the DSM

Anxiety Disorders

Disorders involving excessive fear or worry that disrupts functioning

Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD

Chronic excessive worry lasting at least six months without a clear cause

Panic Disorder

Repeated sudden episodes of intense fear known as panic attacks

Phobic Disorders

Irrational fear of specific objects or situations

Social Anxiety Disorder

Extreme fear of social situations where one may be judged

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD

Disorder with intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors

Obsessions

Unwanted persistent thoughts or urges

Compulsions

Repetitive actions performed to reduce anxiety

Sigmund Freud

Believed obsessive thoughts come from unconscious conflicts

Depressive Disorders

Disorders involving persistent sadness and loss of interest

Major Depressive Episode

At least two weeks of symptoms such as low mood fatigue and loss of interest

Bipolar Disorder

Disorder with alternating periods of depression and mania

Manic Episode

Period of very elevated mood energy and activity lasting at least one week

Hypomanic Episode

Less severe form of mania lasting at least four days

Bipolar I Disorder

Includes at least one full manic episode

Bipolar II Disorder

Includes at least one hypomanic and one depressive episode

Cyclothymic Disorder

Chronic fluctuating mood symptoms over at least two years

Suicide

Intentional ending of one’s life often linked to mood disorders

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD

Disorder after trauma with symptoms like flashbacks and avoidance

Complex PTSD

Proposed disorder from long term repeated trauma

Adjustment Disorders

a short-term, stress-related condition caused by an inability to cope with a significant life change or event, such as divorce, job loss, or illness

Schizophrenia

Severe disorder affecting thought perception emotion and behavior

Positive Symptoms

Addition of abnormal behaviors such as hallucinations or delusions

Hallucinations

False sensory experiences such as hearing voices

Delusions

Strong false beliefs despite evidence

Disorganized Speech

Incoherent or illogical speaking patterns

Negative Symptoms

Reduction of normal behaviors such as emotion or motivation

Avolition

Lack of motivation to start or continue tasks

Anhedonia

Inability to feel pleasure

Eating Disorders

Disorders involving abnormal eating behaviors

Anorexia Nervosa

Extreme restriction of food and fear of gaining weight

Bulimia Nervosa

Binge eating followed by purging behaviors

Body Mass Index BMI

Measure of body weight relative to height

Personality Disorders

Long lasting rigid behavior patterns that impair social functioning

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Disregard for rights of others and social rules

Borderline Personality Disorder

Instability in relationships self image and emotions with impulsive behavior

Biological Factors

Physical and genetic influences on mental disorders

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers in the brain

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter linked to reward and schizophrenia

Serotonin

Neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation

Norepinephrine

Neurotransmitter related to alertness and mood

GABA

Neurotransmitter that reduces brain activity and anxiety

Glutamate

Neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory

Genetic Predisposition

Inherited risk for developing a disorder

Concordance Rates

Chance that two people share a disorder

Cognitive Factors

Thought processes that influence behavior

Maladaptive Attributions

irrational, inflexible, or distorted explanations for events, often blaming oneself or others in ways that perpetuate negative emotions, conflict, or poor coping

Internal Attribution

Blaming oneself for negative events

Stable Attribution

the belief that the causes of behavior or events are enduring, permanent factors rather than temporary ones

• A student aces a test and believes, "I am smart," attributing success to a permanent trait

Global Attribution

the belief that the cause of an event is due to factors that apply in a large number of situations

Learned Helplessness

Feeling unable to control outcomes after repeated failure

Martin Seligman

Developed learned helplessness theory

Environmental Factors

External influences such as culture stress and learning

Classical Conditioning

Learning through association which can create fears

Observational Learning

Learning by watching others