Abnormal Psychology | Unit 1 Study Guide

Stigma

A distinguishing label applied to individuals that refers to undesirable attributes, leading to discrimination and perception of difference.

DSM-5 Definition of Mental Disorder

A condition occurring within the individual, involving significant difficulties in thinking, feeling, or behaving, often accompanied by personal distress and dysfunction in mental processes.

Early Causes of Psychopathology

Beliefs that psychopathology was caused by displeased gods or demonic possession.

Asylum

A refuge for housing and caring for people with psychological disorders, often characterized by crude and painful treatments.

Moral Treatment

An approach focusing on humane treatment in small hospitals, involving talking, reading, and purposeful activities.

Link Between Psychology and Biology

Discovered in 1905 with the identification of the biological cause of syphilis.

Early Biological Treatments

Included insulin coma therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and lobotomy.

Early Psychological Treatments

Included hypnosis, magnetic fields, and the cathartic method.

Freud’s Contributions

Proposed that psychopathology results from unconscious conflicts and introduced the concepts of id, ego, and superego.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process involving involuntary behavior in response to a stimulus.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process involving voluntary behavior influenced by punishment or reinforcement.

Genetic Paradigm

The concept that behavior is heritable, with genes interacting with the environment.

Genotype

The total genetic makeup of an individual, represented by the physical sequence of DNA.

Phenotype

The total observable behavioral characteristics of an individual.

SNP

Single nucleotide polymorphisms, which are differences in a single nucleotide in DNA among individuals.

CNV

Copy Number Variations, which are abnormal copies of sections of DNA within a gene.

Neuroscience Paradigm

Links psychological disorders to aberrant processes in the brain, focusing on neurons, neurotransmitters, and the neuroendocrine system.

Neuron

A cell in the nervous system consisting of a cell body, dendrites, axons, and terminal buttons.

Synapse

The small gap between the sending neuron's terminal button and the receiving neuron's cell membrane.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals across the synapse, influencing whether the receiving neuron will fire.

Hippocampus

Brain structure associated with memory.

Hypothalamus

Brain structure involved in the four f's:fighting, fleeing, feeding, and fornication.

Amygdala

Brain structure associated with emotion and attention.

HPA Axis

A system involving the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal cortex that regulates stress responses.

Cognitive Behavioral Paradigm

Focuses on learning principles and cognitive science to modify behavior through consequences.

CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, aimed at challenging negative thought patterns to treat mood disorders.

Reliability

The consistency of measurement in psychological assessments.

Interrater Reliability

The degree of agreement between two separate observers.

Test-Retest Reliability

The consistency of scores when the same test is administered twice.

Validity

The extent to which a measure accurately assesses what it is intended to measure.

Content Validity

The degree to which a measure covers the domain of interest.

Construct Validity

How well a test measures the concept it was designed to evaluate.

DSM-5 Criticisms

Includes issues of comorbidity, categorical vs. dimensional classification, and reliability in practice.

Structured Interview

A standardized method of questioning used to collect diagnostic information.

Personality Tests

Assessments like the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory that measure various psychological traits.

Imaging Techniques

Methods like CT, MRI, fMRI, and PET scans used to visualize brain structure and function.

Neuropsychological Assessment

Evaluates psychological functions related to specific brain areas to identify potential damage.

Psychophysiological Assessments

Measure bodily changes associated with psychological events.

Theory

A set of propositions aimed at explaining a class of observations and understanding cause-effect relationships.

Hypothesis

A testable expectation about what should occur if a theory is true.

Case Study

A detailed examination of an individual, covering various aspects of their life and history.

Correlation

A statistical measure indicating the relationship between two variables, ranging from -1.0 to 1.0.

Experiment Features

Involves manipulation of a variable, random assignment of participants, and measurement of dependent variables.

Control Group

A comparison group used to determine the effectiveness of a treatment.

P-Hacking

The practice of manipulating data to achieve statistically significant results.