Unit 5 Psych

Health psychology

The study of how biological, psychological, and social factors affect health and illness

Perception of distress

An individual's subjective awareness and interpretation of their own psychological or physical suffering

Positive symptoms

In schizophrenia, symptoms that add to normal experience: hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking

Stress

The body's response to demands or threats that exceed perceived coping resources

Deviation from social norms

A definition of abnormality based on behavior that violates accepted standards of a society

Flat affect

Significantly reduced emotional expressiveness, seen in schizophrenia

Hypertension

Chronically elevated blood pressure, often linked to stress and lifestyle factors

DSM

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; the APA's classification system for psychological disorders

Prenatal virus exposure

A biological risk factor for schizophrenia involving viral infection during fetal development

Immune suppression

Reduction in the effectiveness of the immune system, commonly linked to chronic stress

ICD

International Classification of Diseases; the WHO's global diagnostic system for mental and physical disorders

Dopamine hypothesis

The theory that excess dopamine activity in certain brain pathways contributes to schizophrenia

Stressors

Specific events or conditions that trigger the stress response

Eclecticism

A therapeutic approach that draws techniques from multiple theoretical perspectives

Depressive disorders

A category of mood disorders characterized by persistent sadness, hopelessness, and low energy

Eustress

Positive, motivating stress that enhances performance and well-being

Behavioral perspective

A psychological viewpoint explaining behavior through learning, conditioning, and environmental reinforcement

Major depressive disorder

A depressive disorder with at least two weeks of depressed mood or loss of interest, impairing daily functioning

Distress

Negative, harmful stress that overwhelms coping resources and damages health

Maladaptive learning

Learned behaviors or associations that are counterproductive and contribute to psychological problems

Persistent depressive disorder

A chronic form of depression (dysthymia) lasting at least two years with less severe but ongoing symptoms

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Traumatic events in childhood (abuse, neglect, household dysfunction) that increase risk for mental and physical health problems

Psychodynamic perspective

A psychological viewpoint emphasizing unconscious conflicts, early experiences, and internal drives

Bipolar disorders

Mood disorders involving alternating episodes of mania and depression

General adaptation syndrome (GAS)

Selye's three-stage model of stress response: alarm, resistance, exhaustion

Humanist perspective

A psychological viewpoint emphasizing personal growth, free will, and the drive toward self-actualization

Mania

A state of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, high energy, reduced sleep, and impulsive behavior

Alarm reaction

The first stage of GAS; the body mobilizes fight-or-flight resources in response to a stressor

Cognitive perspective

A psychological viewpoint focusing on how thoughts, beliefs, and interpretations influence behavior and emotion

Bipolar I

A bipolar disorder requiring at least one full manic episode, often with depressive episodes

Resistance

The second stage of GAS; the body attempts to cope and adapt to an ongoing stressor

Maladaptive thoughts

Negative, distorted thought patterns that contribute to psychological distress

Bipolar II

A bipolar disorder characterized by hypomanic episodes and major depressive episodes, without full mania

Fight-flight-freeze

The body's automatic threat response involving activation (fight/flight) or immobilization (freeze)

Evolutionary perspective

A psychological viewpoint explaining behavior and mental processes as adaptations shaped by natural selection

Anxiety disorders

A category of disorders characterized by excessive, persistent fear or worry that impairs functioning

Exhaustion

The third stage of GAS; prolonged stress depletes resources, increasing vulnerability to illness

Sociocultural perspective

A psychological viewpoint examining how social, cultural, and environmental factors shape behavior and mental health

Specific phobia

An anxiety disorder involving intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation

Tend and befriend theory

Taylor's theory that females under stress often respond by nurturing others and seeking social support

Maladaptive relationships

Interpersonal patterns that are harmful, dysfunctional, or that reinforce psychological problems

Agoraphobia

An anxiety disorder involving fear of situations where escape might be difficult, often avoiding open or public spaces

Problem-focused coping

A stress management strategy aimed at directly addressing or changing the stressor

Biological perspective

A psychological viewpoint explaining behavior and mental disorders through genetics, brain structure, and neurochemistry

Panic disorder

An anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent unexpected panic attacks and persistent worry about future attacks

Emotion-focused coping

A stress management strategy aimed at managing emotional reactions to a stressor rather than the stressor itself

Biopsychosocial model

A model viewing health and illness as determined by the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors

Social anxiety disorder

An anxiety disorder involving intense fear of social situations due to fear of embarrassment or negative evaluation

Positive psychology

The scientific study of strengths, well-being, and factors that make life worth living

Diathesis-stress model

A framework proposing that disorders arise when a biological predisposition (diathesis) is triggered by environmental stress

Generalized anxiety disorder

An anxiety disorder marked by chronic, excessive, uncontrollable worry about multiple areas of life

Resilience

The ability to adapt positively and recover from adversity, trauma, or significant stress

Neurodevelopmental disorders

Disorders originating in early development, affecting brain growth and function (e.g., ADHD, ASD)

Acrophobia

An intense, irrational fear of heights

Positive emotions

Pleasant emotional states (joy, gratitude, hope) associated with well-being and resilience

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity

Arachnophobia

An intense, irrational fear of spiders

Psychological health

A state of mental and emotional well-being enabling effective functioning, coping, and relationships

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors

Unconditional positive regard

Carl Rogers' concept of accepting and valuing a person without conditions or judgment

Gratitude

The positive emotional recognition of benefits received from others or the world

Schizophrenic spectrum disorder

A range of psychotic disorders involving disruptions in thinking, perception, emotion, and behavior

Age regression

A defense mechanism or hypnotic phenomenon where an individual reverts to earlier, childlike behaviors or thoughts

Positive subjective experience

The internal, felt sense of well-being, happiness, and meaning (a focus of positive psychology)

Delusions

Fixed, false beliefs not grounded in reality; types include persecution (belief one is being targeted) and grandeur (belief in special powers or status)

Person-centered therapy

Rogers' humanistic therapy emphasizing empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness to foster client growth

Subjective well-being

A person's own assessment of their happiness, life satisfaction, and emotional balance

Hallucinations

Perceptual experiences (seeing, hearing, feeling) without an external stimulus

Obsessive-compulsive related disorders

A cluster of disorders involving intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors (e.g., OCD, hoarding disorder)

Disorganized thinking

A symptom of schizophrenia involving fragmented or illogical thought processes

Obsessions

Unwanted, persistent, intrusive thoughts or images that cause anxiety

Positive objective experience

Measurable external indicators of well-being such as achievements, relationships, and engagement

Disorganized speech (word salad)

Incoherent, disjointed speech patterns seen in schizophrenia where associations between words are lost

Compulsions

Repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce anxiety caused by obsessions

6 categories of virtues

Peterson & Seligman's positive psychology framework: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, transcendence

Disorganized motor behavior

Abnormal movements in schizophrenia including catatonia (stupor or rigidity) or excited, purposeless activity

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

A disorder characterized by recurring obsessions and compulsions that cause significant distress and impair functioning

Post-traumatic growth

Positive psychological change experienced as a result of struggling with highly challenging life circumstances

Negative symptoms

In schizophrenia, diminished or absent normal functions: flat affect, alogia, avolition, anhedonia

Hoarding disorder

A disorder involving persistent difficulty discarding possessions, leading to excessive clutter and impaired functioning

Levels of dysfunction

The degree to which a disorder impairs social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning

Acute vs chronic

Acute: sudden onset, short duration; chronic: gradual or persistent, long-lasting (applied to stress and illness)

Dissociative disorders

Disorders involving disruptions in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment

Dissociative amnesia

A dissociative disorder involving inability to recall important personal information, usually after trauma

Antianxiety drugs

Medications (e.g., benzodiazepines, buspirone) that reduce anxiety symptoms

Trauma and stress-related disorders

Disorders arising directly from exposure to trauma or extreme stress (e.g., PTSD, acute stress disorder, adjustment disorder)

APA ethical principles for treatment

Guiding values for psychologists: beneficence, nonmaleficence, fidelity, integrity, justice, respect for autonomy

Antipsychotic drugs (lithium)

Medications used to treat psychosis and bipolar disorder; lithium specifically stabilizes mood in bipolar disorder

Dissociative identity disorder (DID)

A dissociative disorder involving two or more distinct personality states and memory gaps across states

Nonmaleficence

The ethical principle to do no harm; therapists must avoid actions that could hurt clients

Tardive dyskinesia

Involuntary, repetitive movements caused by long-term use of antipsychotic medications

Group therapy

A form of therapy in which one or more therapists treat multiple clients simultaneously in a group setting

Fidelity

The ethical principle of being faithful and keeping commitments; maintaining trust with clients

Psychosurgery

Surgical intervention on the brain to treat severe psychological disorders

Humanistic perspective

A psychological viewpoint emphasizing free will, self-actualization, and the inherent goodness of people

Integrity

The ethical principle of being honest, accurate, and consistent in professional conduct

Lesioning

Surgical destruction of specific brain tissue to reduce symptoms of severe psychiatric or neurological disorders

Flashbacks

Involuntary, vivid re-experiencing of a traumatic event as if it were happening in the present

Respect for people's rights and dignity

The ethical principle that psychologists honor autonomy, privacy, and the self-determination of all individuals

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

A non-invasive procedure using magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, used to treat depression