UTA Intro to Psych Dickinson Final Exam

Criteria for abnormal behavior

behavior that is atypical and deviant, dysfunctional, or distressful (3 D's)

Language to use/not use in reference to abnormal behavior

DON'T SAY CRAZY OR INSANE

Biological theory of psychological disorders

attributes disorders to organic or internal causes ~ treated with medicine/medical procedures

Psychological theory of psychological disorders

attributes problems to experiences, thoughts, emotions, etc. ~ treat with therapy to uncover history and feelings

Sociocultural theory of psychological disorders

emphasizes social contexts, family, gender, ethnicity, culture, etc.

Biopsychosocial theory of psychological disorders

combination of all 3 theories, focuses on the interactions between all three

What do we use to diagnose abnormal behavior?

DSM-5: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

What are some benefits and critiques of how we diagnose abnormal behavior?

benefit: all psychological disorders can be diagnosed using checklists of behaviors

critiques: too focused on medical model, relies too much on social norms, too loose of standards, too focused on categories of behavior

What do all anxiety disorders have in common?

can be diagnosed using a checklist of behaviors

Generalized anxiety disorder - how is this different from other anxiety disorders?

excessive global anxiety

Panic disorder - how is this different from occasional panic attacks?

reoccurring panic attacks that are unexpected, with no apparent trigger

Specific phobias - social anxiety disorder

persistent and irrational fear of a specific object, situation, or activity; social anxiety disorder is when an individual has an intense fear of being humiliated or embarrassed in a social setting

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

symptoms of anxiety are triggered by intrusive, repetitive thoughts and urges to perform certain actions

Post-traumatic stress disorder

chronic and persistent symptoms of anxiety - develops through exposure to an overwhelming traumatic even that may involve threat or fear of death

What does "depressed mood" look like in different people?

appetite/weight/sleep changes

loss of energy/tiredness

inability to concentrate/make decisions

feelings of worthlessness/guilt

thoughts of death or suicide

How long do the symptoms have to be present for a diagnosis? (depression)

2 weeks

Why do symptoms of depression look so different across people?

genes, disruptions in brain chemicals, cigarette smoking?

What do the mood swings look like in typical bipolar disorder?

between depression and mania

How long do the episodes have to last to qualify for a diagnosis? (bipolar)

at least one week

What becomes dissociated in a person with dissociative disorder?

identity

What is dissociative fugue?

loss of identity along with travel

What does dissociative identity disorder look like?

multiple personality disorder ~ presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states

Definition of psychosis

psychological state where perceptions and thoughts are removed from reality

Positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia

positive; addition, or excess of normal function

negative; defect, or deficiency in normal function

Biological factors of schizophrenia

heredity is one cause

What is the diathesis-stress model and how does it apply to schizophrenia?

inherited disposition plus some environmental stressor

What are personality disorders and how do they differ from other psychological disorders?

is pervasive, inflexible, and stable over time and is distressful

Examples of antisocial and borderline personality disorders

britney spears 2007

What are the factors related to suicide risk?

genetic & neurotransmitter, depression or anxiety, sociocultural factors

What is a stigma?

a negative attitude or opinion on something based on stereotyped traits

How does a stigma of mental illness interfere with seeking treatment?

makes treatment more difficult and less available

Differences between psychological and biological approaches to treating psychological disorders

biological treatment uses drugs and physical treatments while psychological uses talk therapy

How effective are psychotherapies?

very

What is CBT?

cognitive behavior therapy; combines cognitive and behavioral therapy to improve thinking and correct behavioral problems

What is therapy integration?

combination of different therapies that provide the greatest benefit for the client's needs

Drug therapy - antianxiety drugs

prevents overexcited receptors from being too active, increases the neurotransmitter GABA

Drug therapy - antidepressants

generally work by increasing levels of serotonin, dopamine, and/or norepinephrine

Drug therapy - mood stabilizers

helps to stabilize mood between extremes like depression and mania

Drug therapy - antipsychotics

powerful drugs that reduce symptoms of schizophrenia

How effective are drug treatments?

very - most commonly prescribed biomedical treatment

Electroconvulsive therapy

electric shock that basically causes a seizure in a specific part of the brain

Psychosurgery - what is this and when is it used?

removal or destruction of a specific part of the brain - used for epilepsy, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder

What is group therapy good for?

sharing information, universality, altruism, learning social skills, communication, feeling supported

What are the benefits of group therapy?

- cheaper sessions

- people find relief/comfort knowing that others face similar struggles

- group members offer support and encouragement

What is a self-help group?

Alcoholics Anonymous

When should couples seek out therapy?

When they need to improve relationship/communication

What is the good and bad side of deinstitutionalization?

patients are no longer institutionalized, but there is no guarantee that they will react well to being integrated back into society

Definition of health psychology and behavioral medicine

field of psychology that focuses on health and preventing and treating illnesses

What is the biopsychosocial model and why should it always be used?

shows that mind and body influence each other constantly - accounts for all factors

What are health behaviors?

a person's beliefs and actions regarding their health and well-being

Stages of change and how to identify which stage people are in

precontemplation: not thinking about change, may not even realize there's a problem

contemplation: acknowledge the problem, not ready to change yet

preparation: now ready for change, preparing to take action

action/willpower: now making changes and committing to new behaviors

maintenance: successfully avoids temptation and consistently engages in new behaviors

How is relapse related to the stages of change?

relapse is the return to the former unhealthy patterns and therefore requires restarting of stages of change

Factors that can help lead to change

motivation, social relationships, religious faith

What is stress? What are stressors?

stress - negative emotional state that occurs in response to stimuli or events that exceed our resources or ability to cope and cause strain

stressors; things that cause physiological, psychological, or emotional reactions

General adaptation syndrome model - what type of stress does this apply to?

stress leads to fight or flight response in acute stress situations

HPA axis - what type of stress is this related to?

controls reactions to stressful events

How does stress impact the immune system and why?

stress weakens immune system and increases chances of illness

How is stress related to heart disease or cancer?

increased risk

Difference between the two types of coping

problem focused: energy is put towards solving the problem

emotion focused: energy is put towards reducing the stress of emotional toll

Why and how does exercise and eating healthy foods help to reduce stress?

regular exercise helps control stressors

What is I/O psychology?

industrial & organizational psychology - applies to the theories and science of psychology to work and the workplace setting

What is scientific management? Why can't it be researched/proven?

businesses attempt to design the "perfect" work system of maximum efficiency - different for every business

What is ergonomics?

combining psychology and engineering to improve safety and efficiency of the human/machine interaction

What is the Hawthorne effect?

tendency to perform better because of being singled out and made to feel important

What is the human relations approach?

focuses on psychological characteristics like morale, attitude, values, and human treatment of employees

Def. of job analysis

creating a complete job description

Def. of KSAs

knowledge, skills, and abilities

Def. of employee selection

focus on selecting the best hire from the pool of applicants

Def. of training (industrial psychology)

teaching a new employee the essentials of the job

Def. of performance evaluation

evaluating current employees' performance

What is job satisfaction? Why is it important for workplace success?

being satisfied with your job leads to better productivity and performance

What is the meaning of work?

Difference between transactional and transformational leadership

transactional focuses on the role of supervision, organization and group performance while transformational works to enhance the motivation and engagement of followers

Examples of positive and negative culture

shared values, beliefs, norms, customs, etc.

Def. of job stress

experience of stress from a job or in the workplace setting

Def. of role conflict

a type of stress experienced when a person tries to meet the demands of multiple roles

Def. of burnout

a distressed psychological state where an individual experiences emotional exhaustion and little motivation for work

How can people manage their job stress?

make time for leisure, healthy living