Chapter 12 Abnormal Psychology

Chapter 12: Abnormal Psychology

Overview of Abnormal Psychology

  • The study of psychological disorders that impair individual functioning.

  • Areas of focus include:

    • Depression

    • Substance abuse

    • Learning difficulties

    • Various mental disorders

Defining Abnormal Behavior

Criteria for Defining Abnormality

  • Maladaptive Behavior: Distressing or harmful to the individual.

  • Disturbance to Others: Behavior that causes discomfort or distress in others.

  • Cultural Deviance: Actions that are uncommon or not accepted by the majority of society.

  • Irrationality: Behavior that does not make sense to an average person.

Insanity as a Legal Concept

  • Legal Insanity Definition: A person found insane cannot be held fully responsible for their actions due to a psychological disorder impairing judgement.

DSM: The Diagnostic Tool

  • DSM V: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, utilized for diagnosing psychological disorders.

  • Goes through revisions, currently in its 5th edition.

  • Historical reclassification of disorders, including the past depiction of homosexuality.

  • Sexual Deviations: A categorized diagnosis encompassing various sexual behaviors that are considered pathological.

Psychological Perspectives on Disorders

Etiology of Disorders

  • Psychoanalytic Perspective: Focus on unconscious drives.

  • Humanistic Perspective: Lack of personal fulfillment.

  • Behavioral Perspective: Learned behaviors and reinforcement history.

  • Cognitive Perspective: Dysfunctional thoughts leading to disorders.

  • Biomedical Perspective: Focus on organic problems and genetic influences.

Anxiety Disorders

  • Phobias: Intense, unwarranted fears (e.g., claustrophobia, agoraphobia).

  • Social Anxiety Disorder: Fear of public embarrassment.

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Persistent, low-level anxiety.

  • Panic Disorder: Acute episodes of anxiety without obvious cause.

Theories of Anxiety

  • Psychoanalytic View: Conflicts between the ID, ego, and superego create anxiety.

  • Behavioral View: Phobias develop from reinforcement.

  • Cognitive View: Anxiety stems from unrealistic self-expectations.

Somatoform Disorders

  • Concept: Psychological problems manifesting as physical symptoms.

  • Conversion Disorder: Severe physical problems (e.g., paralysis) without biological causes.

  • Hypochondriasis: Preoccupation with fears of serious illness despite lack of evidence.

Dissociative Disorders

Types of Dissociative Disorders

  • Dissociative Amnesia: Memory loss without physiological causes.

  • Dissociative Fugue: Identity loss and unplanned travel, sometimes creating a new identity.

  • Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID): Multiple personalities within a single individual.

Mood Disorders

  • Major Depressive Disorder: Persistent low mood, lacking a clear cause. Symptoms include loss of appetite, fatigue, and feelings of worthlessness.

  • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Depression in specific seasons, typically winter.

Theories of Mood Disorders

  • Psychoanalytic Explanation: Depression is rooted in internalized anger and early losses.

  • Cognitive Explanation: Negative thought patterns shape personal perspectives.

  • Attributional Style: Internal vs. external, stable vs. unstable, global vs. specific explanations for events affect susceptibility to depression.

Bipolar Disorder

  • Definition: Involves alternating episodes of mania and depression.

  • Manic State: High energy, confidence, and possible irritability; can lead to risky behavior.

Schizophrenia

  • Symptoms: Distorted thinking, delusions, hallucinations, disorganized language, abnormal motor behavior.

  • Types of Symptoms:

    • Positive Symptoms: Excesses in behavior (e.g., hallucinations).

    • Negative Symptoms: Absences of normal behaviors (e.g., flat affect).

Biological Explanations for Schizophrenia

  • Dopamine Hypothesis: High dopamine levels are associated with schizophrenia.

  • Genetic Factors: Family history increases risk of developing the disorder.

Environmental Factors

  • Double Bind Theory: Conflicting messages from caregivers could increase schizophrenia risk.

  • Diathesis-Stress Model: Interaction between biological predispositions and environmental stressors can trigger the disorder.

Personality Disorders

  • General Concept: Long-standing patterns of maladaptive behavior.

  • Common Types:

    • Antisocial Personality Disorder: Lack of regard for others.

    • Dependent Personality Disorder: Over-reliance on others.

    • Paranoid Personality Disorder: Constant feelings of persecution.

    • Narcissistic Personality Disorder: Oversized sense of self-importance.

Eating Disorders

  • Anorexia: Significantly low weight, fear of gaining weight, distorted body image.

  • Bulimia: Binge-purge cycles involving food.

Substance-Related Disorders

  • Definition: Diagnosed when substance use (e.g., drugs, gambling) harms individual functioning.

ADHD and Alzheimer’s Disease

  • ADHD: Developmental disorder characterized by inattention and hyperactivity, more common in boys.

  • Alzheimer’s Disease: Progressive cognitive decline associated with memory loss.

The Rosenhan Study

  • Importance: Critique of psychiatric diagnosis highlighting the impact of labeling on individual perception and treatment.