psychopathology

• Abnormal Psychology exam
• Understanding Psychopathology:

  • Psychological dysfunction is a breakdown in cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning
  • Distress criterion is satisfied if the individual is extremely upset
  • Impairment is extreme expressions of unproductivity
  • Atypical or not culturally expected behavior is a deviation from the norm or violating social norms
• Judy, a 16-year-old, suffered from blood-injection-injury phobia, characterized by marked and persistent fear of an object or situation
• Psychological Disorder:

  • Describes behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunctions that are unexpected in their cultural context and associated with present distress and impairment in functioning
• Psychopathology is the scientific study of psychological disorders
• Clinical Description:

  • Represents the unique combination of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that make up a specific disorder
  • Includes presenting problem, prevalence, and prognosis
• Etiology:

  • Study of origins, including biological, psychological, and social dimensions
• Treatment and Outcome:

  • Proper intervention or approach in treating psychological disorders
• The Supernatural Tradition:

  • Abnormal behavior and physical disorder were believed to be caused by evil, demons, witches, and the movement of the moon and stars
• The Biological Tradition:

  • Hippocrates coined the term "hysteria" and believed mental disorders might be caused by genetics and brain pathology
  • Galen adopted Hippocrates' ideas and developed the humoral theory of disorders
  • John P. Grey believed the causes of insanity were always physical
• The Psychological Tradition:

  • Moral Therapy focused on emotional or psychological factors
  • Psychoanalysis, developed by Sigmund Freud, emphasized unconscious thoughts and drives (sex and aggression)
• Defense Mechanisms:

  • Coping techniques that lessen anxiety or pain due to unacceptable impulses
  • Include repression, denial, regression, projection, splitting, isolation, displacement, reaction formation, rationalization, altruism, sublimation, suppression
• Psychosexual Stages of Development:

  • Oral Stage (0-2 years old): pleasure from the mouth
  • Anal Stage (2-3 years old): pleasure from the anus
  • Phallic Stage (3-6 years old): awareness of genitals, Oedipus Complex for boys
  • Latency Stage (6-12 years old): sexual interest dormant
  • Genital Stage (12-adulthood): start of puberty and engagement in romantic/sexual relationships
• Abraham Maslow:

  • Known for the Hierarchy of Needs theory, which assumes people are motivated by needs and can grow towards self-actualization
• Carl Rogers:

  • Founder of client-centered therapy
  • Known for "unconditional positive regard" towards clients
• The Present:

  • Increasing sophistication of scientific tools and methodology
  • Realization that no single influence occurs in isolation
  • Further research leading to an explosion of knowledge about psychopathology