Definitions of abnormality
Statistical infrequency = less common characteristic
- Strength: helps w clinical diagnosis therefore applicable to real life
- Weakness: unfairly labelled
Deviation from social norms = behaviour different from accepted standards of
behaviour in society, norms specific to the culture lived in
- Strength: useful for clinical diagnosis
- Weakness: Cultural relativism
Deviation from ideal mental health = don’t meet requirements of a set of
criteria considered normal – Jahoda
Set of criteria: coping w stress, independent of others, realistic view, self-
actualising
- Strength: Comprehensive which allows discussions between
professionals
- Weakness: Cultural relativism
Failure to function adequately = unable to cope with demands of everyday life
- Strength: considers patient's perspective which can be a useful criteria
for getting professional help
- Weakness: social control. could simply have chosen to deviate from
social norms but risks being labelled abnormal
, Explaining phobias
Phobia = excessive fear and anxiety
Types of phobias:
- Specific – develops any time e.g. arachnophobia
- Social – being observed by others e.g. public speaking
- Agoraphobia – fear of public places e.g. going outside
Phobia symptoms:
Behavioural symptoms: Panic, avoidance and endurance
Cognitive symptoms: selective attention, irrational beliefs, cognitive distortions
Emotional: anxiety, fear
Explaining phobias: 2 process model states that phobias are acquired through
Classical Conditioning and maintained through Operant Conditioning.
Classical conditioning is how we can become conditioned to have a reflex
towards something. Example will refers to fear of driving after a car crash: the
car crash is the unconditioned stimulus, which produces fear/trauma which is
the unconditioned response. The neutral stimulus (driving) is then paired with
the unconditioned stimulus (the fear) to create a conditioned response. Now
when the person has to drive, which is now the conditioned stimulus, they
would express fear/discomfort, this is the conditioned response. This shows
how people can be conditioned to have a certain response to something.
Operant conditioning: avoiding the phobic object negatively reinforces the
behaviour meaning the behaviour is likely to continue
Ao3:
Research support from Bagby: women fear of running water after foot stuck in
waterfall. supports behavioural approach as acquired phobia through CC.
however only specific to her therefore unable to generalise
Research support from Di Gallo: 20% people who experience traumatic car
accidents developed phobia of travelling in cars. supports as acquired phobia
Statistical infrequency = less common characteristic
- Strength: helps w clinical diagnosis therefore applicable to real life
- Weakness: unfairly labelled
Deviation from social norms = behaviour different from accepted standards of
behaviour in society, norms specific to the culture lived in
- Strength: useful for clinical diagnosis
- Weakness: Cultural relativism
Deviation from ideal mental health = don’t meet requirements of a set of
criteria considered normal – Jahoda
Set of criteria: coping w stress, independent of others, realistic view, self-
actualising
- Strength: Comprehensive which allows discussions between
professionals
- Weakness: Cultural relativism
Failure to function adequately = unable to cope with demands of everyday life
- Strength: considers patient's perspective which can be a useful criteria
for getting professional help
- Weakness: social control. could simply have chosen to deviate from
social norms but risks being labelled abnormal
, Explaining phobias
Phobia = excessive fear and anxiety
Types of phobias:
- Specific – develops any time e.g. arachnophobia
- Social – being observed by others e.g. public speaking
- Agoraphobia – fear of public places e.g. going outside
Phobia symptoms:
Behavioural symptoms: Panic, avoidance and endurance
Cognitive symptoms: selective attention, irrational beliefs, cognitive distortions
Emotional: anxiety, fear
Explaining phobias: 2 process model states that phobias are acquired through
Classical Conditioning and maintained through Operant Conditioning.
Classical conditioning is how we can become conditioned to have a reflex
towards something. Example will refers to fear of driving after a car crash: the
car crash is the unconditioned stimulus, which produces fear/trauma which is
the unconditioned response. The neutral stimulus (driving) is then paired with
the unconditioned stimulus (the fear) to create a conditioned response. Now
when the person has to drive, which is now the conditioned stimulus, they
would express fear/discomfort, this is the conditioned response. This shows
how people can be conditioned to have a certain response to something.
Operant conditioning: avoiding the phobic object negatively reinforces the
behaviour meaning the behaviour is likely to continue
Ao3:
Research support from Bagby: women fear of running water after foot stuck in
waterfall. supports behavioural approach as acquired phobia through CC.
however only specific to her therefore unable to generalise
Research support from Di Gallo: 20% people who experience traumatic car
accidents developed phobia of travelling in cars. supports as acquired phobia
