PSYC 435 FINAL QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
kWhat is abnormal psychology concerned with? - understanding the nature, causes and treatment of
mental disorders
What is family aggregation - whether a disorder runs in families
7 indicators of abnormailty - 1. subjective distress
2. maladaptiveness
3. statistical delivery
4. violation of the standards of society
5. social discomfort
6. irrationality and unpredictability
7. dangerousness
DSM definition of a mental disorder - A syndrome that is present in an individual and that involves
clinically significant disturbance in behaviour, emotional regulation or cognitive functioning
Advantages of classification - Provides us with nomenclature and enable us to structure information in a
more helpful manner
Disadvantages of classification - Use of shorthand leads to a loss of information, there can be some
stigma associated with a having a psychiatric diagnosis, and stereotyping
What is epidemiology - the study of the distribution of diseases, disorders or health related behaviours
in a given population
Difference between prevalence and incidence - prevalence refers to the number of active cases in a
population, incidence refers to the number of new cases that occur over a given period of time
What is external validity - The extent to which we can generalize results of a study
What is internal validity - The degree of confidence we can have in the results of a particular study
What is a correlation coefficient? - the strength of a correlation
What is statistical significance? - probability that results are due to chance
What is a meta analysis? - Statistical approach which calculates and then combines the effect sizes from
studies
what is a longitudinal design? - a study that follows people over time and tries to identify factors that
predate the onset of a disorder
,what is an experimental research approach? - A study where researchers control all factors except one
What is an ABAB design? - A design that starts with controlled conditions, introduces treatment,
removes the treatment, and then reintroduces the treatment. Recommended form of practice. Has more
comparisons which allows for greater confidence in findings.
3 general categories of mental disorders according to hippocrates - 1. mania
2. melancholia
3. phrenitis (brain fever)
hippocrates belief on mental disorders - Denied that demons intervened, instead insisted that mental
disorders had natural causes. Believed that mental disorders were due to brain pathology.
Mahers four element theory - Four elements:
1. blood (sanguis)
2. phlem
3. bile (choler)
4. black bile (melancholia)
These fluids combined in different proportions in different individuals, and determines a person's
temperament
plato's opinion on mental illness - Responses of the whole organism, reflecting its internal state. Such
persons were not responsible for their acts and should not receive normal punishment.
aristotle's opinion on mental illness - agreed with aristotles theory of the bile, and thought very hot bile
generated amorous desires, verbal fluency, and suicidal impulses
what country was the earliest civilization to attend to mental disorders - china, but then regressed to a
belief in supernatural forces as causal agents
what is mass madness - the widespread occurrence of group behaviour disorders that were apparently
cases of hysteria
what is tarantism - groups of people would suddenly start to jump, dance, and go into convulsions
What is lycanthropy? - A condition in which people believe themselves to be possessed by wolves
what is pinel's experiment - tested his views that patients with mental illness should be treated with
kindness. removed chains from patients, provided sunny rooms and permitted exercise
what is moral management? - emphasized the patients' moral and spiritual development and
rehabilitation of their character rather than their disorders
what is the mental hygiene movement? - advocated the physical well being of patients, received no help
for mental problems, created by Dorothy Dix
, what is neurasthenisia - an old condition that involved pervasive feelings of low mood, lack of energy,
and physical symptoms related to demands of civilization
what is the deinstitutionalization movement? - during the latter of the 20th century vigorous efforts
were made to close down mental hospitals and return people who were psychiatrically disabled to the
community, considered a more humane treatment
4 major themes in abnormal psychology in the 20th century - 1. biological discoveries
2. the development of a classification system for mental disorders
3. the emergence of psychological causation views
4. experimental psychological research developments
paresis-syphilis of the brain - produced paralysis and insanity, typically caused death within 2-5 years as a
result of brain deterioration, treatment discovered in 1917
what are lobotomies and when were they used - an ice pick was used to sever the neural connections in
the brain after entering through the eye sockets, used in 1920s
mesmer's opinion on mental illness - believed the planets affected a universal magnetic fluid in the body,
the distribution of which determined health or disease
what 2 methods enabled freud to explore unconscious - free association and dream analysis
necessary cause, sufficient cause, contributory cause - necessary: a character must exist for a disorder to
occur, sufficient: a condition that guarantees the occurrence of a disorder, contributory: factor that
increases probability of developing a disorder
distal vs proximal risk factors - distal: causal factors occurring relatively early in life
proximal: causal factors occurring shortly before the onset of symptoms of a disorder
4 categories of biological factors that seem relevant to the development of maladaptive behaviour - 1.
genetic vulnerabilities
2. brain dysfunction and neural plasticity
3. neurotransmitter and hormonal abnormalities
4. temperament
what are polymorphisms? - naturally occurring variations of genes
3 ways in which an individuals genotype may shape their environment - 1. genotype has passive effect
on environment
2. genotype has evocative effect on environment
3. genotype has active effect on environment
3 primary methods used in behaviour genetics - 1. family history method
ANSWERS GRADED A+
kWhat is abnormal psychology concerned with? - understanding the nature, causes and treatment of
mental disorders
What is family aggregation - whether a disorder runs in families
7 indicators of abnormailty - 1. subjective distress
2. maladaptiveness
3. statistical delivery
4. violation of the standards of society
5. social discomfort
6. irrationality and unpredictability
7. dangerousness
DSM definition of a mental disorder - A syndrome that is present in an individual and that involves
clinically significant disturbance in behaviour, emotional regulation or cognitive functioning
Advantages of classification - Provides us with nomenclature and enable us to structure information in a
more helpful manner
Disadvantages of classification - Use of shorthand leads to a loss of information, there can be some
stigma associated with a having a psychiatric diagnosis, and stereotyping
What is epidemiology - the study of the distribution of diseases, disorders or health related behaviours
in a given population
Difference between prevalence and incidence - prevalence refers to the number of active cases in a
population, incidence refers to the number of new cases that occur over a given period of time
What is external validity - The extent to which we can generalize results of a study
What is internal validity - The degree of confidence we can have in the results of a particular study
What is a correlation coefficient? - the strength of a correlation
What is statistical significance? - probability that results are due to chance
What is a meta analysis? - Statistical approach which calculates and then combines the effect sizes from
studies
what is a longitudinal design? - a study that follows people over time and tries to identify factors that
predate the onset of a disorder
,what is an experimental research approach? - A study where researchers control all factors except one
What is an ABAB design? - A design that starts with controlled conditions, introduces treatment,
removes the treatment, and then reintroduces the treatment. Recommended form of practice. Has more
comparisons which allows for greater confidence in findings.
3 general categories of mental disorders according to hippocrates - 1. mania
2. melancholia
3. phrenitis (brain fever)
hippocrates belief on mental disorders - Denied that demons intervened, instead insisted that mental
disorders had natural causes. Believed that mental disorders were due to brain pathology.
Mahers four element theory - Four elements:
1. blood (sanguis)
2. phlem
3. bile (choler)
4. black bile (melancholia)
These fluids combined in different proportions in different individuals, and determines a person's
temperament
plato's opinion on mental illness - Responses of the whole organism, reflecting its internal state. Such
persons were not responsible for their acts and should not receive normal punishment.
aristotle's opinion on mental illness - agreed with aristotles theory of the bile, and thought very hot bile
generated amorous desires, verbal fluency, and suicidal impulses
what country was the earliest civilization to attend to mental disorders - china, but then regressed to a
belief in supernatural forces as causal agents
what is mass madness - the widespread occurrence of group behaviour disorders that were apparently
cases of hysteria
what is tarantism - groups of people would suddenly start to jump, dance, and go into convulsions
What is lycanthropy? - A condition in which people believe themselves to be possessed by wolves
what is pinel's experiment - tested his views that patients with mental illness should be treated with
kindness. removed chains from patients, provided sunny rooms and permitted exercise
what is moral management? - emphasized the patients' moral and spiritual development and
rehabilitation of their character rather than their disorders
what is the mental hygiene movement? - advocated the physical well being of patients, received no help
for mental problems, created by Dorothy Dix
, what is neurasthenisia - an old condition that involved pervasive feelings of low mood, lack of energy,
and physical symptoms related to demands of civilization
what is the deinstitutionalization movement? - during the latter of the 20th century vigorous efforts
were made to close down mental hospitals and return people who were psychiatrically disabled to the
community, considered a more humane treatment
4 major themes in abnormal psychology in the 20th century - 1. biological discoveries
2. the development of a classification system for mental disorders
3. the emergence of psychological causation views
4. experimental psychological research developments
paresis-syphilis of the brain - produced paralysis and insanity, typically caused death within 2-5 years as a
result of brain deterioration, treatment discovered in 1917
what are lobotomies and when were they used - an ice pick was used to sever the neural connections in
the brain after entering through the eye sockets, used in 1920s
mesmer's opinion on mental illness - believed the planets affected a universal magnetic fluid in the body,
the distribution of which determined health or disease
what 2 methods enabled freud to explore unconscious - free association and dream analysis
necessary cause, sufficient cause, contributory cause - necessary: a character must exist for a disorder to
occur, sufficient: a condition that guarantees the occurrence of a disorder, contributory: factor that
increases probability of developing a disorder
distal vs proximal risk factors - distal: causal factors occurring relatively early in life
proximal: causal factors occurring shortly before the onset of symptoms of a disorder
4 categories of biological factors that seem relevant to the development of maladaptive behaviour - 1.
genetic vulnerabilities
2. brain dysfunction and neural plasticity
3. neurotransmitter and hormonal abnormalities
4. temperament
what are polymorphisms? - naturally occurring variations of genes
3 ways in which an individuals genotype may shape their environment - 1. genotype has passive effect
on environment
2. genotype has evocative effect on environment
3. genotype has active effect on environment
3 primary methods used in behaviour genetics - 1. family history method
