Test Bank For Abnormal Psychology 18th Edition By
James N Butcher, Jill M Hooley, Matthew Nock,
Susan Mineka All Chapters LATEST
Why is abnormality so difficult to define? - Correct Answer--What is considered abnormal by one may be
considered normal by another
What characteristics help us recognize abnormality? - Correct Answer--1. subjective distress
2. maladaptiveness
3. statistical deviancy
4. violation of the standards of society
5. social discomfort
6. irrationality and unpredictability
7. dangerousness
What is stigma? How common is it? - Correct Answer--Preconceived negative attitudes about a particular
subject that are extremely common
What challenges are involved in reducing stigma toward people with mental illness? - Correct Answer--
Knowledge alone is not enough to remove stigmas
A person's self-concept may be directly affected by being given a diagnosis - perpetuating stigma
Fear of individuals who exhibit dangerous or unpredictable behavior perpetuates stigma
What is epidemiology? - Correct Answer--involves the study of the distribution and frequency of disorders
What is the difference between prevalence and incidence? - Correct Answer--Incidence is the number of
new cases in a population within a certain period. Prevalence is the total number of cases in a population in
a certain period - including both new and existing cases
,What are the most common mental disorders? - Correct Answer--Mood, anxiety, and substance abuse
disorders
How is illness severity associated with comorbidity? - Correct Answer--Comorbidity is positively correlated
with illness severity
What are the strengths and limitations of case studies? - Correct Answer--new ideas and stimulus for
research. insight into rare clinical conditions
Studying and drawing inferences from past case studies alone often leads to erroneous thinking as we
often focus on data that confirm our ideas of how things are.
Why is it desirable not to rely solely on self-report data as a source of information? - Correct Answer--
Because people will occasionally lie, misinterpret the question, or desire to present themselves in a
particularly favorable (or unfavorable) light
What is the difference between self-report and observational data? - Correct Answer--Self-report data is the
individual's personal subjective experience, whereas observational data is what is observable to everyone
as it currently is
What range of measures could be considered to reflect observational data? - Correct Answer--Direct
observation, biological, laboratory, technological, clinical
Explain what the term representative sample means - Correct Answer--A group that is as indicative of what
the entire population is as possible
What is a sample of convenience? - Correct Answer--A sample of what is most readily available, though not
necessarily most indicative of the entire population
What is the difference between internal and external validity? How can external validity be maximized? -
Correct Answer--Internal: how confident we are in the results of that study
External: the extent to which we can generalize the findings of a study
, Create a sample that has wide ranges of various factors to represent the most of the population
Why are comparison or control groups so important? - Correct Answer--researchers cannot test their
hypothesis adequately. The control group must be comparable in all major respects to the criterion group
except for the fact that they do not exhibit the disorder of interest.
• comparison of the variables of interest shows if there are significant differences.
How is experimental research different from correlational research? - Correct Answer--Experimental
research manipulates the variables and environments whereas correlational research observes without
interference
In experimental research, which variable (independent or dependent) is manipulated? - Correct Answer--
Independent
What is a placebo? - Correct Answer--A treatment that has no effect.
Explain the process of performing an ABAB design. Why are such designs helpful to clinicians and
researchers? - Correct Answer--With/without/with/without treatment - infer causal relationships and
determine how well the treatment works
Explain how we define abnormality and classify mental disorders. - Correct Answer--• A precise definition of
abnormality remains elusive. Consider subjective distress, maladaptiveness, statistical deviancy, violation
of societal norms, social discomfort, irrationality and unpredictability, and dangerousness.
• The DSM employs a category type of classification similar to that used in medicine. Disorders are
regarded as discrete clinical entities, though not all clinical disorders may be best considered in this way.
• Even though it is not without problems, the DSM provides us with working criteria that help clinicians and
researchers identify and study specific difficulties that affect the lives of many people. It is far from a
"finished product." However, familiarity with the DSM is essential to significant study of the field.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of classification. - Correct Answer--• Pros:
Classifying disorders provides a common language as well as a communication shorthand
James N Butcher, Jill M Hooley, Matthew Nock,
Susan Mineka All Chapters LATEST
Why is abnormality so difficult to define? - Correct Answer--What is considered abnormal by one may be
considered normal by another
What characteristics help us recognize abnormality? - Correct Answer--1. subjective distress
2. maladaptiveness
3. statistical deviancy
4. violation of the standards of society
5. social discomfort
6. irrationality and unpredictability
7. dangerousness
What is stigma? How common is it? - Correct Answer--Preconceived negative attitudes about a particular
subject that are extremely common
What challenges are involved in reducing stigma toward people with mental illness? - Correct Answer--
Knowledge alone is not enough to remove stigmas
A person's self-concept may be directly affected by being given a diagnosis - perpetuating stigma
Fear of individuals who exhibit dangerous or unpredictable behavior perpetuates stigma
What is epidemiology? - Correct Answer--involves the study of the distribution and frequency of disorders
What is the difference between prevalence and incidence? - Correct Answer--Incidence is the number of
new cases in a population within a certain period. Prevalence is the total number of cases in a population in
a certain period - including both new and existing cases
,What are the most common mental disorders? - Correct Answer--Mood, anxiety, and substance abuse
disorders
How is illness severity associated with comorbidity? - Correct Answer--Comorbidity is positively correlated
with illness severity
What are the strengths and limitations of case studies? - Correct Answer--new ideas and stimulus for
research. insight into rare clinical conditions
Studying and drawing inferences from past case studies alone often leads to erroneous thinking as we
often focus on data that confirm our ideas of how things are.
Why is it desirable not to rely solely on self-report data as a source of information? - Correct Answer--
Because people will occasionally lie, misinterpret the question, or desire to present themselves in a
particularly favorable (or unfavorable) light
What is the difference between self-report and observational data? - Correct Answer--Self-report data is the
individual's personal subjective experience, whereas observational data is what is observable to everyone
as it currently is
What range of measures could be considered to reflect observational data? - Correct Answer--Direct
observation, biological, laboratory, technological, clinical
Explain what the term representative sample means - Correct Answer--A group that is as indicative of what
the entire population is as possible
What is a sample of convenience? - Correct Answer--A sample of what is most readily available, though not
necessarily most indicative of the entire population
What is the difference between internal and external validity? How can external validity be maximized? -
Correct Answer--Internal: how confident we are in the results of that study
External: the extent to which we can generalize the findings of a study
, Create a sample that has wide ranges of various factors to represent the most of the population
Why are comparison or control groups so important? - Correct Answer--researchers cannot test their
hypothesis adequately. The control group must be comparable in all major respects to the criterion group
except for the fact that they do not exhibit the disorder of interest.
• comparison of the variables of interest shows if there are significant differences.
How is experimental research different from correlational research? - Correct Answer--Experimental
research manipulates the variables and environments whereas correlational research observes without
interference
In experimental research, which variable (independent or dependent) is manipulated? - Correct Answer--
Independent
What is a placebo? - Correct Answer--A treatment that has no effect.
Explain the process of performing an ABAB design. Why are such designs helpful to clinicians and
researchers? - Correct Answer--With/without/with/without treatment - infer causal relationships and
determine how well the treatment works
Explain how we define abnormality and classify mental disorders. - Correct Answer--• A precise definition of
abnormality remains elusive. Consider subjective distress, maladaptiveness, statistical deviancy, violation
of societal norms, social discomfort, irrationality and unpredictability, and dangerousness.
• The DSM employs a category type of classification similar to that used in medicine. Disorders are
regarded as discrete clinical entities, though not all clinical disorders may be best considered in this way.
• Even though it is not without problems, the DSM provides us with working criteria that help clinicians and
researchers identify and study specific difficulties that affect the lives of many people. It is far from a
"finished product." However, familiarity with the DSM is essential to significant study of the field.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of classification. - Correct Answer--• Pros:
Classifying disorders provides a common language as well as a communication shorthand
