Summary Sheets (COMPLETED) for 'PSYCHOPATHOLOGY': Psychology A-level
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Course
Psychopathology
Institution
AQA
This document provides a digital summary sheet (created on powerpoint) for every module within the 'Psychopathology' topic of Psychology A level. Each summary sheet provides in varying detail an outline (AO1) and 3-4 evaluation points (AO3) of the topic. Every slide has the required information to ...
Deviation from social norms: Failure to function adequately (FTFA): Deviation from Ideal Mental Health: Statistical infrequency:
- All societies have social norms which are - Each person has everyday basic tasks they are - Idea society first defines the ideal mental health - This definition states tha
commonly accepted standards of required to fulfil. and how we should be psychologically healthy. behaviour is considered
behaviour within their culture. - Someone may be seen as abnormal when they - Anyone who deviates from this ideal is behaviour different to th
- These can be written laws or unwritten cannot maintain basic standards of nutrition and - Whether a behaviour is s
considered abnormal.
social expectations. hygiene. - Marie Johoda (1958) suggested the following on the normal distributio
- People who deviate from these norms are - This inability to cope with everyday life defines a - By drawing a normal dist
criteria for idea mental health : we can cope
considered abnormal (for example, person as abnormal. person who falls outside
- with stress, we self-actualise, accurate
displaying inappropriate emotions like Most people who seek psychiatric help have 5%) are considered abno
perception of reality, able to adapt to our
laughing when told someone has died.) subjectively judged their own behaviour to be people with IQ below 70
irrational (e.g., agoraphobia/ fear of open
environment.
+ spaces.) +
Practical application: Useful in diagnosis of + More objective than other
psychological conditions such as antisocial + More positive approach: Focus is on good ‘mental on subject views of the indi
personality disorder (APD.) Abnormal Incorporates subjective experience: Although difficult health’ rather than abnormality. More useful for defines abnormality as a qu
behaviours can be compared to ‘typical’ ones to asses stress, recognises subjective experience of the therapists as can use goals of an ideal mental score falls more than two st
to interpret them. Society can be protected individual. Most people seek psychiatric help when health (e.g., high self-esteem) as criteria for from the mean then the beh
from abnormal behaviour and treatment can their abnormality interferes with their ability to patients to aim for. Makes definition useful for the abnormal. This use of quanti
be provided for person suffering. There other function properly so therefore more ethical as allows practical application of trying to return to a state of definition a more objective,
factors to consider in diagnosing APD but individual to determine their own abnormality. FTFA mental well-being. abnormal behaviour.
definition provides useful guidance. captures experience of those who need help suggests
useful for assessing abnormality. - -
- Too demanding: Definition is criticised for being Ignores the desirability: Un
Change over time: Social norms are - too unrealistic. Johoda claimed all six of her criteria not always be negative desp
everchanging as subjectively defined by Definition too subjective: Reliant on persons required for good mental health but many would rare. Some behaviours may
society. ‘Normal’ may not be there same as in realisation. Subjectivity of definition means struggle with that. For example, self-actualisation is definition but are desirable
the past or future. For example, until 1967 psychological abnormalities may go unnoticed. top of Maslow’s hierarchy and difficult to reach and excellent sporting ability.) Si
Homosexual acts were viewed legally as Sometimes people who are abnormal are still able to maintain. Therefore definition classifies more behaviours (for example dep
criminal offences. Now widely accepted. No function or in denial/ don’t recognise the abnormality. mentally abnormal but are r
people as abnormal than accurate or helpful to
fixed rules so less useful for practical For example, Harold Shipman led a ‘normal’ life (about 10% will be diagnose
society.
application. despite murdering countless people. Reliance on lives.) Therefore the definiti
individuals realisation may mean abnormalities go mean is regarded as too sim
Culturally relative: Vary tremendously unnoticed.
There’s western bias: Definition has low
between generations/ communities. generalisability to other cultures. Some criteria are Has arbitrary cut-off point:
Behaviour abnormal in one culture may be It’s context specific: Overlooks context of a person’s more appropriate to western societies. For defining abnormality (2 SD’s
abnormal but normal in another culture. FTFA. For example, grieving a loss they may FTFA but example, Autonomy (independence) isn’t a goal example, IQ of 70 considere
Western countries consider ‘hearing voices’ this doesn’t make them abnormal. Not all maladaptive within community-based cultures. All ideas are abnormal. Critics would arg
sign of mental abnormality but tribal cultures behaviour is a sign of abnormality therefore incredibly based on western ideas of ideal mental health, wouldn’t differ much so imp
would view as a blessing. Cannot be used to important context considered during diagnosing meaning definition not relevant or useful to people impact the behaviour is hav
globally generalise abnormal behaviour. abnormality and disorders. from other societies. functioning instead.
, A phobia is an anxiety disorder which interferes with a person’s daily life. It’s Behaviourist Approach to explaining phobias: Step 1. Classical conditioning
an instance of excessive, uncontrollable fear that then produces a conscious
avoidance of that object or situation. The behaviourist approach believes we are born Before:
as a blank slate and our behaviour is shaped by UCS (painful treatment) -> UCR (fear
There are three types of phobias: direct experience. This is how they view phobias. NS (Hospital) -> NR
Specific phobias: A fear of a specific thing/ environment factor (e.g., Hobart Mowrer (1947) proposed the Two-Process During:
arachnophobia, fear of heights.) Model to explain the learning of phobias. This UCS (painful treatment) -> NS (hospi
Social phobias: An anxiety in a social situations (e.g., fear of public process states that phobias are learned/acquired
speaking.) through classical conditioning when a NS is After:
Agoraphobia: Fear of being in a situation where escape might be difficult paired with an UCS that produces fear. CS (hospital) -> CR (fear)
(e.g., fear of going outside.)
Characteristics of phobias: These phobias are then continued/maintained Sometimes a phobic stimulus may b
through operant conditioning. The individual Someone who was bitten by a dog m
Cognitive (thoughts): avoids that phobic stimulus which reduces fear to all dogs.
anxiety, negatively reinforcing the phobia.
- Selective attention to phobic stimulus (person finds it hard to divert their Step 2: Operant conditioning
attention away from the stimulus.)
- Irrational beliefs (person may hold irrational beliefs about the stimulus. Phobias: Individual is scared of going to the h
For example someone with Arachnophobia may think all spiders are therefore decide not to go. This redu
deadly.) Environmentally reductionist: anxiety. This is negative reinforceme
Behaviourist approach only makes the individual more likely to a
Emotional (feelings): considers the role of the learning stimuli.
process (with Two-process model).
- Anxiety (high levels of anxiety are produced by the worries of or the Ignores the role of cognition in the Supported by research evidence: Watson and R
presence of the phobic stimulus.) forming phobias. Cognitive demonstrated classical conditioning on little Albe
- Emotional responses are unreasonable (an instant fear response is psychologists believe phobias may of white rats even though he previously liked the
produced which is disproportionate to the danger actually posed by the develop because of irrational with a loud, unpleasant noise. He then generalis
stimulus.) thinking not just learning. all animals. Validates idea of classical conditionin
Overlooks role of biology in phobias rather than our fears being biological.
Behavioural (actions): development of phobias. For
example we may have an innate Has practical application to therapy: Behaviouri
- Avoidance (the person consciously goes to a lot of effort to avoid facing predisposition to develop certain used to develop effective treatments to phobias
their fear.) phobias (snakes) as it is adaptive Flooding. Evidence has shown these therapies to
- Panic (the person displays panicked behaviour such as signs of ‘flight’/ for survival. indicating there must be a learned element to ph
running away when in the presence of the phobic stimulus.) unlearnt. This supports the behaviourist explana
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