Essay
A* A-level AQA Psychology: Psychopathology essay plans
- Module
- Psychopathology
- Institution
- AQA
A-level AQA Psychology Psychopathology essay plans including AO1 and AO3 with studies and statistics.
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Psychopathology 8/16 marker essay plans Failure to function adequately and deviation from ideal mental health as definitions
of abnormality (2017)
AO1: Failure to function adequately – failure of individuals to deal with daily struggles,
categories by Rosenham and Seligman: maladaptive behaviour, personal distress, observer
discomfort, violation of moral codes, unconventionality, irrationality, unpredictability.
Deviation from ideal mental health – humanistic definition by Jahoda, deviation from
criteria suggests abnormality: autonomy, self-actualisation, positive self-attitude, avoiding
stress, environmental mastery, accurate perception of reality
AO3: Strengths of FTFA – appreciates person’s individual experience, Weaknesses of FTFA –
subjective, context dependent, psychopaths are abnormal by behave normally, not all
maladaptive behaviour suggests mental illness e.g. poor diet, could be due to other factors
and not due to psychopathology e.g. losing a job due to economic conditions. Strengths of
DFIMH – holistic approach where person knows how to improve, Weaknesses of DFIMH –
imposes western + individualistic perspective on non-westerners who do not value personal
growth but their role in society, difficult criteria to achieve consistently
Statistical infrequency and deviation from social norms as definitions of abnormality
(2021)
AO1: Definition of statistical infrequency – abnormal behaviour is rare and can be
established by comparing to the rest of population, two or more standard deviations away
from average, cut off point used as point of diagnosis. Deviation from social norms –
unwritten behavioural categories (explicit/implicit rules) that vary depending on
culture/context/time, deviant is someone who breaks these norms and thus considered
abnormal
AO3: Strengths of SI – more objective than other definitions as uses stats measure,
Weaknesses of SI – not all ‘abnormal’ behaviour is bad e.g. high IQ, cut off point is
subjective and often used to decide when to give support/treatment. Strengths of DFSN –
respects cultural diff, does not impose western standard on non-western cultures,
Weaknesses of DFSN – person outside of their original culture may be considered abnormal,
individuality expressed in unconventional ways
Phobias (BEC characteristics), behaviourist explanation (two-process model) of
phobias (2020), behaviourist treatment for phobias
AO1: Behavioural – avoidance of phobic object, panic response and failure to function,
inability to do regular tasks. Emotional – increased anxiety inhibiting relaxation, fear. Cog –
reduced cog capacity, overrating danger/importance, irrational beliefs about phobic object.
Behaviourist explanation – phobia acquired through experience, 2-process model –
acquired through CC where phobic object goes from NS to CS, maintained through OC
where neg reinforcement is repeated due to feeling of reduced anxiety. Behaviourist
treatment – counter-conditioning = replacing fear association with relaxing/calm
association, systematic desensitisation = relaxation techniques paired with each level of
anxiety hierarchy created by client from least feared situation to most feared situation with
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