Exam 4 Review
Psych 101B
Spring 2015
Today’s Review
Psychological Disorders
Mood disorders
Schizophrenia
Anxiety disorders
Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy
Humanistic therapy
Social Psychology
Social influence
Attraction & relationships
Psychological Disorders
Syndromes marked by a significant
disturbance in an individual’s cognition,
emotion regulation, or behavior.
Medical model: disorders are “sicknesses”
with physical causes that can be cured
through hospital treatment.
Biopsychosocial model: disorders reflect both
genetic predispositions and social influences.
DSM-5
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, 5th Edition: provides the diagnostic
criteria used to classify psychological
disorders.
Pros: It provides a reliable way to guide medical
diagnoses and treatment.
Cons: Disorders are described by their symptoms
instead of causes; labels can be subjective.
According to lecture, the Rosenhan study
demonstrates that:
A. Mental health diagnoses can be subjective
and context dependent.
B. The DSM is not an accurate tool for
diagnosis.
C. Symptoms of mental disorders vary
significantly across people.
D. Psychologists are more likely to have
mental disorders.
According to lecture, the Rosenhan study
demonstrates that:
A. Mental health diagnoses can be subjective
and context dependent.
B. The DSM is not an accurate tool for
diagnosis.
C. Symptoms of mental disorders vary
significantly across people.
D. Psychologists are more likely to have
mental disorders.
Neurosis is characterized by:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Anxiety and emotional disturbance.
Loss of contact with reality.
Distortion of perception & thought.
Personality distortion.
Neurosis is characterized by:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Anxiety and emotional disturbance.
Loss of contact with reality.
Distortion of perception & thought.
Personality distortion.
these
describe
psychosis
instead
What’s the primary difference between clinical
psychologists and psychiatrists?
A. Only clinical psychologists can prescribe
drugs.
B. Only psychiatrists can prescribe drugs.
C. Only clinical psychologists can help manage
symptoms.
D. Only psychiatrists can help manage
symptoms.
What’s the primary difference between clinical
psychologists and psychiatrists?
A. Only clinical psychologists can prescribe
drugs.
B. Only psychiatrists can prescribe drugs.
C. Only clinical psychologists can help manage
symptoms.
D. Only psychiatrists can help manage
symptoms.
Mood Disorders
Disturbances in a person's mood and emotional
state. The “common cold” of psychological
disorders.
Unipolar (e.g. major depressive disorder):
experiencing extreme lows.
Bipolar (e.g. manic-depressive disorder):
fluctuating between extreme highs and extreme
lows.
Major Depressive Disorder:
Overview
Diagnostic criteria:
• Depressed mood; reduced interest or enjoyment.
• Problems regulating appetite and sleep.
• Feeling listless, worthless, hopeless, no energy.
• Problems thinking, concentrating, making decisions.
Duration:
• Two or more weeks (DSM criteria).
• Can last months or years.
What is NOT true of major depression?
A. It can sometimes have no eliciting event.
B. It is the primary cause of suicide.
C. People can recover without professional
help.
D. Women’s rate of suicide fatality is almost
double men’s.
What is NOT true of major depression?
A. It can sometimes have no eliciting event.
B. It is the primary cause of suicide.
C. People can recover without professional
help.
D. Women’s rate of suicide fatality is almost
double men’s.
Major Depressive Disorder:
Biological Approach
The presumed cause of depression is a
chemical imbalance in the brain - underactive
serotonin system.
Implicated neurotransmitters: serotonin and
norepinephrine.
(NPR story says: not that much evidence.)
Tricyclics decrease depression by:
A. Inhibiting the enzyme monoamine oxidase
B. Partially blocking serotonin and
norepinephrine reuptake
C. Increasing endorphin production
D. B & C
Tricyclics decrease depression by:
A. Inhibiting the enzyme monoamine oxidase
B. Partially blocking serotonin and
norepinephrine reuptake
C. Increasing endorphin production
D. B & C
Major Depressive Disorder:
Antidepressants
MAO inhibitors (e.g. Nardil) - inhibit the
enzyme monoamine oxidase from breaking
down serotonin and norepinephrine.
• Effective in 50% of patients
• Side effects
1st generation tricyclics (e.g. Elavil, Endep) –
partially block the re-uptake of serotonin and
norepinephrine.
• Side effects
Major Depressive Disorder:
Antidepressants
2nd generation tricyclics (e.g. Prozac, Zoloft,
Paxil) – more specifically block the re-uptake
of serotonin. Serotonin-specific reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs).
• Effective in 60-80% of patients
• Fewer side effects
Some caveats:
• Antidepressants usually take a month to start working
• Don’t work for up to 40% of people
Schizophrenia
Severe psychotic disorder of thought; thought
and behavior are divorced.
Diagnostic criteria:
• Bizarre delusions
• Paranoia
• Hallucinations
• Disorders of logical thought and speech
• Catatonia or bizarre movements
• Inappropriate emotional response/expression
Types of Schizophrenia
Positive symptoms
Hallucinations (false perceptions)
Delusions (false beliefs)
Thought disorders (disorganized thinking and
speech)
Negative symptoms
Flat affect (emotionless)
Impaired attention
Poor social adjustment
Reduction in speech
this type has the worse prognosis
Schizophrenia:
Dopamine hypothesis
Schizophrenia is the result of a hyper-active
dopamine system in the brain (excess of
dopamine receptors).
Antipsychotic drugs: reduce dopamine activity
in the brain by blocking dopamine receptors.
First generation: thorazine
• Side effects – depression, bizarre muscle behavior (shuffle)
New generation: “atypicals” (Zyprexa, Risperdal)
Schizophrenia is:
A. Caused by extreme stress combined with
poor coping skills
B. Outcome of extremely exacerbated
depressive and anxiety symptoms
C. Caused by genetic predisposition combined
with environmental stressors
D. Primarily a genetic disorder
Schizophrenia is:
A. Caused by extreme stress combined with
poor coping skills
B. Outcome of extremely exacerbated
depressive and anxiety symptoms
C. Caused by genetic predisposition
combined with environmental stressors
D. Primarily a genetic disorder
Schizophrenia:
Genetic Component
The incidence rate of schizophrenia in…
•The general population: 1%
•Siblings of schizophrenics: 10%
•Fraternal twins of schizophrenics: 10-15%
•Identical twins of schizophrenics: 40-50%
Schizophrenia:
Genetic Component
Polygenic model: schizophrenia is caused by a
“toxic” combination of genetic variants.
Multiple rare variants model: schizophrenia is
caused by a single rare mutation
Anxiety Disorders
Characterized by distressing, persistent
anxiety or maladaptive behaviors to reduce
anxiety.
Excessive apprehension and anxiety (thoughts
of future threat) or fear (present state of
heightened physiological arousal).
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Characterized by chronic, excessive worry.
Symptoms:
• continuous worrying, fearfulness
• autonomic nervous system arousal – tension, heart
palpitations, trembling, perspiration
• difficulties in concentration
• avoidance of social situations
The anxiety is “free-floating” rather than
linked to a specific thing or event.
Phobic disorders
Persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of an
object, activity, or situation.
Specific/simple phobia: fear of particular
objects or situations.
• Objects: spiders, snakes, clowns, peanut butter
• Situations: flying, being buried alive, being in closed
spaces
Phobic disorders
Not all phobias have single, specific triggers; some
are more complex with multiple components.
Agoraphobia: fear of open spaces, where escape
might be difficult in case of panic attacks.
Social phobia/social anxiety disorder: fear being
negatively judged and scrutinized by others.
In obsessive-compulsive disorder, an obsession
is:
A. A complex phobia
B. The idea that everything must be “just right”
C. Repetitive behavior according to rules and
rituals
D. A persistent thought, idea, image, or impulse
In obsessive-compulsive disorder, an obsession
is:
A. A complex phobia
B. The idea that everything must be “just right”
C. Repetitive behavior according to rules and
rituals
D. A persistent thought, idea, image, or
impulse
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Obsessive thought: persistent thought, idea,
image, or impulse.
• Dirt, germs, toxins; disaster, death; symmetry, order
Compulsive behavior – repetitive behavior
performed according to certain rules/rituals.
• Excessive washing; checking doors & locks; repeated rituals
Becomes a disorder when these thoughts and
behaviors interfere with everyday living.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
Occurs after being a victim or witness of a
traumatic incident.
Symptoms:
• recurring/intrusive thoughts, memories, & nightmares
• social withdrawal
• “jumpy” anxiety – easily startled
• sleep difficulties
About 5-10% of people develop PTSD after
having a traumatic experience.
Prevalence Rates
(Regier et al., 1988)
Disorder - % of people exhibiting disorder
during their lifetimes
• Any disorder – 32%
• Substance abuse – 16% (most common)
• Mood disorders – 8% (most deadly)
• Anxiety disorders – 13%
• Schizophrenia – 1% (most severe)
Therapy
Psychotherapy: treatment involving psychological
techniques, consisting of interactions between
the patient and a trained therapist
• Psychodynamic therapy – Freud
• Humanistic therapy – Rogers (client-centered therapy),
Perls (Gestalt therapy)
Biomedical therapy: treatment involving
medications or procedures that act directly on the
patient’s physiology
Which therapy has the fundamental assumption that
mental disorders reflect anxiety when forbidden
impulses and desires threaten to arise?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Humanistic
Behavioral
Cognitive behavioral
Psychodynamic
Which therapy has the fundamental assumption that
mental disorders reflect anxiety when forbidden
impulses and desires threaten to arise?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Humanistic
Behavioral
Cognitive behavioral
Psychodynamic
What is a humanistic therapeutic technique?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Unconditional positive regard
Systematic desensitization
Exposure therapy
Dream analysis
What is a humanistic therapeutic technique?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Unconditional positive regard
Behavioral therapy
Systematic desensitization
Exposure therapy
Psychoanalysis / psychodynamic therapy
Dream analysis
Psychodynamic therapy – Freud
Behavior and feelings are powerfully affected
by unconscious motives and inner conflicts of
the mind.
Goal: improving patients’ self-insight, helping
patients gain access to unconscious feelings.
Tools: free association; transference;
interpretation.
Humanistic therapy – Rogers
For a person to "grow“ in self-awareness and
acceptance, they need an environment of
genuineness and empathy.
Goal: helping patients grow and accept who
they are.
Tools: active listening; unconditional positive
regard; non-directive counseling.
Humanistic therapy – Perls
Self-awareness and personal responsibility is
key to developing one’s full potential.
Goal: helping clients gain awareness of what
they are experiencing in the here and now.
Tools: meaningful and authentic dialogue; role
play; attention to body language.
Which statements are psychodynamic
and which are humanistic?
1. Conscious thoughts are more important
than unconscious ones.
2. It’s important to know the childhood roots
of your current problems.
3. The therapist is the authority on the
patient’s inner experiences.
Which statements are psychodynamic
and which are humanistic?
1. Conscious thoughts are more important
than unconscious ones. - Humanistic
2. It’s important to know the childhood roots
of your current problems. - Psychodynamic
3. The therapist is the authority on the
patient’s inner experiences. - Psychodynamic
Social Psychology
The study of social influences, social relations
between people, and the effect of the social
situation on behavior.
What did Milgram conclude from his subway
experiment?
A. Subway commuters are unwilling to give up
their seats.
B. Social norms are difficult to break.
C. People are likely to obey authority figures.
D. People conform to the opinions of the group.
What did Milgram conclude from his subway
experiment?
A. Subway commuters are unwilling to give up
their seats.
B. Social norms are difficult to break.
C. People are likely to obey authority figures.
D. People conform to the opinions of the group.
Social Influence
Solomon Asch’s line study
Normative social influence:
influence resulting from the one’s desire to gain
approval/avoid disapproval
Informational social influence: influence
resulting from one’s willingness to accept
others’ opinions
Social psychology & World War II
Tendency for humans to be influenced by their
social roles (Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison
Experiment)
Tendency for humans to obey authority figures
(Milgram study)
Stanford Prison Experiment
Zimbardo set up a fake prison in a basement.
College students were randomly assigned to be
“prisoners” or “guards”.
Study was intended to last for two weeks, but
discontinued after 6 days.
The power of social roles
Some guards became abusive.
Some prisoners became obedient. Some were
rebellious, before breaking down emotionally.
Zimbardo himself conformed to his role as
“warden.”
Our behavior is strongly influenced by the
social roles that we find ourselves in.
Milgram’s “shock” experiments
Participants were assigned to be a “teacher” to
help a “learner” help learn word pairs.
Each time the “learner” made a mistake, the
“teacher” had to deliver an electrical shock,
increasing the level of shock each time.
The whole time, a researcher in a labcoat is in
the room, giving the “teacher” orders to
continue.
What percentage of participants went all the
way and delivered the highest level of shock?
A.
B.
C.
D.
50%
33%
65%
80%
What percentage of participants went all the
way and delivered the highest level of shock?
A.
B.
C.
D.
50%
33%
65%
80%
The power of social influence
“Ordinary people, simply doing their jobs, and
without any particular hostility on their part,
can become agents in a terrible destructive
process.” – Milgram
Other influencing factors:
• Whether the authority figure was perceived as legitimate and
supported by an institution
• Whether “learners” were emotionally distanced
• Whether “teachers” saw someone else rebel first
Other things to know
Hofling hospital study - nurses were ordered by
doctors to administer a dangerous dose of a
(fake) drug to their patients. 21 out of the 22
nurses (95%) complied.
Fundamental attribution error - tendency to
emphasize internal characteristics to explain
someone else's behavior, rather than
considering external situational factors.
Attraction
Proximity: the more you see something, the
more you like it (mere exposure effect).
Appearance: physically attractive people are
perceived more favorably; and average,
symmetrical faces are seen as more attractive.
Similarity: people like others who share
similar attitudes, beliefs, interests,
demographics.
Love
Romantic passionate love: an aroused state of
intense positive absorption in another person
(an overwhelming emotional state). Usually
present at the beginning of a relationship.
Companionate love: the affection we feel for
those with whom our lives are deeply
interrelated.
What is an example of a dyadic factor that
causes relationship conflict?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Differences in background
Partner’s interest in someone else
Conflicting sexual attitudes
A&C
What is an example of a dyadic factor that
causes relationship conflict?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Differences in background
Partner’s interest in someone else
Conflicting sexual attitudes
A&C
Dyadic - involving both people in a pair
Non-dyadic - just involving one
Hill, Rubin, & Peplau: dyadic & nondyadic reasons relationships end
Dyadic:
Boredom, differences in interests, differences in background,
differences in intelligence, conflicting sexual attitudes,
conflicting marriage attitudes.
Non-dyadic:
Woman’s desire to be independent, man’s desire to be
independent, woman’s interest in someone else, man’s interest
in someone else, living too far apart, pressure from woman’s
parents, pressure from man’s parent
Which of the following is false:
A. Most people in the U.S. have been married.
B. The majority of marriages end in divorce.
C. The average age of people getting married
has increased.
D. The percentage of adults who are married in
the U.S. has decreased.
Which of the following is false:
A. Most people in the U.S. have been married.
B. The majority of marriages end in divorce.
C. The average age of people getting married
has increased.
D. The percentage of adults who are married in
the U.S. has decreased.
Marriage: Stats
1986: 96% of people have been married.
2009: 81% of people have been married.
Rate of marriage is decreasing over time.
1986: 27% of women were unmarried at age 30.
2009: 47% of women were unmarried at age 30.
Median age @ first marriage is increasing over
time.
Marriage: Sources of Conflict
Reasons for divorce:
Communication problems; Unrealistic expectations of
marriage; Lack of demonstrations of affection; Lack of feelings
of love (Osterhout: “only issue that can’t be fixed through
therapy”)
Risk factors associated with divorce:
Marrying at a younger age; Marrying because of pregnancy;
Having divorced parents; Marrying too quickly; Marrying
someone very different; Having many premarital sexual
relations; Having extramarital affairs
Final questions?
Good luck!!!
•Exam is TOMORROW, June 10, at 2:30PM in
Kane 120.