Unit 12 Abnormal Psychology
12.1 Perspectives on Psychological Disorders
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How should we define psychological disorders?
How should we understand disorders—as sicknesses that need to be
diagnosed and cured, or as natural responses to a troubling
environment?
How should we classify psychological disorders? And can we do so
in a way that allows us to help people without stigmatizing them
with labels?
psychological disorder: deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional patterns of thoughts, feelings, or
behaviors.
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a psychological disorder marked by the
appearance by age 7 of one or more of three key symptoms extreme inattention, hyperactivity,
and impulsivity.
12.1.2 Understanding Psychological Disorders
medical model: the concept that diseases, in this case psychological disorders, have physical
causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and, in most cases, cured, often through treatment in a
hospital.
12.1.3 Classifying Psychological Disorders
DSM-IV-TR: the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, Fourth Edition, updated as a 2000 “text revision”; a widely used system for classifying
psychological disorders.
The “un-DSM”—A Diagnostic Manual of Human
Strengths
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Wisdom and knowledge—curiosity; love of learning; critical
judgment and open-mindedness; creativity; and perspective (wisdom)
Courage (overcoming opposition)—bravery/valor; industry and
perseverance; integrity and honesty; and vitality (zest and
enthusiasm)
Humanity—love; kindness; and social intelligence
Justice—citizenship and teamwork; fairness and equity; and
leadership
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Temperance—humility; self-control; prudence and caution; and
forgiveness and mercy
Transcendence—appreciation of beauty, awe/wonder; gratitude;
hope and optimism; playfulness and humor; and spirituality and
purpose
12.1.4 Labeling Psychological Disorders
The DSM has other critics who register a more fundamental complaint—that these labels are
at best arbitrary and at worst value judgments masquerading as science.
12.2 Anxiety Disorders
anxiety disorders: psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or
maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety.
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Generalized anxiety disorder, in which a person is unexplainably
and continually tense and uneasy
Panic disorder, in which a person experiences sudden episodes of
intense dread
Phobias, in which a person feels irrationally and intensely afraid
of a specific object or situation
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, in which a person is troubled by
repetitive thoughts or actions
Post-traumatic stress disorder, in which a person has lingering
memories, nightmares, and other symptoms for weeks after a severely
threatening, uncontrollable event
12.2.1 Generalized Anxiety Disorder
generalized anxiety disorder: an anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense,
apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal.
12.2.2 Panic Disorder
panic disorder: an anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense
dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other
frightening sensations.
12.2.3 Phobias
phobia: an anxiety disorder marked by a persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific
object, activity, or situation.
12.2.4 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive
thoughts (obsessions) and/or actions (compulsions).
12.2.5 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): an anxiety disorder characterized by haunting memories,
nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, and/or insomnia that lingers for four weeks or
more after a traumatic experience.
post-traumatic growth: positive psychological changes as a result of struggling with extremely
challenging circumstances and life crises.
12.2.6 Understanding Anxiety Disorders
Fear Conditioning When bad events happen unpredictably and uncontrollably, anxiety often
develops
Observational Learning We may also learn fear through observational learning—by observing
others’ fears.
Natural Selection We humans seem biologically prepared to fear threats faced by our ancestors.
Genes Some people more than others seem predisposed to anxiety. Genes matter.
The Brain Generalized anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, and even obsessions and compulsions are
manifested biologically as an overarousal of brain areas involved in impulse control and habitual
behaviors.
12.3 Somatoform Disorders
somatoform disorder: psychological disorder in which the symptoms take a somatic (bodily) form
without apparent physical cause.
conversion disorder: a rare somatoform disorder in which a person experiences very specific
genuine physical symptoms for which no physiological basis can be found.
hypochondriasis: a somatoform disorder in which a person interprets normal physical sensations
as symptoms of a disease.
12.4 Dissociative Disorders
dissociative disorders: disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated (dissociated)
from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings.
12.4.1 Dissociative Identity Disorder
dissociative identity disorder (DID): a rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or
more distinct and alternating personalities. Formerly called multiple personality disorder.
12.5 Mood Disorders
mood disorders: psychological disorders characterized by emotional extremes. See major
depressive disorder, mania, and bipolar disorder.
12.5.1 Major Depressive Disorder
major depressive disorder: a mood disorder in which a person experiences, in the absence of
drugs or a medical condition, two or more weeks of significantly depressed moods, feelings of
worthlessness, and diminished interest or pleasure in most activities.
12.5.2 Bipolar Disorder
bipolar disorder: a mood disorder in which the person alternates between the hopelessness and
lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania.
12.5.3 Understanding Mood Disorders
-Many behavioral and cognitive changes accompany depression.
-Depression is widespread.
- Compared with men, women are nearly twice as vulnerable to major depression
- Most major depressive episodes self-terminate.
- Stressful events related to work, marriage, and close relationships often precede depression.
- With each new generation, depression is striking earlier (now often in the late teens) and
affecting more people.
Suicide:
 national differences: Britain’s, Italy’s, and Spain’s suicide
rates are little more than half those of Canada, Australia, and the United
States. Austria’s and Finland’s are about double (WHO, 2008). Within
Europe, the most suicide-prone people (Lithuanians) have been 14 times
more likely to kill themselves than the least (Greeks).
 racial differences: Within the United States, Whites are nearly twice
as likely as Blacks to kill themselves (NIMH, 2002).
 gender differences: Women are much more likely than men to attempt
suicide (WHO, 2008). But men are two to four times more likely (depending
on the country) to succeed
 age differences and trends: In late adulthood, rates increase,
dramatically so among men (. In the last half of the twentieth century,
the global rate of annual suicide deaths rose from 10 to 18 per 100,000
 other group differences: Suicide rates are much higher among the rich,
the nonreligious, and those who are single, widowed, or divorced Gay and
lesbian youth much more often suffer distress and attempt suicide than
do their heterosexual peers Among 1.3 million Swedish military
conscripts at age 18, thinner men were more likely than their rounder
age-mates to later commit suicide .In England and Wales, there is a 17
percent increased risk of suicide among those born in the spring and early
summer rather than autumn
12.6 Schizophrenia
schizophrenia: a group of severe disorders characterized by disorganized and delusional thinking,
disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions.
delusions: false beliefs, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic
disorders.
12.6.2 Onset and Development of Schizophrenia
12.6.3 Understanding Schizophrenia
dopamine—a sixfold excess for the so-called D4 dopamine receptor
Abnormal Brain Activity and Anatomy Modern brain-scanning techniques reveal that many
people with chronic schizophrenia have abnormal activity in multiple brain areas.
etal-virus infections do appear to increase the odds that a child will develop schizophrenia.
Psychological Factors
By comparing the experiences of high-risk and low-risk children who do
and do not develop schizophrenia, researchers have so far pinpointed the
following possible early warning signs:
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A mother whose schizophrenia was severe and long-lasting
Birth complications, often involving oxygen deprivation and low
birth weight
Separation from parents
Short attention span and poor muscle coordination
Disruptive or withdrawn behavior
Emotional unpredictability
Poor peer relations and solo play
12.7 Personality Disorders
personality disorders: psychological disorders characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior
patterns that impair social functioning.
antisocial personality disorder: a personality disorder in which the person (usually a man)
exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members. May be
aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist.