Psychological Disorders
Bell Activity 5/14/2013
Learning Targets: At the end
of class, you will be able to-Show mastery of the unit on
Personality Traits
-Define Psychological
disorders
-List and describe Anxiety
Disorders
1.) What kinds of behavior
would be characterized as
“abnormal” in a classroom
setting?
2.) Do you believe that the
defense of insanity is a
legitimate defense?
3.) Work on vocabulary for
Unit 11 (Chapter 16)
What is a Psychological Disorder?
There are several ways to define “abnormality”:
1. Deviation from Normality: Whatever most do
is normal, any deviation from average is
abnormal. Very limited approach and majority
is not always right or best.
Example: If everyone cheats on their taxes are honest
taxpayers abnormal? Different cultural norms must
be considered as well.
What is a Psychological Disorder?
2. Adjustment-Theory that normal people are
able to function emotionally, physically and
socially. Abnormal people are the ones who
fail to “adjust” to “normal” expectations.
*Again, not entirely true and cultural differences
must be taken into account.
What is a Psychological Disorder?
3. Psychological Health: Person is mentally
healthy if he/she is self-actualizing.
•Difficult to determine whether or not a person is
doing a good job of actualizing him/herself.
•Although it is difficult to define abnormality, that
doesn’t mean that it does not exist. It does mean
that we should be very cautious about judging a
person to be mentally ill.
•Range from mild psychological problem to
abnormality or illness (disrupts everyday life)
Problems with classification
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Causes and symptoms of psychological
problems are rarely obvious or clear cut.
In 1952 the APA created the Diagnostic &
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
It is now in its 4th edition- DSM IV.
Anxiety Disorders
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Anxiety- general state of dread or
uneasiness that person feels in response to
real or imagined danger.
Anxiety disorders are the most common (40
million Americans annually)
Anxiety Disorders
The anxiety disorders we will discuss are listed
in the DSM IV as:
1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
2. Phobic disorder
3. Panic disorder
4. Obsessive-compulsive disorder
5. Post-traumatic stress disorder
Extra Credit
Conduct the three following experiments:
1.) Shake the hand of a friend but hold on much longer
than usual.
2.) Make direct eye contact with someone on the bus
or in the cafeteria and prolong the gaze for 15-20
seconds
3.) Respond to a greeting such as “How are you” with
the phrase “scrambled eggs and bacon?”
Write down the reactions you receive from the other
person.
*You may want to explain your behavior to the other
person after the experiment!
Bell Activity 5/15/2013
Learning Targets: At the
end of class you will be
able to-List and describe anxiety
disorders.
-Describe Obsessive –
Compulsive disorder
1.) What are the following
phobias?
Ablutophobia
Cyclophobia
Arachnophobia
Dentophobia
Didaskaleinophobia
2.) Work on Project!
Bell Activity 5/16/2013
Learning Targets: At the
end of class, you will be
able to List and define
Somatoform and
dissociative disorders
 Define Schizophrenia
and list characteristics
1.) What is a
hypochondriac?
2.) Define obsessivecompulsive disorder
3.) What does it mean
to be schizophrenic?
4.) Work on project or
vocabulary
Somatoform Disorders
 Anxiety
disorder in which no
physical cause is apparent
 Referred to as “hysteria” in
Freud’s era
 2 major Forms: Conversion
disorders and Hypochondriasis
Somatoform Disorders: Conversion
Disorders
Converting emotional difficulties into
the loss of specific physiological
functions
 Invent physical symptoms to gain
freedom from unbearable conflict
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Ex: woman lives in terror of blurting out things she
does not want to say so she may lose the power of
speech
Somatoform: Hypochondriasis
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When a person in good
health becomes
preoccupied with
imaginary ailments
May be an individual
repressing emotions
and then expressing
them symbolically in
physical symptoms
Most common among
young adults
Dissociative Disorders
Breakdown on normal conscious experience,
such as loss of memory or identity.
1. Dissociative Amnesia: The inability to
recall important events or informationusually associated with stressful events.
May be a way to escape from problems
2. Dissociative Fugue: Like the above but the
person travels away and is unable to recall
past.
*This disorder can last hours or decades
Dissociative Disorders
3. Dissociative Identity Disorder:
Person exhibits two or more
personality states, each with its
own patterns of thinking and
behaving. Known as multiple
personality disorder.
 Very rare-psychologist believe
that this dividing of personality is
the result of a desire to escape
part of his/her self that the
individual fears.
 Victims usually have suffered
severe physical, sexual or
psychological abuse.
 Ex: “Three Faces of Eve” (Eve
White, Eve Black and Jane)
Schizophrenia
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A group of disorders
characterized by confused and
disconnected thought,
emotions and perceptions.
1% of world population
Increased odds of developing
schizophrenia if it is already in
family.
Person loses touch with reality
Bell Activity 5/17/2013
Learning Targets: At the
end of class you will be
able to-List different forms of
Schizophrenia
Personality Study
Books Due on
Monday!
1.) What are the three
types of dissociative
disorders?
2.) What are the two
types of somatoform
disorders?
3.)Work on vocabulary
or your project
Schizophrenia
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Many experience delusions (false beliefs
maintained in the face of contrary evidence)
and hallucinations.
Incoherent thoughts & “word salad”
Exhibit emotions that are inappropriate for the
circumstances.
May have slowed movement, non-movement
or highly agitated behaviors.
Unable to focus attention
Schizophrenia: Types
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Paranoid-hallucinations, delusions or
grandeur (savior) or persecution.
Catatonic-remain motionless for long periods
Disorganized-incoherent language,
inappropriate emotions, disorganized motor
behavior and delusions and hallucinations.
Schizophrenia: More Types
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Remission-symptoms are gone or very
subtle. Symptoms will usually return.
Undifferentiated-includes the basic
symptoms of schizophrenia (see all of above)
Causes of Schizophrenia
Genetics
 Possible chemical imbalances in brain
 Brain show signs of deteriorated brain tissue.
 Environment
*obesity before pregnancy, infection during 2nd
trimester, and oxygen deprivation to the fetus
are correlated with children developing
schizophrenia
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More Causes of Schizophrenia
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Family and Interactions may contribute:
When families are unstable, families become
centered on the abnormal member,
communication is often disorganized. This is
common among people who develop
schizophrenia
Psychologists are not sure which theory is
correct (biological, Biochemistry, family
interactions)-perhaps each is partially true.
Schizophrenia: Treatments
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Usually requires hospitalizations and
medications.
There is no cure for schizophrenia
Bell Activity 5/20/2013
Learning Targets: At the end of
class, you will be able to-Discuss different theories on
mood disorders
Write a summary of
what has
happened in the
movie so far.
(You will turn this
in today!)
Mood Disorders: Major Depressive
Disorders
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At least 2 weeks of feeling depressed, sad, anxious,
fatigued, and agitated.
Reduced ability to function and interact with others.
Ranges from mild to severe- suicidal despair
(cannot be attributed to grief over a death)
Marked by at least 4 of the following: problems with
eating, sleeping, thinking, concentrating, or decision
making; lacking energy, thinking about suicide, and
feeling worthless or guilty.
Mood Disorders: Bipolar Disorder
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Individual alternates between mania
(euphoria) or depression often
inappropriately.
Manic phase- elation, extreme
confusion, distractibility, and racing
thoughts. Often have exaggerated
self-esteem and engage in
irresponsible behaviors.
Depressive phase- overcome with
despair and feelings of
worthlessness; become lethargic and
unresponsive.
Mood Disorders: Seasonal Affective
Disorder
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People that develop deep depression during
winter months.
Thought to be caused by increase in
melatonin (more is secreted in winter due to
less light).
What Causes Mood Disorders
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Psychological factors include certain
personality traits (such as self-esteem),
amount of social support, and the ability to
deal with stressful situations.
Learned helplessness (Seligman)
Chemical imbalances, genetic factors and
faulty brain structure.
Suicide and Depression
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Not all people that commit suicide are depressed
and not all depressed people commit suicide. Many
depressives think about suicide and some take
action.
Suicide has many reasons
Every 20 minutes an American commits suicide
(30,000 annually)
More women attempt but more men succeed.
Common among the elderly but 4th cause of death
for ages 18-65
70% of people of people that kill themselves had
threatened to do so within the 3 months before.
Unsuccessful attempt is usually a trial run
Personality Disorders
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Individuals with personality disorders are
unable to establish meaningful relationships
with others, inability to assume social
responsibility or adapt to their social
environment.
Different from previous disorders b/c they
don’t suffer from anxiety or behave in bizarre
& incomprehensible behavior.
Types of Personality Disorders
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Dependent-submissive and excessive need to be
taken care of.
Histrionic- excessive emotions and attention
seeking.
Obsessive Compulsive- Orderly, having control
and achieving perfection.
Paranoid- distrusts others, people have evil
motives.
Schizotypal-discomfort in close relationships,
distorted thinking and eccentric behavior.
Types of Personality Disorders
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Anti-social-Persistent
disregard for and violation of
others’ rights.
People are objects
Intolerant of everyday
frustrations and live in the
moment.
No shame or guilt
Tend to get away with their
behavior b/c they are
intelligent, entertaining and
able to fake emotions.
Theories on Anti-Personality Disorder
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Imitating antisocial parents
Lack of or inconsistent discipline
Dysfunction of the nervous system.
Genetics?