Psy 101-21 Final Exam Notes PDF

## Final Exam Notes ### Origins of Anxiety Disorders - Classical conditioning: - Environmental cues become CS for fear. - Ex. Claustrophobia: Elevator (CS) then trapped (US) = fear (UR) - Soon, we show fear (CR) to the CS alone (elevator). - Observational learning (Monkeys + snakes) -...

## Final Exam Notes ### Origins of Anxiety Disorders - Classical conditioning: - Environmental cues become CS for fear. - Ex. Claustrophobia: Elevator (CS) then trapped (US) = fear (UR) - Soon, we show fear (CR) to the CS alone (elevator). - Observational learning (Monkeys + snakes) - leaning fears by watching/hearing - Information transfer - Preparedness ### The Role of Avoidance - Avoidance is the whole problem. - Avoidance behavior is negatively reinforced, but prevents new learning (aka extinction) that the object isn't dangerous. - You can only get over your fear if you stop your avoidance. - Exposure (gradually, without distraction, until fear declines). ### Disorders and Treatment #### Specific Phobia (rarely seek treatment) - Fear of a specific object or situation - In vivo exposure #### Social Phobia (13% lifetime prevalence) - Fear of social or performance situations - Exposure to social stimuli #### Panic Disorder - Fear of recurrent unexpected panic attacks #### Agoraphobia - Interoceptive exposure ### Mental Disorders - A variety of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral systems that deviate from the norm (culturally determined) - Individuals with mental disorders are different from others in degree, not in kind. ### What Causes Mental Disorders? - Demonic model: evil spirits in the body - Medical model: mental illness is a purely physical disorder requiring medical treatment (insane asylums, surgeries, drugs) - Diathesis - stress model: must have both a biological predisposition to a certain disorder (diathesis) and significant environmental stressors ### Biopsychosocial Model - Abnormal behavior has 3 major aspects: - Biological (genes, anatomy, neurotransmitters) - Psychological (learning history, stress) - Social (culture context, society) ### DSM-V - Designates lists of observable symptoms needed to warrant a particular disorder (prevalence, course, onset) - Adopts a categorical (present/absent) model. - Does not explain causes of disorders. - Criticized for many reasons. ### Comorbidity - The presence of more than one psychological disorder in the same person. - Reasons: - Criteria for some disorders overlap. - One disorder increases vulnerability for another. - Common diathesis for different disorders. - Common stressors for different disorders. ### History of Treatment in America - 1700/1800s: patients wandered streets, were jailed. - Mental asylums (1733): mania and melancholia (patients "chose to be irrational"). - Poor living conditions, confinement, little activity. - Sedating drugs, bloodletting, restraining devices, ECT. - Mid 1800s: "moral management" and "custodial care" - hospitals = custodians of people who could not be cured. ### Other Developments - Phrenology (brain shape = personality) - Lobotomies - detective nerves would reform as normal nerves after being cut (mid 1900s) Dr. Walter Freeman. ### Insight-Oriented Therapies - Psych problems caused by emotional forces. - Gaining insight into these forces is necessary. ### Action-Oriented Therapies - Psychological problems are caused by maladaptive thinking or behavior patterns. - Changing behavior or thinking is necessary. ### Behavior Therapy - Joseph Wolpe, B.F. Skinner - Problems caused by maladaptive behavior patterns - Goal: change behaviors by learning new ones (changing behaviors changes thoughts and feelings) - Techniques: exposure therapies, relaxation, skills training (social skills, assertiveness) token economics, homework ### Cognitive Therapy - Aaron Beck, Albert Ellis - Problems are a function of maladaptive thinking problems. - Goals: Replace maladaptive thoughts with more rational ones; changing thoughts changes behaviors and feelings. - Techniques: identify cognitive distortions, cognitive restructuring, thought records. ### CBT = Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy - Combining cognitive and behavioral approaches. - OBT is the most widely-researched treatment for most psychological disorders; better than or equal to medication for many disorders. ### Psychodynamic Therapy - Sigmund Freud, psychodynamic and psychoanalytic - Problems arise b/c of unconscious conflicts. - Goal: insight into unconscious motivations. - Techniques: free association, dream analysis, analyzing transference. ### Person-Centered (Humanistic) Therapy - Carl Rogers - Problems arise b/c of incongruence between real self and ideal self. - Goal: decrease this incongruence. - Techniques: unconditional positive regard, genuineness, empathy.