Psychology 220

Exam 1 Review Sheet

Abnormal Psychology: Past and Present (Chapter 1 & Lecture)

  • Different definitions of “abnormal” and pros and cons of each (from lecture)
  • The four Ds of abnormal behavior
  • David Rosenhan (1973) study: “On being sane in insane places”
  • Supernatural theories, trephination, natural theories/somatogenic perspective, psychological theories/psychogenic perspective
  • Philippe Pinel, William Tuke, moral treatment,Dorthea Dix
  • More recent emphasis on prevention, positive psychology
  • Case study method & three limitations of it
  • Correlational method, epidemiological studies, incidence, prevalence, longitudinal studies
  • Experimental method, independent variable, dependent variable, confounds, control group, random assignment, blind design, placebo
  • Relative strengths and weakness of three major research methods (Table 1-3)

Models of Abnormality (Chapter 2 & Lecture)

  • Biochemical theories: neurotransmitters, synapse, reuptake, endocrine system, hormones
  • Structural theories: functions of major structures in the hindbrain (medulla, pons, cerebellum), midbrain, forebrain (limbic system, basal ganglia, cerebral cortex)
  • Genetic theories: behavior genetics, phenotype, genotype, MZ & DZ twins, probands, concordance rate, heritability estimate
  • Psychodynamic theories: psychoanalysis, id, ego, superego, psychosexual stages, fixation, neurotic anxiety, defense mechanisms (know what a defense mechanism is generically; don’t worry about the specific types listed in table 2-1) object relations theories, ego theorists, attachment theories
  • Behavioral theories: classical conditioning, CS, CR, UCS, UCR, operant conditioning, types of reinforcement (positive & negative), types of punishment (response cost and aversive)
  • Cognitive theories: attributions and the three dimensions they can have, Albert Ellis’ theory, Aaron Beck’s theory, automatic thoughts, cognitive distortions
  • Humanistic theories: self-actualization, unconditional versus conditional positive regard
  • Sociocultural theories: culture, norms, family systems theory, enmeshment, multicultural/culturally diverse perspective
  • Table 2-2

Classification & Assessment (Chapter 3 & Lecture)

  • Reliability (test-retest, inter-rater), validity (face, concurrent, predictive)
  • Projective tests, TAT, Rorschach
  • Personality inventories, MMPI, what an “empirically developed” is, understand (but don’t memorize) MMPI validity and clinical scales
  • Response inventories, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
  • Neuropsychological tests, Bender-Gestalt test
  • Neurological Tests/Brain imaging tools, CT scans, PET scans, MRI, fMRI, EEG,
  • Intelligence tests, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)
  • Clinical interviews (structured vs. unstructured), mental status exam, problems associated with interviews
  • Clinical observations, behavioral observation, self-monitoring
  • Problems in assessing children or individuals from other cultures
  • Pros and cons of clinical diagnostic systems
  • DSM-IV, 5 axes, and function of each

Treatments of Abnormality (Chapter 2 & Lecture)

  • Major categories of psychotropic medications
  • ECT, psychosurgery, deep brain stimulation, rTMS
  • Main goal of psychoanalytic therapy, free association, dream interpretation, resistance, transference, interpretation, catharsis
  • Three important therapist characteristics for humanistic therapists
  • Systematic desensitization, modeling, flooding or implosive therapy, token economies, response shaping
  • Rational Emotive Therapy, Cognitive Therapy
  • Group Therapy, family therapy, couples therapy
  • “Common factors” of successful therapies (from lecture)

Anxiety Disorders (Chapter 4, Chapter 5 (133-148), & Lecture)

  • Autonomic nervous system, corticosteroids, trait vs. state anxiety, prepared classical conditioning/preparedness
  • GAD
  • Basic symptoms
  • Theories regarding the causes of GAD: GABA, temperament, realistic anxiety, neurotic anxiety, moral anxiety, conditions of worth, existential anxiety, basic irrational assumptions, environmental factors contributing to gender and ethnic differences in anxiety disorders
  • Treatment of GAD: benzodiazepines, Azaspirones, basic psychological interventions used (biofeedback, relaxation, meditation, systematic desensitization, traditional cognitive therapy, three “New Wave” cognitive explanations
  • Phobias
  • Basic symptoms and different subtypes
  • Theories regarding causes of phobias: preparedness, Freudian, behavioral (three different behavioral perspectives)
  • Treatment of phobias: exposure treatments/therapy
  • Panic disorder
  • Basic symptoms
  • Theories regarding the treatment of panic disorder: norepinephrine, locus ceruleus, anxiety sensitivity, catastrophic thinking,
  • Treatments of panic disorder: benzodiazepines, SSRIs, tricyclics, cognitive therapy
  • OCD
  • Basic symptoms of & the difference between obsessions and compulsions
  • Theories regarding the causes of OCD: psychodynamic explanations (fixation in the anal state, isolation, undoing, reaction formation), exposure and response prevention, serotonin, caudate nucleus, orbital frontal cortex
  • Treatments of OCD:
  • Stress Disorders
  • Difference between PTSD and acute stress disorder
  • Theories regarding the causes of stress disorders: norepinephrine and cortisol,
  • Treatments of stress disorders

Revised: 11/2/2018