Psychology chap 14

There are many different types of mental disorders that people suffer from. Disorders are classified on a system called the DSM, diagnostic and statistical manual for mental health. The five levels of the current model, DSM IV, clinical disorders, mental retardation, general medical conditions, psychosocial and environmental problems, and global assessment. The tests done to help evaluate mentally have validity scales to help insure disorders are not faked. There are different reasons a person may develop a mental disorder it could be a natural disposition or a traumatic experience. The diathesis stress model shows how a person may be more susceptible to a disorder based on previous experience. They can be caused biologically by a family history of illness or drugs by the mother during pregnancy. It can be caused culturally by expectations or lifestyle. It can also be caused by psychological trauma such as experiencing war first hand. Anxiety can be described as uneasiness or stress do to worrying about dangers even when they are not actually present. This can cause sweating, dry mouth, and extreme nervousness. Some examples of these phobias would be panophobia, the fear of everything, ochophobia, the fear of being in a moving automobile, and social phobia. Social would have such symptoms as being shy and being scared to speak in front of people. According to a 2008 study 7% are experiencing social phobia at any given time. Major depression can be described as long term depression which can be associated with eating habits, sadness, and loss of focus. Bipolar disorder is extreme changes in mood such as major depression followed immediately by extreme happiness. Biological evidence for Bipolar disorder is monoamines, neurotransmitters responsible for arousal, emotion, and motivation. Cognitive evidence of major depression is the cognative triad which shows depressed people often have a negative view of themselves. Positive symptoms of schizophrenia would be such things as delusions and hallucinations, that are in excesses in behavior. Negative symptoms would be such things as deficits in functioning like slow speech and movement or lack of emotion. Autism is a developmental disorder involving deficits in social interaction, impaired communication, and restricted interests. People with autism have difficulty predicting other peoples behaviors. It is becoming increasingly more common from 1991 to 1997 it rose 556% in diagnosed children. The DSM IV is a way of classifying mental disorders that are similar to each other. There are 5 different classifications clinical disorders, mental retardation and persanality disorder, general medical conditions, psychosocial and enviornmental problems, and global assessment of functioning. The MMPI is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. It has ten clinical scales that generate a profile indicating whether the client may have a particular mental disorder. Concordance rates are the odds that two similar studies will yield the same result. In twin studies those using identical twins yielded higher concordance rates. Antisocial personality disorder can be described as a lack of empathy and remorse. This is common among criminals. People with anorexia nervosa have an intense fear of becoming overweight. This causes eating disorders when they starve themselves to avoid being what they think is fat. Its far more likely in women then in men.

Psychology chap 13

Personality trait is defined as a characteristic, a depositional tendency to act in a certain way over time and across circumstances. There is a general agreement on having five main personality categories. This system is based on major charictoristic catagories made by putting general trait types into similar groups classifying them together. The five factor theory can easily be remembered by the acronym OCEAN. The O, openness to experience, would be describing a person by their personality with imagination vs down to earth or liking variety compared to routine. Next the C, conscientiousness, would be like are you organized ormore disorganized. The E, extraversion, would be if you are outgoing or shy. A, agreeableness, is like softhearted vs ruthless. Finally the N, neuroticism, is if you are more woried or calm. Certain traits are more consistent than others however your situation may change what would be a normal trait for you. For example if you are normaly a kind accepting person that trait will most likely stay consistent no matter the social situation. However say you are a very outgoing person who likes to be the center of attention you would be more likely to be more reserved in certain situations such as a funeral. The best way we have of studying genetic influence on behavior is studying identical twins. Since they are genetically identical you can study personality traits by the similarities. If they both display the trait it is more likely to be a trait closely linked to genetics. Self esteem is how a person views themself and their charictoristics. It is believed to be based on how we believe others percieve us. People who have high self esteem are more confident and tend to be happier than those with low self esteem. Sigmund Freud came up with the concept of psychodynamic theory of personality. This theory suggests unconcious forces that influence behavior often to recieve pleasure or to aide in survival. Positive psychology is based on studies of things such as faith and values. These studies have found people with this qualities to have a better well being an to be more successful. An idiographic approach would focus more on personal charictoristics. Nomothetic studies more common labeled personalities. Projective measures try to use things to elicit unconcious conflict and wishes. Objective tests require participant to make subjective judgements. Temporments are our tendencies to behave in certain ways. They have a great genetic influence which can be studied in infants.