Download Chapter 4 Reading Guide

AP Psych
Unit 12 Reading Guide
Abnormal Behavior (Psychological Disorders)
Introduction to Psychological Disorders
What did William James say about abnormal behavior?
What are the three questions addressed at the end of the introduction regarding psychological disorders?
Q1. Psychological Disorder:
Read the Thinking critically about ADHD – define ADHD
Q2. Understanding Psychological Disorders Causes
 In earlier times, what did people think the cause of disorders were?

Medical Model:

What do psychologists who believe in the biopsychosocial approach believe is the cause of disorders?
o
What is the evidence of this belief?
Q3. Classifying Psychological Disorders
 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) (This is the latest edition):
o
What is this used for?
o
Describe the results of the study that is discussed on the bottom of page 565

What disorders have changed in the new edition of the DSM (this will be answered in class)?

What do critics say against the DSM?

What is the un-DSM (see the Close-Up section on page 567)?
Q4. Labeling Psychological Disorders
 Summarize the layout of the Rosenhan study.

What can happen when we label a person with a disorder? (read this whole section before answering!)

Do you think your opinion of someone or the way you interact with them would change if you found out they
had a disorder?

What are the benefits of diagnostic labeling?

What did you learn by reading “Insanity and Responsibiltiy”?
Q5. Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
 Anxiety Disorders:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD):
o
What does it mean that the anxiety of GAD is free-floating?

Panic Disorder:

Phobia:

Social Anxiety Disorder (social phobia):

Agoraphobia:

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD):

When does OCD cross the line between normal and disorder?

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):

What were old names for PTSD?

What determines whether a person suffers PTSD after a traumatic event?
What is survivor resiliency?

What is Posttraumatic Growth?:
2
Q6. Understanding Anxiety Disorders, OCD, and PTSD—Causes
 Explain how we learn fear from the learning perspective.
 Fear conditioning

Observational learning
Explain how anxiety disorders are understood from a Biological perspective
o Natural selection
o
Genes
o
The brain

What 2 neurotransmitters might be involved in anxiety?
Q7. Somatoform Disorders

Conversion disorder

Hypochondriasis
Q8. Dissociative Disorders

Dissociative identity disorder

What was the old name for DID?

Why do some people believe that DID is NOT a real disorder?

What evidence is there that DID IS a real disorder?
Q9. Mood Disorders

Mood Disorders:

What could be some biological reasons to developing depression after traumatic events?

Major-Depressive Disorder:

What are the criteria that determine if someone can be diagnosed with depression?
3

Mania:

Bipolar Disorder:
o
Give some examples of behaviors someone would have during their manic phase.
Q 10. What causes mood disorders, and what might explain the Western world’s rising incidence of
depression among youth and young adults?
What behavioral and cognitive changes accompany depression?
Who is more at risk for depression—men or women?
List the other causes:
From the biological perspective what are the genetic influences on mood disorders?
What is linkage analysis?
Summarize the information in the Close-up section on suicide.
Describe a depressed brain.
What are the biochemical influences on mood disorders?
What neurotransmitters are involved in depression?
What is the social-cognitive perspective regarding mood disorders?
What are self-defeating beliefs? What is learned helplessness?
What are the three parts of the negative explanatory style?
Describe depression’s vicious cycle
4
Q 11. Schizophrenia
What are the symptoms of schizophrenia?
What is the difference between a delusion and a hallucination?
What is word salad?
What is a flat affect?
When and how does schizophrenia develop?
What are positive and negative symptoms?
Q 12. What causes schizophrenia?
Brain abnormalities
Dopamine overactivity
Abnormal brain activity and anatomy
Maternal virus during pregnancy
Genetic factors
Psychological factors
Q 13. Personality Disorders
 Personality Disorders:

What does each cluster of personality disorders focus on?

Antisocial Personality Disorder:

Why do most criminals not have Antisocial Personality Disorder?

Is there a genetic link for Antisocial Personality Disorder?
Q 14. What are the rates of psychological disorders?

List several risk factors and protective factors for mental disorders
5