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PSYCHOLOGY
Chapter 18
Lecture Questions
Section 1 (pgs. 409-414)
Revised April 2012
1. What are psychological
disorders? How many Americans
have experienced some type of
psychological disorder? How many
experience a psychological
disorder during their lifetime?
•
•
•
Psychological disorders are behavior patterns or mental processes that
cause serious personal suffering or interfere with a person’s ability to cope
with daily life.
Estimates suggest that almost one third of the adults in the US have
experienced some type of psychological disorder.
23 percent of the people in the US will experience some type of
psychological disorder in their lifetime.
2. How are “abnormal behaviors used
to identify psychological disorders? Is
this easy to do? Why?
 What is “normal” is often
equated with what is
average behavior for the
majority of people.
 Deviation from the majority
becomes the primary
criterion for abnormality.
 People with psychological
disorders usually do not
differ much from “normal”
people.
 Thus, it is very difficult to
identify people with
problems.
3. Is diagnosing someone
with a psychological
disorder easy? Why or why
not?
• Diagnosing an individual with a
psychological disorder is often
difficult, and diagnoses are not
always simple or straightforward.
4. What are the four (4) criteria
used by psychologists to
diagnose psychological disorders?
Explain each.

Typicality

How typical or average is the behavior or
mental process compared to the majority
of people.

The fact that a behavior is not typical of
most people does not mean it is abnormal.
Criteria (continued)

Maladaptivity

The behavior impairs an individual’s ability
to function adequately in everyday life.

Behavior that causes misery and distress rather
than happiness and fulfillment may be
considered maladaptive.


Alcohol abuse is one such behavior.
Behavior that is hazardous to oneself or to others
may also be considered maladaptive.
Criteria (continued)

Emotional Discomfort

Psychological disorders such as anxiety and
depression cause most people great
emotional discomfort.

This can lead to extreme feelings of
helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness,
guilt, and sadness.

Such feelings are so stressful that they may lead the
affected individual to consider suicide.
Criteria (continued)

Socially Unacceptable Behavior


Behavior that violates a society’s accepted
norms may also be an indication of a
psychological disorder.
What is considered normal behavior in one
culture may be considered abnormal in
another.
5. What are culture-bound
syndromes? Give three
examples.
Clusters of symptoms that define or
describe an illness.
 Some behaviors are appropriate in
some cultures and not in others.


Examples include: standing too close
a stranger, bodily adornment (ear
rings, tattoos, etc.), praying out loud in
public, etc.
6. Why is it important to have a
uniform classification system of
psychological disorders? What is
the most widely used classification
system? Who publishes it? When
was the latest one published? What
is significant about the 1980
publication of the DSM? Does the
DSM change? Why?

It is important to classify psychological disorders
so that individuals can be correctly diagnosed
and treated.
Question #6 (continued)

The most widely used classification system for
psychological disorders is the DSM, or Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.





The APA (American Psychiatric Association) publishes the
DSM.
The DSM IV was published in 1994.
Prior to 1980, psychological disorders were classified on
the basis of their presumed causes. After 1980,
psychological disorders are classified according to their
observable signs and symptoms.
The DSM is subject to ongoing revision.
New categories are added and old ones deleted as
knowledge of psychological disorders increases.
7. What are the six major types of
psychological disorders? Who can
diagnose psychological disorders?
Why?
 Anxiety disorders
Phobias, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder.
Dissociative disorders
 Amnesia, fugue, multiple personality.
Somatoform disorders
 Hypochondriasis.
Mood disorders
 Major depression, bipolar.
Schizophrenia
Personality disorders
 Antisocial personality, narcissistic.






Question #7 (continued)
 Psychological disorders can only be
diagnosed by a skilled professional after
careful evaluation.
8. Using the Case Study on page
412:
 A. Who was John Hinckley?
 Attempted to assassinate President Ronald
Reagan in 1981.
 B. How are people with mental illnesses
who commit crimes treated?
 The big question is “Did they know the
difference between right and wrong?”
 What is the M’Naghten Rule? Where did it
come from?
 In 1843 a Scotsman named Daniel M’Naghten
was found not guilty of murder by reason of
insanity after trying to kill the British Prime
Minister and killing his secretary instead.
 Defense had to prove insanity.
Question #8 (continued)
 D. How often is the insanity plea used
today?
 Only used in about 1% of all felony cases.
 And is only successful in 25% of those cases
 E. What have some states done to make
the insanity plea more difficult to use?
 Abolished it all together.
 Kansas is one of four states to have done this.

Montana, Idaho, and Utah have also done this.
 Shifted the burden of proof from the prosecution
to the defense. (M’Naghten rule)
 Client must show a previous diagnosis of a
severe psychological disorder.
9. Using figure 18-1 on page 413,
why is it important to consider the
cultural context of a behavior before
classifying it as a psychological
disorder?
Different cultures have different
customs and different views of
normal or abnormal behavior.
Psychology
Chapter 18
Lecture Questions
Section 2 (pages 415-419)
1. How does fear and anxiety differ?
What normally characterizes anxiety?
What physical signs are related to
anxiety?




Anxiety refers to a general state of dread or uneasiness that
occurs in response to a vague or imagined danger.
Fear is a response to a real danger or threat.
Anxiety is typically characterized by nervousness, inability to
relax, and concern about losing control.
Physical signs include: trembling, sweating, rapid heart rate,
shortness of breath, increased blood pressure, flushed face, and
feelings of faintness or light-headedness.
 Result from overactivity of the sympathetic branch of the
autonomic nervous system
2. What is the difference
between feeling anxious
and an anxiety disorder?
• Everyone feels anxious at times—
before a big game or an important
test.
• However, some people feel anxious
all or most of the time, or their
anxiety is out of proportion to the
situation provoking it.
• Anxiety-based disorders are among
the most common of all
psychological disorders in the US.
3. Where does phobia come from?
What is a simple phobia? List a few
types of this phobia.



The word phobia derives from the
Greek root phobos, which means “fear.”
A simple phobia is the most common form of a
phobia.
It is an irrational fear of a particular object or
situation.




Zoophobia-a fear of animals.
Claustrophobia-a fear of enclosed spaces.
Acrophobia-a fear of heights.
Arachibutyrophobia-fear of peanut butter sticking to
the roof of the mouth.
4. What is a social phobia? Give
several examples of social phobias.



Social phobia is characterized by
persistent fear of social situations and of
being embarrassed or humiliated.
Some people fear specific situations, such
as public speaking, eating in public, or
dating.
Some people avoid all social situations.
5. What is a panic attack? How long do
they last? What causes them?

A relatively short period of intense
fear or discomfort.



Characterized by shortness of breath,
dizziness, rapid heart rate, trembling or
shaking, sweating, choking, or nausea.
It may last from a few minutes to a
few hours.
There is no apparent cause.
6. What is agoraphobia? How are panic
attacks and agoraphobia linked?




Agoraphobia is a fear of being in places or situations
in which escape may be difficult or impossible.
People with agoraphobia may be especially afraid of
crowded public places such as movie theatres,
shopping malls, buses, or trains.
Some may go days, weeks, or even years without
leaving the comfort of their home.
Most people with agoraphobia have panic attacks
when they cannot avoid the situations they fear.
7. What is generalized anxiety
disorder?




Excessive or unrealistic worry about life
circumstances that lasts for at least six months.
The worries must be present during most of that
time in order to warrant a diagnosis of GAD.
Typically, the worries focus on finances, work,
interpersonal problems, accidents, or illness.
Many people with GAD have other anxiety
disorders as well.
8. What are obsessions? What are
compulsions? How are they
linked? Give several examples of
OCD. Do people realize how
unjustified their behavior is?
 Obsessions are unwanted thoughts, ideas, or mental
images that occur over and over again.
 Compulsions are repetitive ritual behaviors often in
response to the unwanted thoughts and ideas.


The compulsion will reduce the anxiety caused by the
obsession.
Examples include: Checking all the doors/windows
before going to bed, organizing or cleaning the
house, washing hands 40 or 50 times a day, etc.
9. What is PTSD? What
experiences could bring on
this disorder? List five (5)
symptoms of PTSD. When do
these symptoms usually
begin?
 PTSD refers to intense, persistent
feelings of anxiety that are caused by
an experience so traumatic that it would
produce stress in almost anyone.
Question #9 (continued)
 Experiences that may produce PTSD include rape,
severe child abuse, assault, severe accident, airplane
crash, natural disasters, and war atrocities.
 Symptoms include:
 Flashbacks, which are mental reexperiences of the actual
trauma.
 Nightmares or other unwelcome thoughts about the trauma.
 Numbness of feelings.
 Avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma.
 Increased tension, which may lead to sleep disturbances,
irritability, poor concentration, and similar problems.
 The symptoms may occur six months or more after the
traumatic event.
 They may last for years or even decades.
10. What is the difference between
PTSD and acute stress disorder?
 Acute stress disorder is a short-term disorder
with symptoms similar to PTSD.

Unlike PTSD, the symptoms occur
immediately or at most within a month of the
event.

The anxiety also lasts a shorter time—from a few
days to a few weeks.
11. Using the article on page 418, what
were some ways that people tried to
deal with unsettling events such as the
terrorist attacks of September 11,
2001?

Methods of dealing with unsettling events
include seeking social support of family and
friends and limiting exposure to the disturbing
images related to the attacks.
12. How do learning theorists
explain anxiety disorders?
 Learning theorists believe that phobias are
conditioned, or learned, in childhood.
 This may occur when a child experiences
a traumatic event.
 They also believe that people will learn to
reduce their anxiety by avoiding the
situations that make them anxious.
13. What role does heredity play in
anxiety disorders?
• Research indicates that heredity my play a
role in most psychological disorders,
including anxiety disorders.
• Some psychologists believe that people
are genetically inclined to fear things that
were threats to their ancestors.
Psychology
Chapter 18
Lecture Questions
Section 3 (pages 420-421)
1. What does dissociation refer to?

Separation of certain personality
components or mental processes
from conscious thought.
2. Give examples of when dissociation is
normal?



Someone may be so engrossed in reading a
book or watching TV, that they don’t realize
when their name is being called for dinner.
Someone may be so intent on watching the
road when driving, that they miss the sign for
an exit on the highway.
Perhaps the most common type of
dissociation is daydreaming.

Person seems to be a million miles away.
3. When is dissociation
considered abnormal?

When it is used to avoid a stressful event or
feeling.


People may lose their memory of a particular
event or even forget their identity.
It is believed that people dissociate when faced
with urges or experiences that are very stressful.

By dissociating, they are able to remove themselves
from the source of stress and lessen their feelings of
anxiety.
4. What is dissociative amnesia? What
did it used to be called?



Formerly called psychogenic amnesia.
It is characterized by a sudden loss of memory
usually following a stressful or traumatic event.
A person usually cannot remember any events
that occurred for a certain period of time
surrounding the traumatic event.


Less commonly, a person may forget all prior
experiences and may be unable to remember his or her
name, recognize friends and family, or recall important
personal information.
Dissociative amnesia may last for just a few hours, or it
may persist for years.

Memory is likely to return just as suddenly as it was lost,
and the amnesia rarely recurs.
5. What causes dissociative
amnesia? How long does it last?


Cannot be explained biologically, like a
blow to the head, but usually follows a
traumatic event.
Can last a few hours to years.
6. What is dissociative fugue? What
did it used to be called?
 Psychogenic fugue
 Forgetting personal information and past events but
also by suddenly relocating from home or work and
taking on a new identity.
 Usually follows a traumatic event that is
psychologically very stressful.

It is reported most frequently during wartime and
natural disasters.
 People may take on new names, residences, and
occupations.
 When the fugue comes to an end, they no longer
remember what happened during the fugue state.
7. What causes dissociative fugue?

Usually caused by some traumatic event.
8. What is dissociative indentity disorder?
What did it used to be called?
It used to be called Multiple Personality
Disorder.
DID involves the existence of two or more
personalities within a single individual.
9. Are the personalities aware of the
other’s existence?

The various personalities may or may
not be aware of the others, and at least
two of the personalities take turns
controlling the individual’s behavior.
10. Explain how the different
personalities may be different.

Each personality is likely to be different from
the others in several ways:
Voice
 Facial expressions
 Handedness
 Age
 Gender
 Even allergies or eyeglass prescriptions

11. What are the main causes of
dissociative identity disorder?
 People
who are diagnosed with DID
usually were severely abused in
childhood.
– They typically suffered severe physical,
sexual, and/or psychological abuse.
 Less
often, DID is preceded by other types
of trauma.
12. What is depersonalization
disorder? How is this disorder
described? What causes it?
Depersonalization disorder refers to
feelings of detachment from one’s mental
processes or body.
People with this disorder describe feeling as
though they are outside their bodies, observing
themselves at a distance.
Depersonalization is a common symptom of other
psychological disorders in addition to being a disorder
in its own right.
– After depression and anxiety, it is the most common
complaint among psychiatric patients.
– Depersonalization disorder is likely to be preceded by a
stressful event.
13. How do psychoanalytic
theorists explain dissociative
disorders?

According to psychoanalytic theory,
people dissociate in order to repress
unacceptable urges.
In dissociative amnesia or fugue, for example,
the person forgets the disturbing urges they
have.
 In DID, the person expresses undesirable
urges by developing other personalities that
can take responsibility for him/her.

14. How do learning theorists
explain dissociative disorders?

Individuals with dissociative disorders
have learned not to think about disturbing
events in order to avoid feelings of guilt,
shame, or pain.
– They dissociate themselves from the stressful
events by selectively forgetting them.
– This is reinforced by the reduced anxiety they
feel when the trauma is forgotten.
Psychology
Chapter 18
Lecture Questions
Sections 4 & 5 (pages 421-425)
1. What does somatization
refer to?


Comes from the Greek word for “body”
Refers to psychological stress leading to
unexplained physical symptoms like
paralysis.

Used to be called “psychosomatic”.
2. What is malingering?


Conscious attempt to avoid work, school, or
other responsibilities.
People with somatoform disorders do not
intentionally fake their illness.

The honestly feel pain or believe they cannot
move their limbs.
3. Describe conversion disorder
and give an example.


People with conversion disorder experience
a change in or loss of physical functioning in
a major part of the body for which there is
no known medical explanation.
For example, they may suddenly develop
the inability to see at night or to move their
legs, even though no medical explanation
can be found for their sudden physical
disability.
4. What is hypochondriasis?

Also called hypochondria, it is defined by a person’s
unrealistic preoccupation with thoughts that he or
she has a serious disease.



People with it become absorbed by minor physical
symptoms and sensations, convinced that the symptoms
indicate a serious medical illness.
These people maintain their erroneous beliefs despite
reassurances from doctors that there is nothing physically
wrong with them.
Some people will visit doctor after doctor, seeking
the one physician who will find the cause of their
symptoms.
5. How do conversion disorder and
hypochondriasis differ?
Conversion disorder is characterized by a
sudden and severe loss of physical
functioning.
 Hypochondriasis is an unhealthy fear of
having an illness.

6. What are the two types of mood
disorders? What is the difference
between the two?


Major depression
Bipolar Disorder (formerly called manicdepression)
7. How prevalent is depression?
How common is it?

Depression is by far the most common of
all the psychological disorders.
• Estimated 100 million suffer from it world wide
• 8-18% will experience it in their lifetime.
8. List five symptoms of depression.
 Persistent depressed mood for most of the day.
 Loss of interest or pleasure in all, or almost all,







activities.
Significant weight loss or gain due to appetite
changes.
Sleeping more or less than usual.
Speeding up or slowing down of physical and
emotional reactions.
Fatigue or loss of energy.
Feelings of worthlessness or unfounded guilt.
Reduced ability to concentrate or make meaningful
decisions.
Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
9. What must happen for someone
to be diagnosed as having major
depression?

For a diagnosis of major depression to be
made, at least one of the individual’s five
symptoms must be one of the first two
symptoms on the list.
• Persistent depressed mood
• Loss of interest in favorite activities

Additionally, the symptoms must be
present for at least two weeks, and occur
nearly every day during that period.
10. What percentage of people with
major depression commits suicide?
 Severe depression calls for immediate
treatment—as many as 15% of
severely depressed individuals
eventually commit suicide!
11. What did bipolar disorder used to
be called?



Formerly called manic depression.
It is characterized by dramatic ups and downs in
mood.
Many famous people suffered from this disorder
including:



Vincent Van Gogh
Ludwig Beethoven
Abraham Lincoln



Jim Carey
Robert Downey Jr.
Ben Stiller
12. What is mania? Give three
examples of mood associated with
the manic phase.
Mania is characterized by extreme excitement
characterized by hyperactivity and chaotic
behavior.
 Manic moods are also characterized by:






Inflated self-esteem
Inability to sit still or sleep restfully
Pressure to keep talking and switching from topic to
topic
Racing thoughts
Difficulty concentrating
13. Give some examples
of manic behavior.
• Individuals may appear highly
excited and act silly or
argumentative.
• They may have delusions (beliefs
that are not true) about their own
superior abilities or about others
being jealous of them.
• They may also experience
hallucinations such as hearing
imaginary voices or seeing things
that aren’t there.
Manic behavior
(continued)
• These individuals may also
engage in impulsive behavior
like:
• Wild spending sprees.
• Quitting a job to pursue a wild
dream.
• Making foolish business
investments.
Psychology
Chapter 18
Lecture Questions
Sections 6 & 7 (pages 426-431)
1. What characterizes
schizophrenia? When does
schizophrenia first appear?
 Usually considered the most serious of the
psychological disorders.
 Can be very disabling, and even lead to the
affected person’s inability to function
independently.
 It is characterized by a loss of contact with
reality.
 It usually first appears in young adulthood,
although it may occur at other ages.
 It can also appear very suddenly.
2. What are the most obvious
symptoms of schizophrenia? What
are auditory hallucinations? What are
delusions of grandeur?
• The most obvious symptoms of schizophrenia include
hallucinations, delusions, and thought disorders.
– Auditory hallucinations usually involve the hearing of imaginary voices.
• The voices may tell the person what to do or comment on their look or
behavior.
– These voices are very “real” to the schizophrenia and often torment the individual
to the point of not being able to recognize these voices with the voices of real
people.
• Delusions of grandeur
– People believe they are superior to others.
• Such individuals may believe that they are famous or on a special mission to
save the world.
– Or they believe they are being pursued by the FBI or CIA. (persecution)
3. How is a person’s speech
affected by schizophrenia?



The thoughts of a person may skip from topic to
topic in an illogical way, thus creating a
disjointed jumble of words that make little sense
when they try to speak.
This speech is sounds disorganized and
confused.
They may also repeat the same word or phrase
over and over.


They may repeat words or phrases that another
person has spoken.
They may invent new words, that amount to
nonsense.
4. What are some other
symptoms of schizophrenia?

People with schizophrenia experience other
symptoms that result in a decreased ability to
function, these include:



Social withdrawal
Loss of social skills
Loss of normal emotional responsiveness
5. What is a catatonic stupor?


An immobile expressionless,
comalike state.
It is as if the person has
completely withdrawn into
themselves, not responding
to outside stimuli.

This person may also have
“waxy flexibility” or the ability
to hold a certain position with
their limbs for hours without
moving them.
6. How many people have
schizophrenia in the U.S.?
 2 million
7. Describe paranoid
schizophrenia.
People have delusions or frequent
auditory hallucinations, all relating to
a single theme.
These people may have delusions of
grandeur, persecution, or jealousy.
They may be agitated, confused, and
afraid.
8. Describe disorganized
schizophrenia.


People with disorganized schizophrenia
are incoherent in their thought and
speech and disorganized in their
behavior.
People who suffer from disorganized
schizophrenia are also either emotionless
or show inappropriate emotions.

Typically they act silly and giddy, and they
tend to speak nonsense.
9. Describe catatonic
schizophrenia.



The most obvious symptom is disturbance
of movement.
Activity may slow to a stupor and then
suddenly change to agitation.
Individuals with this disorder may hold
unusual, uncomfortable body positions for
long periods of time, even after their arms
and legs swell and stiffen.

Waxy flexibility
10. Explain why a multi-factoral
model schizophrenia may help in
explaining the disorder.
 Remember there is still no cure for this disease, and the




causes are not known either.
The multi-factoral model Illustrates how several biological and
psychological factors may interact in the development of the
disorder.
 In this model, genetic factors create a vulnerability, or
susceptibility, to schizophrenia.
Among people who are genetically vulnerable, other factors,
such as trauma during birth, may lead to brain injury and the
subsequent development of schizophrenia.
Once the disorder develops, its course may be negatively
affected by the family environment or stress.
 Another factor may be the maturing of the frontal cortex.
The model also suggests that environmental factors alone are
not enough to lead to the development of schizophrenia.
 Thus, people who are not genetically vulnerable are unlikely
to develop the disorder.
11. What are personality disorders?
What is the difference between
personality disorders and other
psychological disorders?

Personality disorders are patterns of inflexible traits
that disrupt social life or work and/or distress the
affected individual.
–
–

They are enduring traits that are major components of the
individual’s personality.
Psychological disorders are episodes of mental illness an
individual experiences.
They usually show up by late adolescence and affect
all aspects of the individual’s personality, including
thought processes, emotions, and behavior.
12. Describe paranoid personality
disorder.
 Distrustful & suspicious of others.
 Difficult to get along with.
13. Describe schizoid personality
disorder.
Little or no interest in having
relationships with other people.
 Lack normal emotional responsiveness.

14. Describe antisocial personality
disorder.
Persistent disregard for, and violation of,
the rights of others.
Do not feel guilt or remorse for their
actions.
15. Describe avoidant personality
disorder.
They want relationships with others but
fear rejection and disapproval.
 They are shy and withdrawn.

16. Why do you think people with
antisocial personality disorder are
often more difficult to treat than
people with other types of personality
disorders?

Because people with antisocial personality
disorder do not care about the negative
effects of their behavior.
17. Name and describe any other
personality disorder not already
mentioned.

Obsessive-compulsive


Schizotypal

Excessive emotionality.
Narcissistic

Instability in relationships.
Histrionic

Acute discomfort in close relationships.
Borderline

Obsession with orderliness, perfectionism, and control
Need for admiration.
Dependent
Clinging