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Introduction to Psychology
Class 19: Psychological Disorders and their Treatment
Myers: 469-486, 507-516
August 1st, 2006
Psychological Disorders
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Definition: A “harmful dysfunction” in which
behavior is judged to be atypical, disturbing,
maladaptive, and unjustifiable.
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Perspectives :
Middle Ages = Possession by demons
Medical = Diagnosis of symptoms, therapy and
treatment for cure
Bio-psycho-social = Genes + Physiology +
Environment+ Social Factors + Cultural Factors
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
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Continual autonomic nervous system arousal
Source of “free-floating” anxiety is inexplicable
Women > Men
Symptoms: tense, jittery, anticipating bad things, muscular
tension, agitation, sleeplessness, trembling, perspiration,
fidgeting, difficulty concentrating
Panic Disorder (AD)
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Minute-long episode of intense dread in which a person
experiences what seems like a heart attack
Palpitating heart, shortness of breath, choking, trembling ,
dizziness, chest pain
Smokers> Non-smokers
Often associated with Agoraphobia
Movie clip
Phobias (AD)
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Persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific
object or situation
Movie clips
TYPES OF PHOBIAS
1. Social phobias
2. Animal
3. Natural Environment
4. Blood-Injury-Injection
5. Situational
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (AD)
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Characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions)
and/or actions designed to reduce the obsessions
(compulsions)
Young > Old
Common obsessions: dirt/germs, toxins, disaster, exactness,
symmetry
Common compulsions: hand-washing, grooming, in/out of or
checking doors, car brakes, homework
Movie clip
Explaining Anxiety Disorders
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Good ol’ learning theory
- Classical conditioning, Stimulus generalization,
Reinforcement, Observational learning
Biological
- Natural selection
- Genes
Physiological:
- Frontal lobe (OCD)
- Amygdala and fear-learning circuits (GAD)
Dissociative Identity Disorder
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A rare disorder in which a person exhibits 2 or more
distinct and alternate personalities
Conscious awareness becomes separated from previous
thoughts, memories and feelings
Also called Multiple Personality Disorder
Iatrogenic?
Movie clip
Personality Disorders
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Characterized by inflexible and enduring patterns
that impair social, vocational and interpersonal
functioning
Axis II disorders (DSM-IV)
Schizoid PD
Paranoid PD
Borderline PD
Histrionic PD
Narcissistic PD
Antisocial PD (movie clip)