Psychological Disorders, Therapy Techniques and Social
Psychology
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Mental Health Professionals: Clinical Psychologists:
specializes in the psychological treatment of mental disorders; PhD
in psychology- does not prescribe drugs Psychiatrist- specializes
in biological treatment of mental disorders (prescribes drugs); PhD
and M.D. Problem: diagnosing mental disorders Is the patient
mentally ill? What form of mental illness does the patient suffer
from?
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DSM: diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
Provides diagnostic criteria for all acknowledged syndromes of
mental illness Rosenhan (1973) Conclusion: observer and
context
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Deviations from statistical norms Very infrequent or rare
behavior Prob: positive behaviors also! Deviations from social
norms Diverges from socially accepted norms Prob: culture!
Maladaptiveness of behavior Negative consequences for themselves
Prob: we must do uncomfortable things sometimes
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Types: Unipolar- major depressive disorder Straight down
Bipolar- manic depressive disorder Mood swings in both
directions
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Normal Depression Tied to specific eliciting event Short
duration: 2-3 weeks or less Major Depression No obvious eliciting
event Long duration (months or years) Severity Incidence: men<
women 4% of worlds population
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Cause and Treatment Bio: chemical imbalance in the brain-
underactive serotonin system MAO inhibitors Tears apart NT
molecules in synapse Tricyclics Partially block re-uptake of NTs 2
nd gen: more specific to Se SSRIs Specific re-uptake inhibitor
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Severe psychotic disorder of thoughts; thought and behavior are
divorced from reality Onset often occurs in young adulthood or
adolescence Incidence rates: 1% of general pop
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Diagnostic Criteria: Bizarre delusions Paranoia Auditory
hallucinations Disorders of logical thought Catatonia or bizarre
movements Inappropriate emotional response
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Positive Type positive-symptoms Hallucinations Delusions
Thought disorders Negative Type negative-symptoms Flat emotions
Impaired attention Poor social adjustment
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Genetic predisposition + environmental stressor = schizophrenia
Genetic Factors Dopamine hypothesis Schizophrenia caused by a
hyperactive dopamine system Treatment: administer drugs that reduce
activity of DA system
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Phobias- irrational fears Simple: claustrophobia, aerophobia,
acrophobia, arachibutyphobia, belonaphobia, taphophobia More
complex: agoraphobia- fear of contact with other people or open
spaces Hypochondriasis: excessive fear of disease OCD
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Psychological treatment of psychological problems/disorders Not
effective for psychosis Psychoanalytic Therapy Probs caused by
repressed thoughts/impulses/conflicts Allow impulses to enter
consciousness to work through them Tools and Methods: Free
associations Dream analysis Analysis of everyday
behavior-malepropisms Projective tests Examination of
resistance
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Behavior Therapy Maladaptive learned responses to stimuli
Client unlearns association between stimuli and maladaptive
response Tools and methods Systematic desensitization Aversive
conditioning
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Humanistic (Client-centered) therapy Result from low self
esteem Client clarify feelings and strive to fulfill potential self
actualization Tools and methods Non-directive counseling:
genuineness, empathy, unconditional positive regard
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Perls Gestalt Therapy Self-actualization blocked when important
thoughts, emotions and wishes remain outside our awareness
Pre-occupation with social roles and expectations Frustrate person
to get them to stop being a phony Tools and methods: Pay attention
to non-verbal behavior Point out phony behavior Focus on here and
now empty chair trick- direct confrontation with problem Ask client
to act/behave in a manner opposite to the way s/he actually is
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Cognitive Therapy Counterproductive habits of thought Help
client eliminate bad habits of thought based on irrational beliefs
Exs: all or nothing thinking, overgeneralizations, disqualifying
the positive, mind reading, catastrophizing, emotional reasoning
Tools and methods: Cognitive restructuring Self-instructional
training: self-talk
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Cognitive Behavioral therapy Currently the most popular form of
therapy Combines cognitive and behavioral therapy with an emphasis
on the cognitive aspects
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The study of social influences on behavior and of social
relations between people A. Love Romantic love: an aroused state of
an intense absorption in another person Compassionate love: the
affection we feel for those with whom our lives are deeply
interrelated
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Men fall in love more quickly than women and women are more
likely to end a relationship than are men Dyadic factors for
breaking up: Bored with relationship- 76% Differences in interests-
72%-61% Non-dyadic Factors: Womens desire to be independent Mans
desire to be independent
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The number of people getting married has steadily declined over
the past 50 years The age of people getting married has steadily
increased of the past 50 years Divorce: Communication problems- 83%
Unrealistic expectations- 55%
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Zimbardo Prison study Results: Guards became abusive and
degrading Prisoners became passive and obedient; some of them broke
down emotionally Grad students, parents, chaplain conformed to the
situation and accepted without question! Conclusion: our behavior
is strongly influenced by the social roles/situations we find
ourselves in
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Milgrams Study: the tendency to obey authority Teachers
(subjects) were asked to administer very strong shocks to innocent
learners Manipulate distance between Teacher subject and victim
learner Compliance increases Manipulate distance btwn teacher
subject and authority figure Compliance decreases
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Direct vs. Indirect action Direct action: subject must push
shock button Indirect action: subject only reads, no shock button
Effects of age, gender, educational level and occupation of subject
no effect All kinds of people are willing to obey authority
figures, even when that results in harm to others
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Nurse experiment Broke all 3 cardinal rules! the doctor is
always right Subway experiment When asked to violate a simple
social rule, students and even Milgram found it impossible!
