Individual differences

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Individual differences
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Definitions

• Deviation from social norms
• Set of rules we have, dont follow them. E.g.
  queuing
• Failure to function adequately
• Daily routine/normal pattern of behaviour.
  Especially if cause observer discomfort, are
  unpredictable, are irrational or personal
  distress.
• Deviation from ideal mental health
• Jahoda. 6 characteristics self actualisation,
  autonomy, integration (resistant to stress), self
  attitudes, perception of reality, adaptability

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Evaluating

• Deviation from social norms
• Until 1980 homosexuality considered a disorder.
  What about desirable behaviour? Where is the cut
  off? Cultural differences. Some abnormal
  behaviour quite common i.e. mild depression
• Failure to function adequately
• Context of behaviour. Cultural differences.
  Some disorders can have periods where they seem
  normal. Could be due to circumstance/situation
  out of persons control.
• Deviation from ideal mental health
• Culturally bias rooted in western culture i.e.
  autonomy. Does anyone actually match this ideal
  mental state? Some elements very subjective how
  do we measure self attitudes? Ask someone? Will
  this be correct?

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Biological

• Mental illness similar to physical illness
• Caused by at least one of the following
• Genetics
• Huntingtons
• Neurotransmitters
• Schizophrenia and dopamine
• Infection
• Syphilis
• Brain injury
• Phineas Gage

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Biological treatments

• Drugs
• Antidepressants (selective serotonin reuptake
  inhibitors e.g. Prozac), antipsychotics
  (Chlorpromazine which blocks dopamine at
  synapses), mood stabilisers.
• Electroconvulsive therapy
• Electric shock, fraction of a second long to the
  brain, induces a seizure similar to epilepsy.
• Psychosurgery
• Frontal lobotomy, now electric current or laser
  used

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Strengths of biological approach

• Research shows that it is possible there is a
  genetic link
• It is scientific
• No blame it is not the fault of the individual
• Treatments can work

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Limitations of biological approach

• Not a complete explanation
• Reductionist
• Drugs dont always work
• Patients could become passive
• Focus on curing symptoms not stopping the cause
• Ethical problems addiction to drugs, suppressing
  rather than curing symptoms

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Psychodynamic

• Conscious and unconscious
• Personality
• ID, Ego, Superego. Ego balances demands of other
  two, abnormal if cant.
• Psychosexual development
• Stages of development. If become fixated at a
  stage causes abnormality. Oral, anal, phallic,
  latency, genital.
• Defence mechanisms used, repression, displacement
  and denial.

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Psychodynamic treatments

• Free-association
• Client is allowed to talk freely about their past
  and analyst interprets what they say
• Dream analysis
• Keep a diary of dreams and analyst interprets
  them.
• Hypnosis (optional)

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Evaluation

• Its unique
• Client can understand he cause of their problem
• Focus on there being psychological issues
• Subjective interpretations
• Not scientific
• Time consuming and expensive
• Reliability on memory
• Focus on past not current symptoms.

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Behavioural

• Classical conditioning
• Association
• Operant conditioning
• Positive and negative reinforcement

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Behavioural treatments

• Aversion therapy
• Systematic desensitisation
• Flooding
• Token economy

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Evaluation

• Scientific and testable
• Therapies can be effective
• Ignores genes and biology
• Ignores cognition
• Dont always work schizophrenia
• Ethics
• Doesnt deal with cause just behaviour

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Cognitive model

• Thoughts and beliefs
• Ellis
• ABC, activating event, belief, consequence.
  Rational or irrational belief
• Beck
• Cognitive triad, self, world, future. Negative
  thoughts about self go round and round.

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Cognitive treatments

• Cognitive behaviour therapy
• Ellis
• Change irrational thought to rational
• Beck
• Change negative thought to more realistic and
  positive.

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Evaluation

• Useful for depression
• Considers thoughts and beliefs
• Successful treatments
• Allows client to take control
• Thoughts may not be the cause
• Time consuming and expensive
• Blaming the person
• Sometimes works better when mixed with other
  treatments e.g. drugs.

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Questions on individual differences

1. Give one definition of abnormality (1mark)
2. Describe two criteria you would expect in someone
   who was psychologically healthy (4 marks)
3. Outline one weakness of defining abnormality in
   terms of mental health (2 marks)
4. Outline two definitions of abnormality (6 marks)
5. Identify one definition of abnormality and
   explain one limitation associated with this
   definition (3 marks)
6. Explain one limitation of the behavioural
   approach to psychopathology (2marks)
7. Outline what is involved in Cognitive Behaviour
   Therapy (3 marks)
8. Describe the key features of the behavioural
   approach to psychopathology (4 marks)
9. Outline on limitation of the behavioural approach
   to psychopathology (2 marks)
10. Describe the use of ECT in treating abnormality
    (4 marks)
11. Explain how a therapist might use systematic
    de-sensitisation to help Hamish overcome his
    phobia (6 marks)