Deck 1: Abnormal Psychology: Past and Present

Question 1

Create a timeline on which you place five major events in the history of abnormality. Briefly describe why each event is important to an understanding of abnormality.

Answer 1

not answered

Question 2

The treatment for mental illness espoused by French physician Philippe Pinel and English Quaker William Tuke was called _____ treatment by their contemporaries.

Answer 2

moral

Question 3

Psychological abnormality may include deviance, distress, dysfunction, and danger. First, explain what these terms mean regarding psychological abnormality. Second, provide an example of a time when each aspect of abnormality would not be considered abnormal.

Answer 3

not answered

Question 4

According to your textbook, deinstitutionalization has resulted, in part, in large numbers of people with severe psychological disturbances either becoming homeless or ending up in jail or prison. Is deinstitutionalization an ethical and appropriate strategy for the treatment of mental illness that the United States should continue to follow? Back up your answer with specific examples.

Question 5

Suppose a friend says to you, "I feel overwhelmed today, and I don't know why. You're taking abnormal psych-what do you think?" If, after a conversation, your friend feels better about things, have you provided psychological therapy? Why or why not? Include the essential features of therapy in your answer.

Question 6

When a person's feelings or behaviors interfere with his or her daily routines, this represents the aspect of the definition of abnormality called _____.

Question 7

Although some clinicians refer to the person they are treating as a patient, others refer to the person as a(n) _____.

Question 8

Discuss the contributions of three individuals to the treatment of abnormal psychology. Include the time period and location where each lived. Also include how this person's contributions helped shaped current views and treatments for abnormal behavior.

Question 9

Clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and clinical researchers are mental health professionals who work in the area of psychological abnormality. Describe what each does and how they differ from one another.

Question 10

During the Middle Ages, a person who believed that he or she was possessed by wolves and other animals was said to be suffering from _____.

Question 11

In the definition of abnormality, behavior characterized as different from the norm is described as _____.

Question 12

The stated and unstated rules that a society establishes to govern proper conduct are referred to as _____.

Question 13

The procedure that a priest or other powerful person might perform to drive evil spirits from a person is called _____.

Question 14

What is demonology? How does demonology stand in the way of a more complete understanding of the causes and treatment of psychological abnormality?

Question 15

If a person considers attempting suicide, this represents the aspect of the definition of abnormality called _____.

Question 16

_____ believed that abnormal behavior was caused by brain pathology that was a consequence of an imbalance in the four humors of the body.

Question 17

Define and contrast the somatogenic and psychogenic perspectives regarding abnormal psychological functioning. Provide at least one example of evidence supporting each perspective.

Question 18

Increasingly, people seeking treatment for mental health reasons are insured by managed care programs. How are managed care programs changing how psychological services are provided? Discuss one advantage and one disadvantage of such programs.

Question 19

Assume that Benjamin Rush and Dorothea Dix suddenly appeared in the twenty-first century, approximately 50 years after the U.S. policy of deinstitutionalization began. What would they think about our treatment of those persons with mental illness? Which suggestions might they make for changes in our policy of deinstitutionalization?

Question 20

When a person experiences anxiety to the point of feeling misery, this represents the aspect of the definition of abnormality called _____.

Question 21

The MOST accurate summary of the field of abnormal psychology at the present time is that clinical psychologists generally:

A) accept one definition of abnormality and practice one form of treatment.
B) do not accept one definition of abnormality but practice one form of treatment.
C) accept one definition of abnormality but practice more than one form of treatment.
D) do not accept one definition of abnormality and practice more than one form of treatment.

Question 22

Commonly accepted features of abnormality include deviance, distress, dysfunction, and:

A) danger.
B) docility.
C) delusions.
D) deference.

Question 23

Which statement about deviant behavior is TRUE?

A) What is defined as deviant can change over time.
B) What is considered deviant behavior is the same across all cultures.
C) Deviant behavior is a precursor to psychologically abnormal behavior.
D) People who engage in deviant behavior are always unaware that their behavior is deviant.

Question 24

The psychoanalytic view of causes of abnormal and normal behavior fits into the _____ model.

Question 25

The history, values, institutions, habits, skills, technology, and arts of a society make up that society's:

A) laws.
B) norms.
C) culture.
D) conventions.

Question 26

Which of these individuals would be MOST likely to be classified as exhibiting abnormal behavior?

A) A person who experiences grief immediately after losing her job and then her house
B) A person who is nervous about shopping alone for weeks after being attacked by a mugger
C) A person who always washes his hands immediately after returning home from grocery shopping
D) A person who engages in multiple checking rituals each day and consequently is unable to hold down a job

Question 27

If a person wants a career focused on detecting, assessing, and treating abnormal patterns of functioning, that person should look into becoming a clinical:

A) practitioner.
B) researcher.
C) historian.
D) statistician.

Question 28

According to the _____ perspective, psychological causes are at the root of mental illness.

Question 29

Behavior that violates legal norms is BEST described as:

A) deviant and criminal.
B) distressful and criminal.
C) deviant and psychopathological.
D) distressful and psychopathological.

Question 30

The reduction in the number of people housed in mental hospitals in the last 40 years can be attributed to a trend called _____.

Question 31

Which depressed person would be the LEAST likely to be diagnosed with a mental disorder, because of the specific circumstances present?

A) Someone whose mother was depressed
B) Someone whose community was recently destroyed by a hurricane
C) Someone who was experiencing a chemical brain imbalance
D) Someone who also had an alcohol use disorder

Question 32

If a person experienced anxiety or depression following a significant natural disaster, we would say that the person was:

A) suffering from a mental illness.
B) deviant but not dangerous.
C) exhibiting a typical reaction.
D) statistically deviant.

Question 33

Which statement is the MOST accurate conclusion about the current state of abnormal psychology in the United States?

A) There is no single definition of abnormality, no single theoretical understanding of the causes of mental illness, and no single best treatment.
B) We do know what mental illness is, but we do not understand what causes it or the best way to treat it.
C) We have not advanced much beyond the demonology era.
D) Today, we understand what causes mental illness and how best to treat it; we can also define it.

Question 34

Aggressive behavior would NOT be viewed as abnormal behavior in a:

A) society that values independence.
B) culture that emphasizes competitiveness.
C) family that has experienced a traumatic event.
D) person who has exhibited this behavior since early childhood.

Question 35

A major development in the treatment of the mentally ill was the introduction of _____ medications.

Question 36

Deviant behavior is behavior that:

A) is illegal.
B) violates the society's norms.
C) is dangerous to self or others.
D) causes dysfunction in the individual's life.

Question 37

The view that physical causes are at the root of mental illnesses is called the _____ perspective.

Question 38

A school-age child is disrespectful and rude to her mother at a family outing. The MOST accurate description of this behavior is:

A) deviant.
B) criminal.
C) dangerous.
D) psychopathological.

Question 39

The stated and unstated rules for proper conduct that a society establishes are referred to as:

A) norms.
B) culture.
C) morality.
D) conventions.

Question 40

A person who systematically gathers information so as to describe, predict, and explain abnormality is called a clinical:

A) mentalist.
B) legalist.
C) scientist.
D) practitioner.

Question 41

A person who is having suicidal thoughts and can see no reason for living BEST fits which definition of abnormality?

A) Deviance
B) Distress
C) Danger
D) Dysfunction

Question 42

Which statement about distress is TRUE?

A) Distress is a subjective experience.
B) Distress is always considered abnormal.
C) Distress is more common in women than in men.
D) Distress is always characterized overt, observable signs.

Question 43

College students who drink so much that it interferes with their lives, health, and academic careers are often not diagnosed as engaging in abnormal behavior because:

A) the behavior is not illegal.
B) they are just considered eccentric.
C) they don't harm anyone but themselves.
D) drinking is considered part of college culture.

Question 44

When behavior prevents a person from participating in ordinary social interactions, that behavior is said to be:

A) deviant.
B) dangerous.
C) distressing.
D) dysfunctional.

Question 45

Which aspect of the definition of abnormality includes the inability to care for oneself and work productively?

A) Distress
B) Deviance
C) Dysfunction
D) Danger to self or others

Question 46

Which person would NOT be considered abnormal, despite the fact that the person's behavior is dysfunctional?

A) Someone who is too confused to drive safely
B) Someone who parties so much that he or she cannot go to class
C) Someone who goes on a hunger strike to protest social injustice
D) Someone who cannot stay alone for even one night

Question 47

Morgan hears voices that others do not but is not distressed by them. This illustrates that:

A) distress must always be used to determine abnormality.
B) behavior that is not really dangerous can never be considered abnormal.
C) distress does not have to be present for a person's behavior to be considered abnormal.
D) behavior that is not distressful is not abnormal.

Question 48

Just a few decades ago, a woman's love for racecar driving would have been considered abnormal. This statement illustrates that:

A) abnormal thinking centers on fear.
B) abnormality can be situational.
C) everyone is a little eccentric.
D) women are labeled as "abnormal" more frequently than are men.

Question 49

Which is NOT a characteristic of eccentrics noted by researchers in the field?

A) Disinterest in others' lives
B) Having a diagnosable mental illness
C) Being creative
D) Being a poor speller

Question 50

People who engage in frenetic, manic activity may not experience distress. Their behavior is:

A) nevertheless considered abnormal.
B) not abnormal because abnormality requires distress.
C) illegal but not abnormal.
D) no longer considered abnormal but was considered abnormal in the past.

Question 51

Research shows that danger to self or others is found in:

A) all cases of abnormal functioning.
B) most cases of abnormal functioning.
C) some cases of abnormal functioning.
D) no cases of abnormal functioning.

Question 52

A researcher spends 15 hours or more each day conducting experiments or doing library reading and recording observations on color-coded index cards. This person lives alone in the country but doesn't interfere with others' lives. The BEST description of the researcher's behavior is that it is:

A) eccentric.
B) abnormal.
C) dangerous.
D) dysfunctional.

Question 53

Using the four Ds to define abnormal behavior:

A) allows us to create diagnoses that are clear-cut and not debatable.
B) allows us to eliminate those who are merely eccentric.
C) allows us to include those who experience no distress.
D) is still often vague and subjective.

Question 54

According to Jerome Frank, all forms of therapy have three essential features: a sufferer who seeks relief, a trained and socially accepted healer, and a(n):

A) clinical diagnosis.
B) period of remission.
C) acceptance of a higher power.
D) series of contacts between the sufferer and the healer.

Question 55

An individual has a 9-to-5 job. However, this person seldom gets up early enough to be at work on time and expresses great distress over this behavior. This individual's behavior would be considered abnormal because it is:

A) disturbed.
B) deviant.
C) dysfunctional.
D) dangerous.

Question 56

Lady Gaga and other eccentrics are usually not considered to be experiencing a mental illness because:

A) they are not deviant.
B) they freely choose and enjoy their behavior.
C) they are dangerous only to others, not to themselves.
D) while they are distressed by their behavior, others are not.

Question 57

According to Thomas Szasz's views, the deviations that some call mental illness are really:

A) mental illness.
B) problems in living.
C) caused by one's early childhood experiences.
D) eccentric behaviors with a biological cause.

Question 58

Studies show that eccentrics are more likely than individuals with mental disorders to say:

A) "I feel like my behavior has been thrust on me."
B) "I'm different, and I like it."
C) "I am in a lot of pain, and I suffer a great deal."
D) "I wish I were not so 'unique.'"

Question 59

Despite popular misconceptions, most people with psychological problems are not:

A) dysfunctional.
B) dangerous.
C) distressed.
D) deviant.

Question 60

A Secret Service agent steps in front of the president of the United States, prepared to be killed or injured if the president's safety is threatened. Psychologically speaking, the Secret Service agent's behavior is:

A) functional but psychologically abnormal.
B) functional and not psychologically abnormal.
C) dysfunctional and psychologically abnormal.
D) dysfunctional but not psychologically abnormal.

Question 61

The Middle Ages condition of mass madness referred to a large group of people who:

A) believed that God does not exist.
B) had borderline personality disorder.
C) shared delusions and hallucinations.
D) engaged in violent criminal acts against others.

Question 62

Hippocrates' contribution to the development of understanding mental illness was the view that such conditions were the result of:

A) stress.
B) natural causes.
C) brain pathology.
D) spiritual deviations.

Question 63

Which statement BEST defines treatment?

A) It is a procedure that cures an illness.
B) It is any process that provides relief to a sufferer.
C) It is a process that aids the person in developing functional coping skills.
D) It is a procedure designed to change abnormal behavior into more normal behavior.

Question 64

A condition that people in the Middle Ages included in the general term mass madness was:

A) leprosy.
B) epilepsy.
C) lycanthropy.
D) melancholia.

Question 65

Hippocrates believed that treatment for mental disorders should involve:

A) releasing evil spirits trapped in the brain.
B) bringing the four body humors back into balance.
C) punishing the body for its sins.
D) giving control over to a higher power.

Question 66

A theorist who sees abnormality as a problem in living usually refers to those seeking help with problems in living as:

A) pupils.
B) patients.
C) trainees.
D) clients.

Question 67

The ancient operation in which a stone instrument was used to cut away a circular section of the skull is called:

A) exorcism.
B) shaman.
C) couvade.
D) trephination.

Question 68

A theorist who views therapists as teachers of more functional behavior and thought is MOST likely to view abnormality as a(n):

A) illness.
B) spiritual issue.
C) a problem in living.
D) developmental disorder.

Question 69

Ancient societies commonly treated abnormal behavior by:

A) committing the affected persons to asylums.
B) providing moral treatment.
C) performing an exorcism.
D) changing the diet.

Question 70

Which statement is NOT a reason that demonology dominated views of abnormality in Europe in the Middle Ages?

A) The power of the clergy increased greatly.
B) The Church rejected scientific forms of investigation.
C) The Church controlled education.
D) Overall health during this period was slowly improving.

Question 71

Arvind is feeling overwhelmed at work and has been having anxiety episodes for a few weeks. Acting on the advice of a friend, Arvind takes a vacation and feel less distress. Is this an example of therapy?

A) Yes, a person in distress took action and felt relief.
B) Yes, a person sought relief, obtained advice, and acted upon that advice.
C) No, there is no trained healer in this scenario.
D) No, the sufferer felt some relief but there is no mention of the episodes resolving the problem permanently.

Question 72

Hippocrates attempted to treat mental disorders by:

A) hypnotizing patients.
B) chaining patients to walls.
C) correcting underlying physical pathology.
D) encouraging patients to speak about past traumas.

Question 73

A person seeking help for a psychological abnormality is made to drink bitter herbal potions and then submit to a beating, in the hope that "evil spirits" will be driven from the person's body. This form of "therapy" is called:

A) exorcism.
B) shaman.
C) couvade.
D) trephination.

Question 74

The ancient Greeks might find that a flash mob is MOST similar to:

A) mass madness.
B) melancholia.
C) trephination.
D) general paresis.

Question 75

Hippocrates thought that abnormal behavior resulted from an imbalance in the four humors, one of which was:

A) water.
B) lymph gland fluid.
C) phlegm.
D) cerebrospinal fluid.

Question 76

In the Middle Ages, the model of mental illness that MOST people believed in was the:

A) moral model.
B) medical model.
C) psychogenic model.
D) demonology model.

Question 77

It is thought that people in prehistoric societies believed abnormal behavior resulted from:

A) advancing age.
B) a person not having a soul.
C) evil spirits that invaded the body.
D) a state of being disconnected from the Earth and nature.

Question 78

Luther experiences unshakable sadness. His friends have stopped trying to cheer him up because nothing works. An ancient Greek physician would have labeled his condition:

A) mania.
B) hysteria.
C) delusions.
D) melancholia.

Question 79

Which approach was LEAST likely to be used by an ancient Greek physician to treat someone believed to be suffering from an imbalance of the humors?

A) Exercise
B) Lobotomy
C) Bloodletting
D) A change in diet

Question 80

A person being treated by a shaman would MOST likely be undergoing:

A) psychoanalysis.
B) a tarantella.
C) community-based treatment.
D) an exorcism.