PSYC 1215 Chapter Notes - Chapter 15: Hypervigilance, Trichotillomania, Agoraphobia
Document Summary
Psychological disorder: syndrome (collection of symptoms) marked by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual"s cognition, emotion regulation, or behaviour. Years ago, people viewed strange behaviours as proof of strange forces (i. e. evil spirits) They are dysfunctional thoughts or behaviours that are maladaptive. Those who were mad would be caged or given therapies (i. e. genital mutilation, beatings, removal of teeth) Philippe pinel insisted madness is a sickness of the mind. Believed curing the illness required moral treatment (i. e. boosting patients" spirits by unchaining them and talking with them, replacing brutality with gentleness, etc. ) Medical model: concept that psychological disorders have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated and cured through treatment in a hospital. Epigenetics: study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a dna change. Can predict a disorder"s future course, suggest treatment, and prompt research into its causes. I. e. schizophrenia can be used to describe a complex disorder.