Pyschology Atypical

Sarah and Alan in the case studies are both behaving oddly. Of the two old schizophrenia categories (paranoid and disorganised) how would they be diagnosed?

Answer:

Sarah = Paranoid

Alan = Disorganised

Question:

1. What does the Gottesman and Bertisen 1989 study tell us about the genetic risk of schizophrenia?

2. Why are monozygotic twins of particular interest here?

Answer:

1. The study suggests that there is a genetic link in developing psychotic symptoms, and if the symptoms appear in only one twin and not the other then the psychotic symptoms are likely to appear in their offspring.

2. MZ twins have identical genetic makeup so in theory inherited characteristics should be present in both if appearing in just one.

Question:

Describe why Kety’s results support the genetic theory.

Answer:

Because even though adopted children are not brought up by their biological parents they seem to be more likely to develop schizophrenia if their biological parents had it.

Question:

1. Which neurotransmitter do you think drugs target?

2. Why?

Answer:

1. Dopamine

2. Because symptoms of schizophrenia have been associated with high levels of dopamine in certain parts of the brain, compared to controls who do not present these same symptoms.

Question:

Why might sufferers stop taking the drugs?

Answer:

- Some people may experience unpleasant side effects.

Answer:

What would you define as abnormal?

Answer:

Behaviours that are not ‘normal’ within the social norm and that do not conform to societies ‘standards’ of normal behaviour.

Question:

Look at the case study above.

a. Is Jessica’s behaviour statistically deviant?

b. Is the behaviour situationally/socially/culturally deviant?

c. Does the behaviour cause Jessica personal distress

d. Is the behaviour dysfunctional (or maladaptive)?

Does the behaviour endanger anyone in any way?

Answer:

a. No, Work stress affects and impacts on many people’s lives and can be considered normal.

b. No, again it is quite normal for different cultures to experience work related stress and for it impact on their home life.

c. Yes, she is experiencing a high level of distress; not being able to sleep, pushing her husband away and losing her libido.

d. Yes because she is avoiding the job that she trained hard to achieve.

e. Yes, herself. Although she hasn’t considered suicide she does wish that she was dead.

Question:

What are the main points Millet makes in the quote above about being labelled ‘mentally ill’?

Answer:

- Even though he had won his case using lawyers, people still perceive him as ‘crazy’.

- Because he had been presumed ‘crazy’ by those around him, he felt as though he may as well act it.

- Because he had been labelled as being crazy he experienced feelings of fear, depression loneliness and lack of self confidence.

Question:

Give