Outline and evaluate the biological approach to psychopathology (12 marks) The biological approach to psychopathology states that abnormal behaviour is a result of the brain not functioning correctly. This approach treats psychological disorders in the same way as physical orders. It suggests 4 main causes of abnormality: brain injury‚ infection‚ neurotransmitters and genetics. Brain injury Brain injury is deterioration or fault of brain cells can cause memory loss often present in Alzheimer’s
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Outline and Evaluate biological therapies for the treatment of abnormality Drug therapy is the main treatment for mental disorders and is based on the assumption that chemical imbalance is at the root of the problem. One type of drug is anti-anxiety drugs (e.g.‚ minor tranquillizers called BZs such as Valium. These have a calming effect by inhibiting the nervous system and causing muscles to relax. BZs work by enhancing the action of the chemical messenger GABA‚ which acts to calm brain activity
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There are three definitions of abnormality; the first is deviation from social norms. A person will be diagnosed with this when they have deviated from the unwritten rules and standards of society making them seem abnormal. Jahoda identified this abnormality and said there were 6 conditions associated with good mental health. A positive attitude‚ Self-actualisation‚ Resistance to stress‚ Personal autonomy‚ accurate perception of reality‚ and Adaption to the environment. However there are limitations
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Outline and Evaluate Biological Explanation for Mental Illness The Biomedical model of Mental Illness states that metal illness is caused by either a physical problem with the brain‚ for example that some schizophrenic patients have parts of there hippocampus missing. Genetics‚ meaning that you inherit a genetic pre-disposition to depression or some other mental illness as someone in your close family had that mental illness‚ or down to neurotransmitter (serotonin‚ dopamine...) imbalances in
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Biological and Psychological Models of Abnormality Introduction The many different models used to explain the nature and treatment of mental illness compound the problems of defining and classifying abnormal behaviour. Five major schools of thought are summarised below. The biological (medical) model The medical of abnormality model has dominated the psychiatric profession since the last century . The underlying assumption of this model is that mental illnesses resemble physical
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of abnormality as I read through chapter three in all its glory. When I first considered the question for discussion‚ I was momentarily puzzled. Actually‚ I suppose puzzled is not the precise choice of wording‚ more like torn. Yes‚ I was torn between the different models of abnormality; for each one of them came equipped with their own set of good and bad ideals. After wrestling with this question in my mind‚ I eventually settled on the Biological Model. The Biological Model of abnormality is the
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Biological Model: The biological model of abnormality views abnormalities as medical illnesses. The abnormalities are believed to be caused by genetic inheritance‚ evolution‚ prenatal exposure‚ viral infections‚ or injuries to the brain tissue that affect the brain structure and chemistry. Also‚ it is believed that hormone levels and other levels of chemicals can cause the neurotransmitters to perform improperly which can lead to a mental disorder. Due to many advances in the medical field most
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Outline and evaluate explanations of eating disorders based on the biological model of psychological abnormality [18] Explanations tend to fall into four categories: • Evolutionary • Genetic • Neuroanatomy • Biochemical Evolutionary explanations of behaviour are based on Darwin’s theories of natural and sexual selection. These theories have been applied to eating disorders. It is suggested that the ability to control ones appetite and ignore hunger when food supplies
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(a) Outline 2 attempts to define abnormality (6 marks) Statistical infrequency is an approach that attempts to define abnormality. It suggests that most human personality and behavioural traits fall within a normal distribution with most people crowding around the middle of the distribution (the norm). Any characteristic that is statistically rare according to this distribution is considered abnormal. A further attempt at defining abnormality is the deviation from ideal mental health approach. This
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According to the biological approach the mental disorder Schizophrenia will have an underlying physical cause such as imbalance of hormones‚ brain damage and infection. There is strong evidence that biological factors influence the presence of Schizophrenia. There are certain chemical abnormalities that can be observed in people suffering from schizophrenia. Post-mortems on schizophrenics have shown unusually high levels of dopamine. Dopamine is a brain chemical that increases the sensitivity of
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