PSYC1023 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Classical Conditioning, Observational Learning, The Stereotypes
Document Summary
In the medical model, psychological disorders resemble diseases, they need a diagnosis, have etiologies and finally a prognosis. It is questioned and controversial over the reliability of the medical model world for psych-disorders. Deviance (unusual behaviour), distress (personally troubled) and maladaptive behaviour (trouble performing normal social obligations) are used in diagnosis. There are no fine lines to distinguish normal and abnormal. Diagnostic criteria have grey areas" and may require value judgment (subjective component to diagnosis) With physical illnesses, we can tell 100% with biological markers, ex malaria vs adhd. The rosenhan study (1973) showed the problems in diagnosis. Rosenhan (psychologist at stanford university) him and his colleagues faked mental disorders to get into the mental institution but were released under schizophrenia remission (never cured but went away). The stereotypes include incurability, violence, and bizarreness (like v. van gogh"s ear), most of these are mistaken. The lifetime prevalence rate varies with the disorder.
