PSY 3171 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Tachycardia, Twin Study, Autonomic Nervous System

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 3171
• Professor: Mark Coates

Document Summary

Psy 3171 lec 3 : theories of psychopathology. Theories: theories of psychopathology try to explain the cause, or etiology, of mental illness. While it is tempting and occasionally useful to think of uni-dimensional causes, etiology is always due to multiple factors. When one knows the factors that cause and maintain illness, treatment can be rationally based upon this information. In science, the term theory has a very specific meaning. A collection of testable ideas, based on empirical findings, that explains how variables are related to one another : dependent and independent variables. Mutations: family studies, twin studies, adoption studies, allow researchers to estimate the amount of influence genetics and environment each have on the trait, concordance. Probability of twins having the same trait: of course, there are limitations of twin studies. In reality : had same prenatal enviro: heritability refers to the degree to which a trait in a population is due to genetic differences within that population.