unit-5 – HighFiveAP

5.1

Introduction to Health Psychology

Health psychology examines the relationship between psychological factors and physical health. How does stress affect your body? Why do some people cope better than others? This field bridges mind and body.

The Biopsychosocial Model

Health and illness result from the interaction of:

🧬 Biological

Genetics, viruses, brain chemistry, immune function

🧠 Psychological

Stress, coping, personality, beliefs, emotions

👥 Social

Culture, family, socioeconomic status, support systems

Understanding Stress

Stress: The process of appraising and responding to events perceived as threatening or challenging.

Stressor: Any event or situation that triggers stress (can be positive or negative).

Types of Stressors

Type	Description	Example
Catastrophes	Unpredictable, large-scale events	Natural disasters, wars, terrorist attacks
Significant Life Changes	Major transitions requiring adjustment	Death of loved one, divorce, job loss, moving
Daily Hassles	Everyday annoyances that accumulate	Traffic, deadlines, arguments, losing keys

Research shows daily hassles may actually be more harmful to health than major life events because of their chronic nature.

Psychoneuroimmunology: The study of how psychological factors, the nervous system, and the immune system interact. Stress can literally weaken your immune response!

Stress and Health

Cortisol: Stress hormone that, when chronically elevated, suppresses immune function
Coronary heart disease: Linked to chronic stress; Type A personality (competitive, hostile) at higher risk
Immune suppression: Stress reduces lymphocyte production, increasing susceptibility to illness
Telomere shortening: Chronic stress accelerates cellular aging

Coping Strategies

🎯 Problem-Focused Coping

Directly addressing the stressor

Making a study plan for an exam

Best when: situation is controllable

💭 Emotion-Focused Coping

Managing emotional response to stressor

Talking to a friend about exam anxiety

Best when: situation is uncontrollable

Perceived Control: Believing you have some control over your situation reduces stress. Even the illusion of control helps!

Social Support: Having close relationships and support networks is one of the strongest predictors of health and longevity.

AP Exam Moves

GAS stages: Alarm → Resistance → Exhaustion (know the characteristics of each)
Type A vs. Type B: Type A (competitive, impatient, hostile) linked to heart disease; hostility is the most toxic component
Tend-and-befriend: Alternative stress response (especially in women) involving nurturing and seeking social support

Common Mistake

Thinking all stress is bad. Eustress is positive stress (like excitement before a performance) that can enhance motivation and performance. Only chronic distress is harmful.

Mini Practice

1) A student has been studying nonstop for finals for 3 weeks and now catches a cold. According to Selye, what GAS stage are they likely in?

2) Your friend can't change that their parent is ill, but they're very anxious. What type of coping would be most helpful?

Show Answers

1) Exhaustion stage—prolonged stress has depleted their body's resources, making them vulnerable to illness as the immune system is compromised.

2) Emotion-focused coping would be most helpful since the situation (parent's illness) is largely uncontrollable. This might include talking about feelings, seeking social support, or relaxation techniques.

5.2

Positive Psychology

Rather than focusing solely on problems and disorders, positive psychology studies what makes life worth living—the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

Positive Psychology: The scientific study of optimal human functioning, focusing on strengths, well-being, and what makes life meaningful. Founded by Martin Seligman.

Seligman's PERMA Model of Well-Being

Component	Description	Example
Positive Emotions	Experiencing joy, gratitude, hope, love	Savoring good moments, expressing gratitude
Engagement	Being fully absorbed in activities (flow)	Losing track of time while doing something you love
Relationships	Having meaningful connections with others	Close friendships, supportive family
Meaning	Belonging to something larger than self	Religion, causes, community service
Accomplishment	Pursuing and achieving goals	Mastering skills, completing projects

Flow (Csikszentmihalyi): A state of complete absorption in an activity where time seems to stop. Occurs when challenge level matches skill level.

Happiness Research Findings

What DOES predict happiness:

Strong social relationships
Meaningful work/engagement
Gratitude practice
Acts of kindness
Exercise
Adequate sleep
Optimistic explanatory style

What DOESN'T predict happiness (as much as we think):

Money (beyond meeting basic needs)
Age (happiness is relatively stable)
Physical attractiveness
Climate
Education level
Having children (mixed findings)

Hedonic Treadmill (Adaptation): We quickly adapt to new circumstances and return to our baseline happiness level. Lottery winners aren't much happier than before after a year.

Optimistic vs. Pessimistic Explanatory Style:
• Optimists: See setbacks as temporary, specific, and external ("This one test was hard")
• Pessimists: See setbacks as permanent, pervasive, and personal ("I'm stupid and always fail")

Character Strengths (Peterson & Seligman)

Identified 24 character strengths across 6 core virtues:

Wisdom

Creativity, curiosity, judgment, love of learning

Courage

Bravery, persistence, integrity, zest

Humanity

Love, kindness, social intelligence

Justice

Teamwork, fairness, leadership

Temperance

Forgiveness, humility, prudence, self-regulation

Transcendence

Appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, humor, spirituality

AP Exam Moves

Flow requires: Clear goals, immediate feedback, challenge-skill balance.
Subjective well-being = self-reported happiness and life satisfaction.
Adaptation-level phenomenon: Our tendency to judge experiences relative to a neutral level we're used to.

Common Mistake

Thinking positive psychology is just "think happy thoughts." It's a rigorous scientific field studying what actually contributes to well-being, and it acknowledges that negative emotions have important functions too.

Mini Practice

1) A video game is too easy and a player feels bored. According to flow theory, what needs to change?

2) Why doesn't winning the lottery lead to long-term happiness?

Show Answers

1) The challenge level needs to increase to match the player's skill level. Flow occurs when challenge and skill are balanced—too little challenge = boredom; too much = anxiety.

2) The hedonic treadmill (or adaptation-level phenomenon)—people adapt to new circumstances and return to their baseline happiness level. Initial excitement fades as the new situation becomes "normal."

5.3

Explaining and Classifying Psychological Disorders

What makes something a psychological disorder? How do we categorize mental illness? Understanding classification systems and perspectives on abnormality is essential for clinical psychology.

Defining Psychological Disorders

A psychological disorder is a syndrome marked by a clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior. Key criteria (the "3 D's"):

😰 Distress

Causes significant personal suffering

⚠️ Dysfunction

Interferes with daily life, work, relationships

🚫 Deviance

Culturally atypical (but culture matters!)

A fourth "D" often added: Danger (risk to self or others)—though most people with mental illness are NOT dangerous.

The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual)

The standard classification system for mental disorders in the US, published by the American Psychiatric Association.

Provides diagnostic criteria for each disorder
Descriptive (describes symptoms) not explanatory (doesn't explain causes)
Categorical approach (you either have or don't have a disorder)
Updated over time as understanding changes

Benefits of Classification: Allows communication among professionals, guides treatment, facilitates research, helps predict outcomes.

Criticisms of Classification: Labels can stigmatize, categories may be artificial (disorders exist on spectrums), cultural bias in diagnosis.

Classic Study: Rosenhan's "On Being Sane in Insane Places" (1973)

Eight healthy people faked symptoms to get admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Once admitted, they acted normally.

Results: All were admitted (diagnosed with schizophrenia), and none were detected as impostors by staff. They stayed an average of 19 days.

Implications: Highlighted problems with diagnostic reliability and the power of labels. Once labeled "schizophrenic," normal behaviors were interpreted as pathological.

Note: This study has been criticized for methodology, and diagnostic criteria have improved since then.

Perspectives on Psychological Disorders

Perspective	Cause of Disorder	Treatment Approach
Biological/Medical	Brain chemistry, genetics, neural abnormalities	Medication, brain stimulation
Psychoanalytic	Unconscious conflicts, childhood experiences	Insight therapy, psychoanalysis
Behavioral	Learned maladaptive behaviors	Behavior modification, conditioning
Cognitive	Distorted thinking patterns	Change thought patterns
Humanistic	Blocked personal growth, unmet needs	Supportive therapy, self-actualization
Sociocultural	Social/cultural factors, poverty, discrimination	Social change, family/group therapy
Biopsychosocial	Interaction of all factors	Integrated approach

Diathesis-Stress Model: Disorders result from the interaction of a predisposition (diathesis) and environmental stressors. You may have genetic vulnerability, but the disorder only develops if triggered by stress.

AP Exam Moves

DSM-5 is the current edition—know what it is and its limitations.
Medical model views disorders as diseases with biological causes.
Labeling can create stigma and self-fulfilling prophecies.

Common Mistake

Thinking "deviance" alone makes something a disorder. Being statistically unusual (very tall, extremely intelligent) isn't a disorder unless it also causes distress and dysfunction. Cultural context matters too!

Mini Practice

1) Someone has a genetic predisposition for depression but only develops it after a major job loss. What model explains this?

2) What's a major criticism of the DSM's categorical approach to diagnosis?

Show Answers

1) The diathesis-stress model—the genetic predisposition (diathesis) interacted with an environmental stressor (job loss) to produce the disorder.

2) The categorical approach implies you either have or don't have a disorder, but many psychological conditions exist on a spectrum. The boundary between "normal" and "disordered" is often arbitrary, and people may have symptoms without meeting full criteria.

5.4

Categories of Psychological Disorders

This section covers the major categories of psychological disorders you need to know for the AP exam. For each, understand the symptoms, possible causes, and how they differ from each other.

Anxiety Disorders

Characterized by excessive fear, anxiety, and related behavioral disturbances.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Symptoms: Persistent, excessive worry about many things for 6+ months; difficulty controlling worry; restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, sleep problems.

Key feature: Free-floating anxiety (not tied to specific trigger)

Panic Disorder

Symptoms: Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks (sudden terror with physical symptoms: racing heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain)

Key feature: Fear of future attacks; may develop agoraphobia (fear of places where escape might be difficult)

Phobias

Specific Phobia: Intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation (spiders, heights, blood)

Social Anxiety Disorder: Intense fear of social situations where one might be judged or embarrassed

Key feature: Fear is out of proportion to actual danger; person recognizes this

Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessions: Unwanted, intrusive thoughts that cause anxiety (contamination fears, need for symmetry, forbidden thoughts)

Compulsions: Repetitive behaviors performed to reduce anxiety (washing, checking, counting, arranging)

Key feature: Person recognizes thoughts/behaviors are excessive but can't stop; compulsions provide temporary relief

Related: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (preoccupation with perceived physical flaws), Hoarding Disorder

Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Following: Exposure to traumatic event (combat, assault, disaster, accident)

Symptoms:

Intrusion: Flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories
Avoidance: Avoiding reminders of trauma
Negative cognitions/mood: Guilt, shame, detachment
Hyperarousal: Easily startled, hypervigilance, sleep problems

Duration: Symptoms persist for more than 1 month

Depressive Disorders

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Symptoms (5+ for 2+ weeks):

Depressed mood most of the day
Loss of interest/pleasure (anhedonia)
Weight/appetite changes
Sleep disturbance (insomnia or hypersomnia)
Psychomotor agitation or retardation
Fatigue
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Difficulty concentrating
Thoughts of death/suicide

Biological factors: Low serotonin, norepinephrine; genetic predisposition

Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)

Key feature: Chronic, less severe depression lasting 2+ years

Symptoms: Sad mood plus 2+ symptoms: appetite changes, sleep problems, fatigue, low self-esteem, poor concentration, hopelessness

Bipolar and Related Disorders

Bipolar Disorder

Manic Episode Symptoms:

Inflated self-esteem/grandiosity
Decreased need for sleep
Pressured speech (talking fast)
Racing thoughts
Distractibility
Increased goal-directed activity
Risky behavior (spending sprees, sexual indiscretions)

Bipolar I: Full manic episodes (may include depressive episodes)

Bipolar II: Hypomanic episodes (less severe) + depressive episodes

Key difference from MDD: Presence of manic or hypomanic episodes

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

Schizophrenia

Positive Symptoms (presence of abnormal experiences):

Delusions: False beliefs (persecution, grandeur, reference)
Hallucinations: False sensory experiences (usually auditory—hearing voices)
Disorganized speech: Word salad, loose associations
Disorganized/catatonic behavior: Unpredictable, inappropriate

Negative Symptoms (absence of normal functions):

Flat affect (reduced emotional expression)
Avolition (lack of motivation)
Alogia (poverty of speech)
Anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure)
Social withdrawal

Biological factors: Excess dopamine activity; enlarged ventricles; genetic component

Dissociative Disorders

Disruptions in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Formerly "Multiple Personality Disorder"

Two or more distinct personality states; gaps in memory

Controversial: Some question if it's genuine vs. therapist-induced

Dissociative Amnesia

Inability to recall important personal information, usually after trauma

May include dissociative fugue (sudden travel + identity confusion)

Personality Disorders

Enduring patterns of inner experience and behavior that deviate from cultural expectations, are inflexible, and cause distress/impairment.

Cluster	Disorders	Characteristics
Cluster A (Odd/Eccentric)	Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal	Distrust, social detachment, peculiar beliefs
Cluster B (Dramatic/Erratic)	Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, Narcissistic	Impulsivity, emotional instability, attention-seeking
Cluster C (Anxious/Fearful)	Avoidant, Dependent, Obsessive-Compulsive (OCPD)	Fear, excessive need for approval, rigid control

Antisocial Personality Disorder: Pattern of disregard for others' rights; deceitfulness, impulsivity, lack of remorse. Related to "psychopathy/sociopathy" (not official DSM terms).

Borderline Personality Disorder: Instability in relationships, self-image, and emotions; fear of abandonment; impulsive behaviors; self-harm.

Feeding and Eating Disorders

Disorder	Key Features
Anorexia Nervosa	Restriction of food intake; significantly low body weight; intense fear of gaining weight; distorted body image
Bulimia Nervosa	Binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors (purging, fasting, excessive exercise); weight usually normal
Binge-Eating Disorder	Recurrent binge eating without compensatory behaviors; feelings of distress, shame, guilt

AP Exam Moves

Know positive vs. negative symptoms of schizophrenia—frequently tested!
GAD = free-floating anxiety; Panic = sudden attacks; Phobias = specific triggers
Bipolar vs. Depression: The presence of manic episodes distinguishes them
OCD vs. OCPD: OCD = ego-dystonic (unwanted); OCPD = ego-syntonic (person thinks it's fine)

Common Mistake

Confusing schizophrenia with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Schizophrenia is NOT "split personality"—it involves a break from reality (psychosis), not multiple personalities.

Mini Practice

1) A person hears voices telling them they're being watched by the government. Are these positive or negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

2) What's the key difference between Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa?

Show Answers

1) Positive symptoms—they include hallucinations (hearing voices) and delusions (paranoid belief about government). "Positive" means the presence of abnormal experiences, not that they're good.

2) Body weight: People with anorexia have significantly low body weight due to severe restriction. People with bulimia typically maintain normal or above-normal weight because binge-purge cycles don't result in the same caloric deficit.

5.5

Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Treatment approaches range from medication to talk therapy to brain stimulation. The best approach often depends on the specific disorder and individual, and many people benefit from combining treatments.

Biomedical Therapies

Treat disorders by altering brain chemistry or function.

Psychopharmacology (Drug Treatments)

Drug Class	Used For	Mechanism	Examples
Antidepressants	Depression, anxiety	SSRIs: Block serotonin reuptake SNRIs: Block serotonin & norepinephrine reuptake	Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro
Antipsychotics	Schizophrenia, bipolar	Block dopamine receptors (traditional) or dopamine + serotonin (atypical)	Thorazine, Clozapine, Risperdal
Anti-anxiety (Anxiolytics)	Anxiety disorders	Enhance GABA (inhibitory neurotransmitter)	Xanax, Valium, Ativan (benzodiazepines)
Mood Stabilizers	Bipolar disorder	Stabilize mood swings (mechanism not fully understood)	Lithium, Depakote
Stimulants	ADHD	Increase dopamine and norepinephrine	Adderall, Ritalin

Other Biomedical Treatments

⚡ Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

What: Brief electrical current through brain induces seizure

Used for: Severe, treatment-resistant depression

Side effects: Short-term memory loss, confusion

Modern ECT is much safer than historical portrayals

🧲 Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

What: Magnetic pulses stimulate brain regions

Used for: Depression

Advantages: Non-invasive, fewer side effects than ECT

Psychotherapies

Treatment involving psychological techniques; "talk therapy."

Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Therapy

Goal: Bring unconscious conflicts to consciousness; gain insight

Techniques:

Free association: Say whatever comes to mind
Dream analysis: Interpret hidden meanings
Transference: Analyzing feelings toward therapist as reflecting other relationships
Interpretation: Therapist explains unconscious meaning

Criticism: Long-term, expensive, limited empirical support for effectiveness

Humanistic Therapies

Goal: Promote self-understanding and personal growth

Carl Rogers' Client-Centered Therapy:

Unconditional positive regard: Accept client without judgment
Empathy: Deeply understand client's feelings
Genuineness: Be authentic and transparent
Active listening: Reflect feelings back to client

Key feature: Non-directive; therapist facilitates, client leads

Behavior Therapies

Goal: Change maladaptive behaviors through learning principles

Techniques:

Systematic desensitization: Gradual exposure to feared stimulus while relaxed (for phobias)
Exposure therapy: Direct confrontation with feared stimulus
Flooding: Intense, prolonged exposure
Aversion therapy: Pair unwanted behavior with unpleasant stimulus
Token economy: Reward desired behaviors with tokens (operant conditioning)

Cognitive Therapy

Goal: Identify and change distorted thinking patterns

Aaron Beck's Cognitive Therapy:

Identify automatic negative thoughts
Challenge cognitive distortions (all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing, etc.)
Replace with more realistic thoughts

Albert Ellis' Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT):

ABC Model: Activating event → Belief → Consequence
It's not events that disturb us, but our interpretation of events
Challenge irrational beliefs

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Combines cognitive and behavioral techniques. Change both thinking patterns AND behaviors. Most empirically supported treatment for many disorders (depression, anxiety, PTSD).

Group and Family Therapies

👥 Group Therapy

Benefits: Cost-effective, social support, realize others share problems, practice social skills

Example: Support groups, group CBT

👨‍👩‍👧 Family Therapy

Goal: Improve family communication and dynamics

View: Individual's problem reflects family system dysfunction

Evaluating Psychotherapies

Meta-analyses show: Psychotherapy is generally effective; most people improve more than untreated controls
Dodo bird verdict: "All have won, all must have prizes"—different therapies show similar effectiveness for many conditions
Evidence-based practice: Integrating best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values
Common factors: Therapeutic alliance, hope, empathy matter across all approaches

AP Exam Moves

SSRIs increase serotonin availability (block reuptake); first-line treatment for depression/anxiety.
Systematic desensitization uses classical conditioning principles (counterconditioning).
CBT is the most empirically supported treatment for many disorders.
Know each therapy's theoretical basis: Psychoanalytic = unconscious; Humanistic = self-actualization; Behavioral = learning; Cognitive = thoughts.

Common Mistake

Confusing systematic desensitization with flooding. Systematic desensitization is GRADUAL exposure while relaxed. Flooding is IMMEDIATE, intense exposure. Both use exposure but differ dramatically in approach.

Mini Practice

1) A patient with schizophrenia is given medication that blocks dopamine receptors. What class of drug is this?

2) A therapist helps a client identify the thought "If I fail this test, my life is over" as catastrophizing and challenges them to think more realistically. What type of therapy is this?

Show Answers

1) Antipsychotic medication. Traditional antipsychotics work primarily by blocking dopamine receptors, which helps reduce positive symptoms like hallucinations and delusions.

2) Cognitive therapy (or CBT). The therapist is identifying a cognitive distortion (catastrophizing) and helping the client challenge and replace it with more realistic thinking—a core technique of cognitive approaches.

Introduction to Health Psychology

🧬 Biological

🧠 Psychological

👥 Social

🎯 Problem-Focused Coping

💭 Emotion-Focused Coping

Positive Psychology

Wisdom

Courage

Humanity

Justice

Temperance

Transcendence

Explaining and Classifying Psychological Disorders

😰 Distress

⚠️ Dysfunction

🚫 Deviance

Categories of Psychological Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Panic Disorder

Phobias

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)

Bipolar Disorder

Schizophrenia

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Dissociative Amnesia

Treatment of Psychological Disorders

⚡ Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

🧲 Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Therapy

Humanistic Therapies

Behavior Therapies

Cognitive Therapy

👥 Group Therapy

👨‍👩‍👧 Family Therapy

Nice work finishing Unit 5!