By the end of this section, you will be able to:Explain why classification systems are necessary in the study of psychopathologyDescribe the basic features of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)Discuss changes in the DSM over time, including criticisms of the current editionIdentify which disorders are generally the most common

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the nature and symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorderDiscuss the prevalence and factors that contribute to the development of these disorders

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the essential nature of dissociative disordersIdentify and differentiate the symptoms of dissociative amnesia, depersonalization/ derealization disorder, and dissociative identity disorderDiscuss the potential role of both social and psychological factors in dissociative identity disorder

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Distinguish normal states of sadness and euphoria from states of depression and maniaDescribe the symptoms of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorderUnderstand the differences between major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder, and identify two subtypes of depressionDefine the criteria for a manic episodeUnderstand genetic, biological, and psychological explanations of major depressive disorderDiscuss the relationship between mood disorders and suicidal ideation, as well as factors associated with suicide

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the main features and prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and hoarding disorderUnderstand some of the factors in the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the nature of personality disorders and how they differ from other disordersList and distinguish between the three clusters of personality disordersIdentify the basic features of borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder, and the factors that are important in the etiology of both

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Discuss supernatural perspectives on the origin of psychological disorders, in their historical contextDescribe modern biological and psychological perspectives on the origin of psychological disordersIdentify which disorders generally show the highest degree of heritabilityDescribe the diathesis-stress model and its importance to the study of psychopathology

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the nature and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorderIdentify the risk factors associated with this disorderUnderstand the role of learning and cognitive factors in its development

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Recognize the essential nature of schizophrenia, avoiding the misconception that it involves a split personalityCategorize and describe the major symptoms of schizophreniaUnderstand the interplay between genetic, biological, and environmental factors that are associated with the development of schizophreniaDiscuss the importance of research examining prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Understand the problems inherent in defining the concept of psychological disorderDescribe what is meant by harmful dysfunctionIdentify the formal criteria that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors must meet to be considered abnormal and, thus, symptomatic of a psychological disorder

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Explain what a correlation coefficient tells us about the relationship between variablesRecognize that correlation does not indicate a cause-and-effect relationship between variablesDiscuss our tendency to look for relationships between variables that do not really existExplain random sampling and assignment of participants into experimental and control groupsDiscuss how experimenter or participant bias could affect the results of an experimentIdentify independent and dependent variables

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the different research methods used by psychologistsDiscuss the strengths and weaknesses of case studies, naturalistic observation, surveys, and archival researchCompare longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches to research

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Discuss how research involving human subjects is regulatedSummarize the processes of informed consent and debriefingExplain how research involving animal subjects is regulated

This chapter covers:Why is Research Important?Approaches to ResearchAnalyzing FindingsEthicsFor more information, visit OpenStax College.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Explain how scientific research addresses questions about behaviorDiscuss how scientific research guides public policyAppreciate how scientific research can be important in making personal decisions

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Explain the figure-ground relationshipDefine Gestalt principles of groupingDescribe how perceptual set is influenced by an individual’s characteristics and mental state

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the basic anatomy and function of the auditory systemExplain how we encode and perceive pitchDiscuss how we localize sound

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Distinguish between sensation and perceptionDescribe the concepts of absolute threshold and difference thresholdDiscuss the roles attention, motivation, and sensory adaptation play in perception