Practice Flashcards
Flip to reveal answersWhat is the diathesis-stress model?
Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.
All 10 Flashcards — Diathesis-stress model
Sign up free to track progress and get spaced-repetition review schedules.
Question
What is the diathesis-stress model?
Answer
A disorder results from a vulnerability (diathesis) combined with environmental stress (a trigger).
Question
What is a diathesis?
Answer
A predisposition or vulnerability — genes, brain chemistry, early experience — that raises risk.
Question
What is the 'stress' part?
Answer
A triggering life event or ongoing strain that can tip a vulnerable person over.
Question
What causes the disorder in the model?
Answer
The interaction — stress exceeding what the person's vulnerability can withstand.
Question
Why does the same event affect people differently?
Answer
Their vulnerabilities differ, so the stress crosses the threshold for some but not others.
Question
Does more vulnerability need more or less stress to trigger?
Answer
Less — high vulnerability can be triggered by only mild stress.
Question
One strength of the model?
Answer
It combines nature and nurture, avoiding a one-sided explanation.
Question
One limitation of the model?
Answer
Vulnerability is hard to measure and the threshold for 'enough' stress is vague.
Question
Is a diathesis destiny?
Answer
No — without enough stress, the disorder may never appear.
Question
Which concept does it link to?
Answer
Causality — the cause is an interaction of vulnerability and stress.
Read the notes
Full study notes for Diathesis-stress model
Topic 2.1 hub
Biological approach
More from Topic 2.1
All flashcards in this topic
Psychology exam skills
Paper structures & tips
Track your progress with spaced repetition
Sign up free — Aimnova tells you exactly which cards to review and when, so you remember everything before your IB exam.
Start Free