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Abnormal Psychology Unit 1 Notes
Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 3303)
University of Colorado Boulder
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Abnormal Psychology Unit 1: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders When trying to diagnose a physical ailment, a physician can look at a heart rate, blood chemistry and temperature as potential clues to the symptoms of an illness. a little different in abnormal psychology. Salient cues always there when you diagnose a psychological disorder. Since the time of Hippocrates, scholars have formulated broad classifications of psychopathology, the scientific study of mental disorders. Such categories are valuable in helping us describe a vast array of abnormal behavior, even in literature. To help identify mental disorders, the American Psychiatric Association introduced the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1952. Over the last few decades, this guidebook has been updated to reflect contemporary research on abnormal psychology. Sometimes nicknamed the the current revised fifth edition is known as the As learn in the book, the evaluates an behavior according to dimensions or axes which assess the present mental condition in addition to broader aspects such as the life situation and the recent coping strategies. In addition to helping with diagnosis, the model facilitates the description and classification of abnormal behavior. Despite a legion of fans, the model has its share of critics. Some scholars point to problems with diagnosis systems in general such as the neglect of individual traits, the inadvertent creation of a disorder through suggestion, and the tendency to use diagnostic labels to refer to the whole person rather than just the disorder. Another problem deals with the implicit structure of the DSM model: the categories are set up to describe mental disorders rather than explain them. Providing a diagnostic label to a disorder may be insufficient without some attempt to explain the development of abnormal behavior. Despite its potential drawbacks, the DSM classification system has led to the refinement of diagnostic techniques including observational studies, interviews, and physiological testing procedures. Such developments have also enhanced our understanding of abnormal psychology through scientific investigations of psychological disorders. All in all, many clinicians believe its benefits outweigh its shortcomings. For centuries before the scholars have tried to understand the distinction between abnormal and normal behavior. Many of our misconceptions about mental disorders have their roots in the past. Before you read the book, you can try the activity below to see how well you know fact and false about abnormal psychology. Please note that this is not a graded activity. In the last our society has witnessed a dramatic increase in the prevalence of psychological disorders. A few years ago, psychologist Robert Carson noted that: The 17th century is often described as the of The 18th century as the of The 19th century as the of And what about the 20th century? Carson believes it might just be remembered as the of What about now? Have things changed in the 21st century? doubtful. But not make the mistake in thinking that psychological disorders are unique to our time. Throughout history, countless famous people showed signs of abnormal behavior. Can you think of any prominent historical figures who suffered from psychological disorders? As learn in Chapter Two, the study of abnormal psychology can be traced back to our earliest ancestors. Stone Age The oldest theory of abnormal psychology can be found in demonology, the belief that deviant or strange behavior was the result of evil spirits bouncing around inside a skull. So what did people do if they thought another person had a demon inhabiting their head? Some historians speculate that the Stone Age solution involved an aggressive surgery called trephination. A shaman used a small circular saw to drill holes into the skull, all without benefit of anesthesia. Evil spirits would then use this hole for a quick escape. Analysis of remaining skulls suggests that some patients actually survived the brutal surgery. But keep in mind, if the patient died, that was also considered a cure because the trapped demon was thought to to die inside the person. a little scary that trephination enjoyed a revival. During the last few decades, this surgery has been used for everything from consciousness expansion to the treatment of anxiety and Disease. Believe it or not, a few people still take it seriously. For a time, a group called International Trepanation Advocacy supported the idea that trephination had therapeutic value. Do I need to tell you that a bad idea to let someone drill a hole into your skull to relieve anxiety? No? Good. We already have enough holes in our heads. not add more. Middle Ages During the Middle Ages, the popular belief in demonology took an ugly turn with the brutal persecution and execution of an untold number of In 1486, two Dominican friars published a manual called the Malleus Maleficarum, a notorious book designed for use in the inquisition of witches. According to Bromberg (1954), one French judge used the Malleus in his courtroom and that he had burned 800 women in 16 years on the More than six centuries later, the book is still in print. On occasion, religious leaders departed from demonology and considered naturalistic explanations of abnormal behavior. As one example, Teresa of Avila a Spanish saint, insisted that the hysterical nuns in her care were not possessed, but were mentally ill. Later, John Wesley the founder of Methodism, experimented with electricity as a treatment for depression during the 18th century treatment became the forerunner to electroconvulsive therapy). Bedlam Following the Middle Ages, many psychological hospitals or asylums were founded, but in most cases psychotic patients suffered in deplorable living conditions. The Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem was the first and most notorious of the or that later came to characterize the indignities of the Victorian psychiatric system. Unruly or violent patients were chained to walls and whipped or immersed in cold water. In some cases, they were beaten into submission and often died as a result. During the 17th century St. Mary of Bethlehem opened its doors to the public and nobility and the idle classes flocked to the hospital to see the Before long, the hospital became a popular amusement that was viewed as an experience similar to going to the zoo to see rare and exotic animals. According to hospital records, nearly persons visited the hospital in the course of a year. Better known as Bedlam, the hospital came to symbolize everything that was wrong with institutionalized care and became a favorite target for humanitarian reformers who wanted to challenge the system. Humanitarian Reform Movement The most significant early development in the history of abnormal psychology came from the reform of humanitarian care during the 18th and 19th centuries. In time, a number of remarkable women and men began treating patients not as demons or witches or animals, but as people. New standards for the ethical treatment of individuals were ushered in such individuals as: William Tuke was an English businessman, philanthropist and Quaker, instrumental in developing more humane methods in the custody and care of people with mental disorders, an approach that came to be known as moral treatment. He was a major figure in founding The Retreat at Lamel Hill in York as a place for treating mental health needs. Tuke and his wife Esther Maud supported stricter adherence to Quaker principles. Franz Anton Mesmer was a German doctorwith an interest in astronomy who theorised that there was a natural energetic transference that occurred between all animated and inanimate objects that he called animal magnetism, sometimes later referred to as mesmerism. The theory attracted a wide following between about 1780 and 1850, and continued to have some influence until the end of the In 1843 the Scottish doctor James Braid proposed the term hypnosis for a technique derived from animal today this is the usual meaning of mesmerism. Benjamin Rush was a signer of the Declaration of Independence (U.) and a civic leader in Philadelphia, where he was a physician, politician, social reformer, humanitarian, and educator as well as the founder of Dickinson College. Rush attended the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of later there was: aimed He served as Surgeon General of the Continental Armyand became a professor of chemistry, medical theory, and clinical practice at the University of As a leading physician, Rush had a major impact on the emerging medical profession. As an Enlightenment intellectual, he was committed to organizing all medical knowledge around explanatory theories, rather than rely on empirical methods. Rush argued that illness was the result of imbalances in the physical system and was caused malfunctions in the brain. Philippe Pinel was a French physician who was instrumental in the development of a more humane psychological approach to the custody and care of psychiatric patients, referred to today as moral therapy. He also made notable contributions to the classification of mental disordersand has been described some as father of modern An 1809 description of a case that Pinel recorded in the second edition of his textbook on insanity is regarded as the earliest evidence for the existence of the form of mental disorder known as dementia praecox or schizophrenia in the 20th century some although Emil Kraepelin is generally accredited with its first conceptualization Vincenzo Chiarugi was an Italian physician who helped introduce humanitarian reforms to the psychiatric hospital care of people with mental disorders. His early part in a movement towards moral treatmentwas relatively overlooked until a gradual reassessment through the 20th century left his reforms described as a landmark in the history of psychiatry. He also specialized in dermatology and wrote on other subjects. Dorothea Dix was an American advocate on behalf of the indigentmentally ill who, through a vigorous and sustained program of lobing state legislatures and the United States Congress, created the first generation of American mental asylums. During the Civil War, she served as a Superintendent of Army Nurses. Daniel Hack Tuke In 1858, in collaboration with John Charles Bucknill, he published a Manual of Psychological which was for many years regarded as a standard work on lunacy. Virginia Woolf English novelist. Lon Chaney American film actor. Adolph Hitler German politician and dictator. Charlie Chaplin English comedian and film actor. Dorothy Parker American writer. Ernest Hemingway American novelist. Alfred Hitchcock English film director. Did you notice how many of the people on this list are writers, artists, actors, and musicians? Some scholars believe there may be a link between creativity in mood disorders. Do you agree with the idea that individuals who suffer from mental disorders are more creative than other people? also interesting to note that several of the above figures are psychologists and psychiatrists! In some cases, personal experience with a psychological disorder can foster a powerful interest in psychology and psychopathology. Over the years, had many students who have taken this course because of an encounter with abnormal psychology either in their own lives or the lives of a friend or loved one. Literature Just for fun, you can consider how some psychologists have scoured works of literature for signs of psychopathic characters. not sure if novelists appreciate having their literary creations analyzed under the microscope of psychology. If so, it stopped psychologists from studying the rich and psychologically complex characters in literature. In the plays of William Shakespeare, for example, we can identify specific clinical patterns in the following characters: CHARACTER Lady Macbeth King Lear Iago Richard Ophelia Othello PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDER disorder paranoia antisocial personality disorder antisocial personality disorder suicidal depression obsessive, paranoid jealousy If you have an interest in this area, highly recommend a book called The Abnormal Personality Through Literature Alan A. Stone which contains excerpts from classic novels and includes commentary on the psychopathologies of famous literary characters.
Abnormal Psychology Unit 1 Notes
Course: Abnormal Psychology (PSYC 3303)
University: University of Colorado Boulder
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