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Abnormal PsychologyA.K.A. Psychological Disorders
A behavior which is judged to be deviant (atypical), distressful (disturbing), and
dysfunctional. Could also be maladaptive and unjustifiable.
Defining Psychological Well-Being
• Self-acceptance
• Positive relations
• Autonomy
• Environmental Mastery
• Purpose in life
• Personal Growth
Early Theories• Abnormal behavior was evil
spirits trying to get out.• Trephining was often used.
Trephening
Early Theories• Another way to deal with the demons
was to make the body extremely uncomfortable.
History of Mental Disorders• In the 1800’s,
disturbed people were no longer thought of as madmen, but as mentally ill.
Did this mean better treatment?
They were first put in hospitals.
Early Mental Hospitals• They were nothing more than
barbaric prisons.
•The patients were chained and locked away.
•Some hospitals even charged admission for the public to see the “crazies”, just like a zoo.
Philippe Pinel• French doctor who
was the first to take the chains off (and declare that these people are sick and “a cure must be found”).
Somatogenic or Medical Model
• Late 1800’s - it was believed that mental illness had a physical / organic cause - Somatogenic.
General Paresis from Syphilis is an example.
But Somatogenic could not explain disorders such as hysteria (now called conversion disorder).Many disorders are psychogenic: the origin is psychological, not physical.
Current Perspectives• Biopsychosocial Approach:
assumes biological, psychological and socio-cultural factors interact to produce specific psychological disorders. Most common view today.
Some disorders occur worldwide while others are culture-bound.
Perspectives and DisordersPsychological
School/PerspectiveCause of the Disorder
Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Internal, unconscious drives
Humanistic Failure to strive to one’s potential or being out of touch with one’s feelings.
Behavioral Reinforcement history, the environment.
Cognitive Irrational, dysfunctional thoughts or ways of thinking.
Sociocultural Dysfunctional Society
Biomedical/Neuroscience Organic problems, biochemical imbalances, genetic predispositions.
DSM-V• Diagnostic
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: the big book of disorders.
• DSM will classify disorders and describe the symptoms.
• DSM will NOT explain the causes or possible cures.
Two Major Classifications in the DSM
Neurotic Disorders
• Distressing but one can still function in society and act rationally.
Psychotic Disorders
• Person loses contact with reality, experiences distorted perceptions.
John Wayne Gacy
The Rosenhan Study• Rosenhan’s associates were faking
symptoms of hearing voices.• They were ALL admitted for
schizophrenia.• None were exposed as imposters.• They all left diagnosed with
schizophrenia in remission.• What are some of the questions raised
by this study?• 1.) It showed the biasing power of
diagnostic labels.• 2.) And those labels can serve as self-
fulfilling prophecies (when the belief you have about a person makes you act in a way that induces the person to appear to confirm your belief).
Do you think the mentally ill suffer discrimination today?
Why is Mental Illness though of differently in society?
Myths and Facts of Mental illness
