Bell Ringer
• Read excerpt p. 447
• It is often difficult to distinguish between normal and abnormal behavior.
• Prophet was diagnosed as “paranoid schizophrenic”
• Was seen as normal when he was home
Bell Ringer
• What is considered “normal” adolescent behavior?
• Would these behaviors be abnormal in the following settings?– Rural village in India– Presidential inauguration– Funeral
Identifying Psychological Disorders
• Deviation from normal– Says something everyone does is normal?– If everyone cheats on income tax, are honest
taxpayers abnormal?– Not always a useful standard
Identifying Psychological Disorders
• Failure to adjust– Normal people can get along in the world– So unhappy they can’t eat, take care of
themselves, hold a job.
• Cultural Context– Behavior that is acceptable in one society is not
acceptable in another– Antoinne and hand holding
Psychological Health
• Mental health and mental illness imply that a psychological disturbance is like a physical sickness.
• Psychologists believe a healthy person is one who strives towards ideal functioning
Psychological Health
• Carl Jung and Abraham Maslow- called it self-actualization– Full acceptance and expression of one’s own
individuality and humanness– Hard to determine– When is a person doing their best?
Psychological Health
• Thomas Szasz- – Said most people who are labeled as mentally
ill, really are not– Says they have a problem with living– Psychiatrists label them as sick and put them in
hospitals– Only when a problem becomes severe enough
to disrupt daily life should it be called an illness.
Hysteria
• Comes from Greek word for uterus
• Diagnosed women with mental disorders by using the theory that the womb moved around the body
• Became known as hysteria
• Theory led to witchcraft persecutions
Drilling of the Skull
• In Egypt and Babylonia they believed mental illness was due to evil spirits.
• Would drill into the skull to let the evil spirits escape.
How Common?
• How common are psychological disorders?
• One in seven in the U.S. will seek help at some point in their life.
The Problem of Classification
• 1952, American Psychiatric Association published the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. (DSM)– Revised in 1994- called DSM IV
DSM IV
• Essential Features- characteristics that define the disorder
• Associated Features- additional features that are usually present
• Information of differential diagnosis- how to distinguish it from other diseases
• Diagnostic criteria- list of symptoms
DSM IV
• Reduces one Dr. diagnosing schizophrenia and other diagnosing manic depression
• Recognizes that a person can have more than one label.
Axes of mental functioning
• I- current symptoms
• II- developmental disorders, personality disorders, maladaptive traits like compulsiveness
• III- physical disorders or medical conditions, chemical imbalances
Axes of mental functioning
• IV- measure current stress level
• V- highest level of adaptive functioning in the last year.– Social relationships- quality of a person’s
relationships with family and friends– Occupational functioning- as worker,
homemaker, student
Mad Hatter
• Where did this term come from?
• Hat makers suffered from tremors, slurred speech, and confusion
• Caused by mercury vapors they inhaled while working with felt hats.
Class Debate
• Do song lyrics, video games, internet sites, and movies that are obscene or violent cause or contribute to deviant behavior?
• When, if ever, should materials be censored?• Who should decide if material is suitable for
young children and teens?• Should freedom of speech and press extend to all
forms of expression?
Debate: Insanity Plea
• John Hinckley tried for shooting President Ronald Reagan in 1981
• Found not guilty, reason of insanity
• Could not tell right from wrong and could not control his behavior because of a psychological disorder.
• Sane and insane are legal terms
Debate: Insanity Plea
• People found guilty by insanity are confined for treatment in special hospitals.
• Held at least as long as people found guilty
• After Hinckley case, states created review boards to oversee the treatment provided to those who have been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Assignment
• Shake hand of friend, but hold on much longer than usual
• Make direct eye contact with someone and hold the gaze for 15-20 seconds
• Respond to greeting “How are you” with
“Why do you want to know”