ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGYHistorical and Theoretical Background of

Overview

This presentation covers the following major topics:

Definition of Abnormal Psychology Historical and Theoretical

Background of Abnormal Psychology

Exercise

At this point, a pre-presentation quiz will be rolled out which aims to stimulate the audience’s recall to key information on the historical and theoretical background of Abnormal Psychology. Answers will be checked at the end of the session as a review on the topics discussed.

Definitions

Abnormal Psychology is the branch of Psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion, and thought, which may or may not be understood as being a mental disorder. The field of abnormal psychology identifies multiple different causes for different conditions, employing diverse theories from the general field of psychology and elsewhere.

Definitions

Clinical psychology is the applied field of psychology that seeks to assess, understand and treat psychological conditions in clinical practice. The theoretical field known as "abnormal psychology" may form a backdrop to such work, but clinical psychologists are nowadays unlikely to use the term "abnormal" in reference to their practice.

Definitions

Psychopathology is a similar term to abnormal psychology but has more of an implication of an underlying pathology (disease process), and as such is a term more commonly used in the medical specialty known as psychiatry.

Historical background

Historically, there have been three main approaches to abnormal behavior:

1. Supernatural tradition2. Biological tradition3. Psychological tradition

Historical background

In Supernatural tradition, abnormal behaviors are attributed to agents outside human bodies. According to this model, abnormal behaviors are caused by demons, spirits, or the influences of moon, planets, and stars.

Historical background

In the biological tradition, psychological disorders are attributed to biological causes.

In the psychological tradition, disorders are attributed to faulty psychological development and to social context.

Theoretical background

Throughout time, societies have proposed several explanations of abnormal behavior within human beings. Those theories usually covers the following concepts:

1. Cultural and historical variations2. Multiple causality3. Mind and body

Theoretical background

Cultural and historical variations “Animists” have believed that people

demonstrating abnormal behavior are possessed by malevolent spirits.

Performed by religious authorities, a more formalized response to spiritual beliefs about abnormality is the practice of exorcism.

Two Catholic Inquisitors wrote Malleus Maleficarum (The Hammer Against Witches").

Theoretical background

If the Greek viewed the brain as the seat of human consciousness, emotion, intelligence, and wisdom, the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, and Hebrews believed it was the heart.

In 1547, King Henry VIII of England established the St. Mary of Bethelem asylum. Asylums remained popular throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance era.

Theoretical background

Multiple causalityThe number of different

theoretical perspectives in the field of psychological abnormality has made it difficult to properly explain psychopathology. The attempt to explain all mental disorders with the same theory leads to reductionism (explaining a disorder or other complex phenomena using only a single idea or perspective).

Theoretical background

Most mental disorders are composed of several factors, which is why one must take into account several theoretical perspectives when attempting to diagnose or explain a particular behavioral abnormality or mental disorder. Explaining mental disorders with a combination of theoretical perspectives is known as multiple causality.

Theoretical background

Diathesis-stress Model emphasizes the importance of applying multiple causality to psychopathology by stressing that disorders are caused by both precipitating causes and predisposing causes.

- A precipitating cause is an immediate trigger that instigates a person's action or behavior.

- A predisposing cause is an underlying factor that interacts with the immediate factors to result in a disorder.

Theoretical background

Mind and bodyAbnormal psychology revolves around two major paradigms for explaining mental disorders:

Psychological, which focuses more on the humanistic, cognitive and behavioral causes and effects of psychopathology.

Biological, which includes the theories that emphasize more physical factors, such as genetics and neurochemistry.

Theoretical background

Recent concepts of abnormality

Statistical abnormality Psychometric abnormality Deviant behavior Combinations

Let’s take a closer look…

Important personalities St. Augustine laid the groundwork for

modern psychodynamic theories. Franz Joseph Gall suggested that bodily

fluids influenced psychological functioning. Anton Mesmer asserted that magnetism

could cure some illnesses. Benjamin Rush designed tranquilizer

chair used to calm patients by depriving them of the use of their senses.

Wilhelm Griesinger is credited with the slogan “mental diseases are brain diseases”.

Review

The theory that abnormal behavior can be explained by the operation of supernatural and magical forces such as evil spirits or the devil is called: Mysticism

The finding of ancient skulls with holes in them that were not caused by battle wounds has led some anthropologists to hypothesize that abnormal behavior was sometimes treated using a procedure called: Trephenation

Review

The psychological perspective on abnormal behavior emphasizes that behavioral disturbances are cause by: Maladaptive ways of thinking, feeling or behaving

_______________ were the earliest to write about psychological and organic approaches to deviance. Greek Philosophers

Review

The ancient Egyptians, Mesopotamians, and Hebrews believed the seat of the mind to be the: Heart

The ancient Greeks considered the _______________ to be the seat of the mind:. Brain

This was an influential book written by two monks that provided rules for identifying and trying witches and sorcerers. Malleus Maleficarum

Thank you for listening and for your participation!  References:  Abnormal psychology retrieved from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abnormal_psychology

  Abnormal Psychology Chapter 2 Quiz

retrieved from http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/sarason/chapter2/deluxe.html