Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology - 1163 Words

Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology Abnormal Psychology PSY 410 January 30, 2012 Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology For many years, various forms of madness have been noted in every culture. Multitudes of theories, as well as some myths, have been developed to explain such conditions. Society’s opinion on what was considered abnormal was based on such phenomenon as paranormal forces, the anger of the gods, the influence of the moon, unstable personality, hereditary factors, and debauchery (Frude, 1998). History shows that theorists continue to develop a variety of theories to explain psychological disorders. These theories usually fall in one of three basic categories: mystical/supernatural (possession of†¦show more content†¦Scientific advances in mental illness were virtually nonexistent during the Middle Ages. Spiritual causes ruled, and those with psychological disorders were classified as morally weak, or were accused of forbidden practices, such as those associated with witchery, sorcery, and the devil (Damour Hansell, 2005). â€Å"Witch hunts† were more common at the height of the 14th and 15th centuries in Europe, accusing many of the mentally ill of practicing witchcraft. Various attempts were made over the years to encourage just treatment of the mentally ill, and various voices of reason attempted to eliminate the stigma of abnormal behavior. Emil Kraepelin began using scientific methods to classify mental disorders by concentrating on the biological characteristics of mental disorders (Frude, 1998). Kraepelin’s approach resulted in a closer alliance between psychiatry and medicine, believing that a chemical imbalance was to blame for schizophrenia and that a metabolism abnormality caused manic depression (Frude, 1998). Numerous core concepts in psychology have influenced explanations of abnormal behavior. Models for explaining abnormal behavior throughout history (historical relativism), and the principle of stressing the assimilation of different perspectives (multiple causality) have helped differentiate between predisposing and precipitating causes of abnormal behavior. The connection between mind and body has become the most modern model, signifying that both biologicalShow MoreRelatedHistorical Perspective of Abnormal Psychology1014 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Running head: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY Historical Perspective of Abnormal Psychology [Students Name] [Name and Section no of Course] [Instructors Name] [Date] Introduction Abnormal psychology can be defined as the study of mental disorders. It includes the topics and problems that are very common in our daily lives. TV, newspapers, magazines and websites, frequently expose the cases of celebrities and famous personalities that suffer from drinking, eating or some other kind of mental disorderRead MoreHistorical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology1320 Words   |  6 PagesHistorical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology Susan Hardin University of Phoenix Abnormal Psychology PSY/410 Krisit Lane, Ph.D. October 25, 2011 Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology Historical perspectives of abnormal psychology sounds complicated, mainly due to the differing definitions, or interpretations, of what is considered abnormal. Identifying someone at work or in a social situation who appears to be behaving abnormally is easier to spot than it is to define theRead MoreAbnormal Psychology967 Words   |  4 PagesAbnormal Psychology Roshaun Hatchett PSY/410 April 25, 2012 Dr. Christopher Daub Abnormal Psychology Abnormal psychology has been in existence for more than a century. Mental illness was approached from a spiritual point of view. Individuals of certain beliefs would misdiagnose others from the spiritual perspective and would assume that evil spirits controlled his or her’s physical, mental, and observable world (Tyrer, 2010). The following will be covered in this document: theRead MoreHuman Behavior And Mental Processes1355 Words   |  6 Pages What is psychology? The definition may have diverse answers in multiple phrases but they all correlate to the same understanding which is the study of human behavior and mental processes. However, there isn’t just the subject psychology itself but numerous branches extending off the subject such as abnormal psychology; â€Å"the scientific study of abnormal behavior in an effort to describe, predict, explain, and change abnormal patterns of functioning† (Comer, 2013, p.2). In other words, those specializedRead MoreAbno rmal Psychology - Behaviour That Is Not Socially Acceptable962 Words   |  4 PagesLecture 1 What is Abnormal Psychology? Students’ Definitions and Examples of Abnormal Psychology Behaviour that is not socially acceptable Science of learning how biological changes affect personality behaviour Prolonged or repeated psychological state that is harmful to the individual or others Person with an illness, on medication, deviates from the norm Study of illnesses, mental disorders that the DSM-IV does not recognize as normal MythsRead MorePsychology : Psychopathology And Abnormal Behavior1827 Words   |  8 PagesPsychopathology and Abnormal Behavior Introduction The developments of psychopathology and abnormal behavior sciences have achieved significant progress. However, key issues that seek to determine various causes and presentations of psychopathology continue to emerge. Notably, the identification of a better model or perspective that explains psychopathology better than other models continue to elicit varied debates. The prevalence of psychopathology and abnormal behavior is explained by the psychodynamicRead MoreAccording To Erchul Martens (2012), The Earliest Consultation1202 Words   |  5 Pagesand his team traveled to the clinics and met with the individuals and their caretaker, which later became known as â€Å"consultees.† During these meetings, supportive, collegial discussion with the caretaker helped these caretakers to have different perspective that lead to how they effectively dealt with their consultees’ problem behaviors. This practiced was initially known as â€Å"counseling health consultation,† but was later renamed â€Å"mental health consultation,† to reflect the ultimate professional concernRead MoreEssay about A Comparison of Two Schools of Psychology1007 Words   |  5 PagesA Comparison of Two Schools of Psychology There are many different schools of psychology, each have their own views and they all look at psychology from different perspectives. I am going to outline six perspectives and then compare and contrast two schools. The biological perspective and major figures such as Karl Lashley looks to the body to explain the mind, they look at hormones, genes, the brain, and the central nervous system to explain the way we think, Read MoreThe Pursuit Of Higher Education Does Not Simply Present1891 Words   |  8 Pagesachievement while simultaneously instilling knowledge garnered through my learning experience. Cultivating my understanding of psychology regarding its historical transformations, applied research methods, significance of ethics, and statistical relevance will undoubtedly profit my upcoming graduate degree program and the future of my career in the field of psychology. The wide array of studies in behavior and cross-cultural applications will communication skills required in relations to my clientsRead MoreEassy in Gujarati2422 Words   |  10 PagesMaster of Arts Part-II    Paper - V System amp; Theories in Psychology    Objective : To acquaint the students with systems and theories in psychology.    The Scheme of the Question Paper : 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The paper will consist of five units. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚   There will be two chapter in each unit. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Every chapter in the unit should be given equal weightage in the examination. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Question paper should be drawn with the Internal Option in such a way that students should not   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   omit any chapter