MPD or Schizophrenia?
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Schizophrenics commonly have problems
with reality tests (where you check that
ones perceptions of reality match up with
reality).
The multiple personalities of an individual
will not have problems with reality tests (all
the personalities perceptions of reality
match up with reality).
MPD or Schizophrenia?
continued
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Schizophrenia does literally mean ‘splitmind’, however this is referring to the loss
of unity between psychological functions
MPD is “dissociative disorder in which two
or more distinct personalities co-exist
within the same individual”
MPD is also known as ‘Dissociative
Identity Disorder (DID)- mainly in the USA.
Dissociation:

Is a mental process which produces a lack
of connection in a person’s thoughts,
memories, feelings, actions or sense of
identity. This is on a spectrum, we have all
be affected mildly e.g. daydreaming,
getting ‘lost’ in a book or film or driving on
‘auto-pilot’.
MPD Symptoms:
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At least two distinct identities or
personality states.
Each personality has it own lasting pattern
of sensing, thinking and relating to self
and the environment.
At least two of these personalities assume
control of the patients behaviour
MPD Symptoms continued:
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Common forgetfulness cannot explain the
patient’s extensive inability to remember
important personal details
This behaviour is not directly caused by
substance abuse or by a general medical
condition.
What causes MPD(DID)?
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Believed it is a response to extremely
traumatic situations in which there are no
physical means of escape. If the person
‘goes away in their head’ they can remove
themselves from the pain and function if it
has not occurred.
Does it Exist?
Can you ‘fake’ it?
Why would you want to?
Thigpen and Cleckley (1954)

Aim: to record the symptoms and
treatment of a multiple personality
disorder
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This is a case study (and a record of a
therapeutic process)
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Their paper was published in the
Journal of abnormal & social
psychology (1954)
The Three Faces of Eve
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Who was EVE?
A 25 year old woman who was referred
because of her SEVERE & BLINDING
HEADACHES and spells of amnesia
Thigpen & Cleckley tested her with
Psychometric tests, projective tests,
The Three Faces of Eve
In the initial interviews (EVE WHITE)
EVE complained of (symptoms)
 Blinding Headaches
 Blackouts
 Marital Problems
 Personal problems
The Three Faces of Eve
What was EVE WHITE like?
 IQ score 110
 memory - excellent
 repressive personality
 conservative, shy, dutiful
 loving wife and mother
The Three Faces of Eve
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THEN WHAT HAPPENED?
EVE WHITE
EVE showed amnesia for a recent trip and
was HYPNOTISED in order to restore her
memory
The Three Faces of Eve
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THEN WHAT HAPPENED?
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FIRST SIGN OF SOMETHING ODD!
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A letter arrived which was written in two
kinds of handwriting!
The Three Faces of
Eve
The letter
is objective evidence
The Three Faces of Eve
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What did EVE say about the letter?
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She denied writing it, though she did say
she had begun a letter which she had not
finished
The Three Faces of Eve
What happened then?
Eve became distressed and asked
 “whether hearing voices in her head
meant she was insane”
 she said that she had heard a voice in
her head speaking to her
The Three Faces of Eve
This was a critical interview
 Several times she put her hands
to her head as if in pain
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AND THEN...
The Three Faces of Eve
THE TRANSFORMATION!
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EVE WHITE CHANGED and became EVE
BLACK!
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1st ‘alter-ego?
The Three Faces of Eve
THE TRANSFORMATION!
The therapist noted
 A quick reckless smile…”HI DOC”
Eve White now displayed
 a childishly daredevil air
 an erotic glance
 even her sitting posture changed
Eve White became Eve Black!
The Three Faces of Eve
What was EVE BLACK like?
 IQ score 104
 memory - poor
 regressive personality
 childish, extrovert, mischievous
 denied being a wife & mother
The Three Faces of Eve
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The therapy lasted 14 months and 100
hours of interviews
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Eve Black would sometimes ‘appear’ but
could only be CALLED OUT under
hypnosis
The Three Faces of Eve
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Eve White was not aware of Eve Black
Eve Black was aware of Eve White
Eve Black had existed since childhood
Eve Black - “would emerge, would behave
badly and then retreat and let Eve White
take the blame…(parents verified
incidents)
The Three Faces of Eve
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How T & C described Eve Black
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“childish, irresponsible & shallow
“seeking pleasure & excitement
“denied marriage to EW’s husband
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whom she despised
“denied relationship with EW’s daughter
The Three Faces of Eve
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Did her family not notice ANYTHING odd
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When they observed EB they put her
harshness & aggression down to
‘occasional temper tantrums in a normally
gentle woman
How did the therapists measure the
variables of personality?
Rorschach ink blot test = a projective test
Discussion:
•What do you see?
•Is what you see a
projection of your
unconscious mind?
•Is this a quantitative or
qualitative measure?
•How valid is this measure?
How did the therapists measure the
variables of personality?
Thematic Apperception Test = a projective test
Write a storyline for the pic:
• What has been happening?
• What is happening?
• What will happen?
Is your story a projection of
your unconscious
fears/desires?
How valid is this measure?
As treatment progressed
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EW headaches recurred & got worse
Blackouts increased
Both EW & EW denied awareness in
these blackouts
EW state of mind deteriorated
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(confinement was considered)
THEN WHAT HAPPENED!!
Another personality appears!
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A THIRD personality
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who called herself JANE
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JANE had full awareness of EW and EB
Neither EW nor EB were aware of JANE
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What did Thigpen & Cleckley do?
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All THREE personalities were tested by
electroencephalogram
clear differences were recorded
therapy continued to treat all THREE
women in the ONE body
Psychological Tests
TESTS
EW
EB
Jane
IQ
Memory test
EEG
110
superior
11 per
second
(normal)
Not done
Not done
11 per
second
Personality
Repressive
104
inferior
12.5 per
second
(psychopathic?)
Regressive
Drawings
Rigid but
healthy
Hysterical
tendencies
Not done
No test
The decision of Thigpen &
Cleckley
Jane seemed to be
the person most likely
to bring a solution
to the troubled mind
She was increasingly dominant over the
other personalities
The moral dilemma- ethics!
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‘Killing’ one or more personality- how
ethical is this?
Who should decide which personality
stays and which goes?
Other explanations?
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Was the woman a very good actress
(were T & C conned?)
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Was the woman psychotic
(schizophrenic?)
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Could the hypnotism have caused the
multiple personality effect?
What did T & C conclude?
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They did wonder whether they had
become so involved that they ‘lost their
sense of judgement and over dramatised
the case’
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They remain convinced that they
witnessed a case of multiple personality
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Note:
A film was made!
The Three faces of Eve postscript
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In 1975 a woman came forward and
said SHE was EVE White
said she had experienced many other
personalities both before therapy and
since (22 in all)
that the fragmentation of her personality
had been to protect herself from
‘unbearable experiences’
Ethical problems
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Killing one/more of the personalities - who
should decide this?
Making a film for profit - who benefits &
what about patient confidentiality?
During the treatment Eve White got worse
‘Who’ gives informed consent for the
treatment procedures ?
Ethical problems
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Which personality do you think T & C
approved of most?
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Might there be a ‘culture & gender bias
issue here? Were their judgements biased
by the ‘social norms’ of the 1950s
Questions you should be able to
answer
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What were the similarities & differences
between Eve White and Eve Black?
What is the main difference between multiple
personality disorder & schizophrenia?
What problems with the case study method
does this study highlight?
What factor(s) may have influenced their
diagnosis?