Abnormal Psychology
⦁
Refers to the branch of psychology
which studies the nature, origin, development,
prognosis and diagnosis of mental disorders.
⦁
Scientific study of syptoms and courses
of mental disorder.
OBJECTIVES OF ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
1.
Describe the abnormal behavior
2.
Explain abnormal behavior
3.
Predict abnormal behavior
4.
Modify abnormal behavior
ASPECTS OF JUDGING ABNORMALITY
⦁
Distress
⦁
Some argued that a behavior is only
abnormal if individual suffers as a result of the
behavior and wishes to be rid of them.
HISTORY OF ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
STONE AGE - Mental disorders treated by
trephination.
⦁
Some of the earliest historical writings Chiinese, Egyptians, Hebrew and Greeks Provides striking 'case histories' of disturbed
individuals.
- Saul, King of Israel in the 11th century B.C
suffered from recurrent manic-depressive
episodes. During an attack of mania
(excitement), he stripped off all his clothes in a
public place. On another occasion, he tried to
kill his son, Jonathan.
- Cambyses, King of Persia in the 6th century
B.C., was one of the alcoholics on record. His
alcoholic excesses were apparantly associated
wwith periods of uncontrollable rage during
which he behaved "as a madman not in
possession of his senses" On anotehr occasion,
he used his friend's son as a target for his
arrows to demonstrate that his excessive
drinking had not affected his skill.
- Hercules seemed to have been afficted with
convulsive seizure accompanied by a homicidal
figure type reaction. Hercules was describe by
Euripides with "eyes rolled, his conciousness
clouded. He frotted at the mouth, showed
violent fury and attacked persons in his way,
then fell, writhed, and finally fell into a deep
sleep. Upon awakening, he had a complete
amnesia for the seizure.
⦁
Many of the prominent people of teh
greece such as Socrates, Alexander the Great
and Julius Caeser apparantly suffered from
mental disorders of one kind or another.
⦁
During middle ages, numerous case of
abnormal behavior were apparent such as the
Great Oriental conqueror. Tamerlane (13361405) was particularly land of building pyramids
at human skulls.
⦁
George III of England (1738-1820)
known as the "mad monarch" showed a variety
of symptoms including periods of intense
excitement and overactivity. During these
periods, he shifted rapidly from one topic to
another, asked precipitate questions without
waiting for the answer, ate his food so rapidly
that the members of his court had to balt their
food or leave the table hungry, raced up and
down stairs, rode his horse to death and
indulged in obscene language. He believed that
these enemies caused him to suffer indigestion,
diarrhea and other internal troubles, but their
chief trick was to torture him by overwhelming
him with benefit and praise, even going so far
as to corrupt vegetable peddlers.
Marian persecution - the burning of protestants
as heretics during the years 1553-1558.
⦁
The french philosopher Jean Jacques
Rousseau (1712-1778) developed marked
paranoid symptoms during the latter part of his
life.
POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
⦁
Mozart, during the he was composing
the Requiem, thought that he was being
poisoned.
⦁
Beethoven, although miserable poor,
was constantly changing his living quarters and
sometimes had to pay for lodging at three or
four different places at once.
⦁
Keats, suffered from chronic tension
and was subject to spells of uncomfortable
laughter and crying.
⦁
Van Gogh, in an occasion, cut off his car
and sent it to prostitute, an action apparantly
performed in a state of clouded conciousness
resulting from his epileptic condition.
⦁
Schopenhauer, Chopin, and John Stuart
Mills suffered from attacks of depression.
⦁
Robelais, Samuel Butler, Burns, Byron
and Poe used alcohol excessively.
⦁
Coleridge acknowledged using apiates
before writing "Kublai Khan".
⦁
Many rulers and conquerors indulged
themselves with their sadistic inclinations.
⦁
Attila the Hun is remembered mainly
for the ruthlessness and babarity of his
conquests.
⦁
Queen Mary I of England, better known
as "Bloody Mary" was responsible for the
1.
The belief that abnormal behavior is
always bizarre.
- The term 'abnormal' covers a wide range of
behaviors. Some types of abnormal behaviors
are bizarre; but in the great majority of cases,
abnormal behavior is self-defeating and
maladaptive.
- Such as self-defeating patetrns are a cause of
concern, but they are well within the bounds of
ordinary human experience.
2.
The view that 'normal' and 'abnormal'
behavior are different in kind.
3.
The view of former mental patients
unstable and dangerous.
4.
The belief that mental disorder is
something is something ti be ashamed of.
5.
The belief that mental disorder is
something magical and awe-inspiring.
IDEAS CARRIED OVER FROM LITERATURE AND
DRAMA
⦁
Othello provides an unforgettable
insight into the subjective quality of obsessive,
violent jealousy.
⦁
Literature provides a different way of
seeing abnormal behavior.
⦁
Literature yields valuable information
about personality dynamics, about mental
disorders and about the inner exoeriences of
those who have undergone such disorders.
⦁
In his play Medea, Euripedes (480-406
B.C.) described and analyzed the emotions of
jealousy and revenge as displayed by a mother
who murders her children.
⦁
Sophocies (495-406 B.C.) in Oedipus Rex
and electra has given using the first intimation
of incest motives in the shaping of human
behavior.
⦁
In Oresteia trilogy, Aeschylus clearly
described delusional and hallucinationatory
symptoms arising out severe feelings of
remorse and guilt.
1812 - Benjamin Rush wrote first American
textbook of Psychaiatry.
1842 - Dorotheo Dix begun campaign to reform
mental hospital in the United States.
1865 - Gregor Johann published theories of
Genetics.
1879 - German Professor Wilhelm established
first laboratory for experimental study of
Psychology.
1892 - American Psychological Association was
founded.
⦁
Many of the Characters in the plays of
William Shakesphere portray the development
of abnormal behavior with clinical accuracy. The
intense guilt reaction of Mady Macbeth, after
planning and participating in the bloody murder
of King Duncan, is well brought out in her
uneasy sleepwalking and symbolic hand
washing.
1893 - Sigmund Freud, with Josef Breuer,
published first chapters on the Physical
Mechanism of Hysterical Phenomena, launching
Psychoanalysis.
⦁
Dorothea Dix begun campaign to
reform mental hospital in the United states.
1900 - Freud published the interpretation of
Dreams.
430- 377 B.C. - Hippocrates cited brain as
source of mental disorders.
1901 - Ivan Pavlov demonstrates classical
conditioning.
500 - 1450 - Middle Ages adopted
demonological explanation and treatment.
1908 - Clifford writes autobiography "A mindful
that found itself", launching Mental Hygiene
MOvement in the United States.
1547 - Bethlehem Hospital in London converted
into asylum.
1693 - Witch-hunting trials peak in Salem,
Massachussetts.
1773 - First American hospital exclussively for
mental patients opens in Williamsburg, Virginia.
1793 - Philippe Pinel asylum patients at
Labicetre in Paris.
1896 - Lightner Witmer established first
Psychological clinic in the U.S at University of
Pennsylvania.
1909 - Freud makes his only visit to America and
lectures at Clark University.
1913 - Behaviorist John Watson argues that
Psychology should be abandon study of
conciousness.
1917 - The U.S Congress declares all non
medical opiods illegal.
1921 - Rorshach test published.
1924 - Police use first lie detector.
1935 - Alcoholics Anonymous founded.
- First use of lobotomy for mental
disorders.
1937 - Marijuana made illegal in the United
States.
1938 - Electroconvulsive theraphy introduced in
Rome.
- B.F Skinner proposes operant
conditioning.
1943 - Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Test
(MMPI) published.
- Jean-Paul Sartre's existential book
Being and Nothingness published.
1948 - Alfred Kinsey reports on sexual behavior
of men.
1949 - Lithium salts first used for bipolar
disorder.
1962 - Albert Ellis proposes Rational-emotive
theraphy.
1963 - Antianxiety drug valium introduced in
the United States.
1965 - Norepinerphrine and serotonin theories
of depression proposed.
1967 - Aaron Beck publishes cognitive theory
and theraphy for depression. - Holmes and
Rahe develop social Adjustment Rating Scale to
measure life stress.
1968 - DSM II published by APA
1972 - CAT scan introduced.
1973 - DSM stop listing Homosexuality as a
mental disorder.
1975 - Emdorphines natural opiods discovered
in human brain.
1980 - DSM III published by APA.
1981 - MRI first used as diagnostic tool.
1951 - Carl Rogers publishes Client-Centered
Theraphy.
- Researchers discover that Ritalin
persons with ADHD.
1952 - First Edition of DSM Published by the
American Psychiatric Association.
1982 - John Hinckley found not guilty by reason
on insanity of the attempted murder of
President Reagan.
- Sex-change operation performed on
Christine Jorgensen.
1953 - Alfred Kinsey reports on sexual behavior
of women.
- Samaritans, first suicide Prevention
center founded in England.
1987 - Anti Depressant Prozac approcved in the
United States.
- DSM III-R publish by APA.
1988 - American Psychological Society founded.
1958 - Joseph Wolpe develops desensitization.
1990 - Dr. Jack performs hist first assisted
suicide.
1961 - Thomas Szasz publishes The Myth of
Mental Illness.
- FDA approves first atypical
antipsychotic drug, clozapine.
1994 - DSM IV published.
1995 - APA task force begins search to identify
empirical supported treatments.
1996 - President Clinton signs Mental Health
Parity Act.
1998 - Viagra goes on sale in the United States.
2000 - DSM changes criteria for pedophilia
exhibitionism voyeurism, fratteurism, and
sexual sadism.
- Scientists finish mapping the human
genome-spelling out of the chemical "letters"
that make up human DNA.
- DSM IV TR published by APA.
2001 - Around 1,600 mental health workers
mobilize to help 57,000 victims in wake of 9/11
terrorist attacks.
2012 - DSM V approved on 1st december 2017
by APA.
2013 - DSM V published by APA.