Abnormal Psychology
Consider the Evidence Questions
#5. Why is it not enough to consider the “normality” of behaviour to
decide if someone could benefit from therapy? What other factors should be
considered?
Answer:
-normal behaviour differs from place to place and
from time to time.
-we should ask why the behaviour is different and
what reasons the individual has for being different.
-we should consider how the behaviour is affecting
the individual or the group.
 Example: Violent behaviour can hurt people
while a strange obsession with Bagul need not
affect anyone.
#6.
In what ways are neuroses like and unlike Defence Mechanisms?
Like- They are both ways to escape feelings of
anxiety.
Unlike- Neuroses can interfere with enjoyment of
life, are more severe and may last longer than
Defence Mechanisms.
#7.
Define and give examples of each type of neurosis discussed here.
Anxiety Neuroses: The patient will have dreadful
fears for no apparent reasons. The cause may be
deep in the subconscious. Example: Pounding heart
faintness, numbness.
Hysterical Reaction: Emotional conflicts are
converted into physical symptoms. Hitler and Ray
Charles are possible (but not definite) cases.
Phobias: Extreme fears of a certain object or
situation. Example: Claustrophobia- fear of enclosed
spaces.
Obsessions and Compulsion: The obsession is a
persistent unwanted thought. A compulsion is a
repetitive act done to relieve the anxiety of obsession.
Example: Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) was
obsessed with germs and washed his hands and body
over and over, using many bars of soap.
#8.
What two major theories of the causes of phobias are discussed here?
1) Freud thought that a phobia was the mind’s defense
against anxiety. The real source of the anxiety may not
be related to the feared object or situation.
2) Skinner believed that phobias stem from bad
experiences.
#9.
Read and do in class together.
A) Obsessive Compulsive
B) Phobia, Acrophobia (fear of heights)
http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/phobia
s_psychologist_and_psychologists/psychologist_acrop
hobia.htm
This link explains why this is Acrophobia although the
person has this urge to throw themselves off the
building.
#10. How do psychoses differ from neurosis?
Psychoses are a serious mental illness where reality
can be distorted by delusions and hallucinations.
Neuroses are a mild type of disorder, where the
patient does not loose touch with reality.
#11. Define the psychoses discussed here.
Organic Psychoses- physical damage to the brain has
caused this type of psychoses.
Manic Depression- the patient has extreme mood
swings. The manic stage is marked by unlimited
energy and a difficulty sleeping. The depression
stage is the opposite of Mania. During this stage, the
patient may sleep for days or never come out of the
house. There may be periods of normalcy between
the Mania and Depression.
#12. What questions remain to be answered about psychoses?
We are unsure of the causes for many of the
psychoses.
#13. The drug LSD has effects similar to some psychotic reactions: for
example, hallucinations, mood changes, strange verbal behaviour and a
feeling of being separated from one’s body. Which theory of the causes of
psychoses would this tend to support?
This supports the theory that schizophrenics have a
chemical difference from normal people, since LSD
also affects the chemicals in the brain and produces
similar hallucinations.
#14. Read to the class the case study.
Psychopathic Personality.
#15. Using a case history to study clinical method is an important technique used by
psychologists. Analyse the case of Miss Elizabeth under the following categories:
symptoms or problems, the apparent source of these problems, the techniques used by
Freud, what Freud learned from this case.
a. Symptoms: unable to walk because of excruciating
pain in her legs.
b. Apparent source of these problems: the anxiety
caused by her desire to marry her dying sister’s
husband.
c. Techniques used by Freud: psychoanalysis. Freud
hypnotized the patient.
d. What Freud learned from this case: that
psychological problems, can manifest themselves
as physical symptoms.
#16. What can you say about Freud’s attitude to his patient on the basis of
the language he uses here?
Stupid question, don’t worry about it.
He has sympathy for her, saying that her temptation was only logical and reasonable.
#17. List the major steps in psychoanalysis.
1.
2.
3.
The therapist and patient have a talk about what
brought them to the Dr.
The therapist explains to the patient what
psychoanalysis is i.e.) finding what is below the
surface of the mind.
The patient tells the therapist all of his or her
thoughts.
#18. What kinds of emotional problems are best dealt with through
psychoanalysis? What kinds are not?
-Hysteria, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive
neurosis do well with psychoanalysis.
- Psychoses are not suited to psychoanalysis.
#19. What is the role of the subconscious in causing emotional illness?
Extremely unpleasant thoughts may be suppressed
and kept out of the conscious mind. The conscious
mind may be given other things to think about by the
subconscious.
#20. What does operant conditioning assume about human behaviour?
It assumes that it can be controlled voluntarily. That
all behaviour has consequences and those
consequences will determine future behaviour.
#21. What types of problems does behaviour modification deal with? Are
these different from the problems that psychoanalysis deal with?
This is used for patients who have not learned
appropriate behaviours yet. Example: mental delays.
Psychoanalysis deals with people who were fine and
then developed a problem.
#22. Describe the technique used in operant conditioning.
The desired behaviour is rewarded and undesired
behaviour is discouraged or punished.