Historical Context of Abnormal Psychology and Definitions of

Historical Context of Abnormal Psychology and Definitions of Abnormal Behavior Chapter 1

Some Terms & Definitions n Psychopathology n Prevalence - # people with the disorder at a given time n Incidence - # new cases in a given time period (# people who develop the disorder) n Prognosis – the expected course and outcome of the disorder n Etiology – causes of the disorder, how & why it developed

The Past: Abnormal Behavior and the Supernatural Tradition n Deviant behavior as a battle of “Good” vs. “Evil” n Deviant behavior was believed to be caused by demonic possession, witchcraft, sorcery n Mass hysteria and the church n Treatments included exorcism, snake pits, beatings, and crude surgeries n Movement of the moon and stars as a cause of deviant behavior Paracelsus and lunacy n Both “Outer Force” views were popular during the Middle Ages n Few believed that abnormality was an illness on par with physical disease n

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The Past: The Biological Tradition Comes of Age n Hippocrates & Galen- 4 humors (blood, black bile, yellow bile, phlegm), melancholic, phlegmatic, choleric, hysteric personalities n General paresis (Syphilis) and the biological link with madness n n Associated with several unusual psychological and behavioral symptoms Pasteur discovered the cause – A bacterial microorganism Led to penicillin as a successful treatment Bolstered the view that mental illness = physical illness and should be treated as such n John Grey, MD. , Psychiatrist, American Journal of Insanity. “All mental illness due to physical causes”.

The Past: Consequences of the Biological Tradition n Mental Illness = Physical Illness n The 1930 s: Biological treatments were standard practice n Insulin shock therapy, ECT, and brain surgery (i. e. , lobotomy) n By the 1950 s several medications were established n Examples include neuroleptics (i. e. , reserpine) and major tranquilizers

Psychological Traditions n Moral Therapy & Mental Hygiene Movement (1700 s – Late 1800 s) n Pinel, Tuke, Rush, and Dorothea Dix n Psychoanalytic Theory (late 1800 s – 1950 s) n Mesmer, Charcot, Freud, psychodynamic theory, psychoanalysis n Humanistic Theory (post-WWII) n Rogers, Maslow, self-actualization n Behavioral Model (1920 s – 1970 s) n Watson, Pavlov, Skinner, behavior therapy n Cognitive-behavioral Model (1960 s – present) n Bandura, Beck, cognitive-behavioral therapy