Class notes
Psy 254 Chapter 1 Notes
This is a comprehensive and detailed note on Chapter 1: Abnormal Psychology: Past and Present for Psy 254. *Essential Study Material!!
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
Content preview
CHAPTER 1Abnormal Psychology: Past and Present
- Abnormal psychology
o Scientific study of abnormal behavior in an effort to describe, predict, explain, and
change abnormal patterns of functioning
o Many definitions have been proposed, yet none has won total acceptance
PsychWatch: Verbal Debuts
What Is Psychological Abnormality?
- Common feature across definitions
o The Four Ds
Deviance
Distress
Dysfunction
Danger
So distressed, thinking about hurting oneself
So dysfunctional, not thinking straight
o Influences
Societal norms
Culture
Context
The Elusive Nature of Abnormality (Part 1)
- Abnormality is defined by general criteria in society
- Criteria are used to judge particular cases
- Szasz posits that societal involvement may validate the concept of mental illness
o Most mental health problems, “problems of living”
Up to you, you decide what you want to do about it
- Any definition of abnormality may be unable to be applied consistently
Changing Times
- Just decades ago, the elaborate body art on people’s bodies would have been considered
outrageous, strange, and abnormal
o Today, tattoos are relatively common
o As many as 40% of adults in the U.S. have at least 1 tattoo, while 25% have multiple
What is Treatment? (Part 1)
- Treatment or therapy
, o Procedure designed to change abnormal behavior into more normal behavior
o Definitional challenges closely related to defining abnormality
What is Treatment? (Part 2)
- Essential features of all therapy forms
o Sufferer or patient
o Trained, socially accepted healer or therapist
o Series of therapeutic contacts between the healer and the sufferer
o Despite their differences, most clinicians agree that large numbers of people need
therapy of one kind or another
What is Treatment? (Part 3)
- Despite this straightforward definition, clinical treatment is surrounded by conflict and
confusion:
o Lack of agreement about goals or aims
o Lack of agreement about successful outcome
o Lack of agreement about failure
o Are clinicians seeking to cure? To teach?
o Are sufferers patients (ill) or clients (having difficulty)?
How Was Abnormality Viewed and Treated in the Past?
- Every society, past and present, has witnessed psychological abnormality
- Many present-day ideas and treatments have roots in the past
- In any given year as many as 30% of adults and 19% of children and adolescents in the U.S.
display serious psychological disturbances and are in need of clinical treatment
- In addition, most people have difficulty coping at various times
- Is this the fault of modern society?
o Although modern pressures may contribute, they are hardly the primary cause; every
society, past and present, has witnessed psychological abnormality
Ancient Views and Treatments
- Ancient societies
o Probably regarded abnormal behavior as the work of evil spirits
o May have begun as far back as the Stone Age
o Animism, animistic theory
Every person has a soul
Could potentially get taken over by external forces
Aka possession
Historically much broader
o By ancestors, wizard, shaman, spirits
Something was making you act that way
- Treatment
o Trephination and exorcism
o Ostracism
Greek and Roman Views and Treatments
- 500 B.C.E. to 500 C.E.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller anyiamgeorge19. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $10.39. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
78252 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now