Abstract
The paper looks at how Sue, Sue, and Sue (2002) discuss abnormal behavior and some of the different ways in which it is manifested. The paper explains that abnormal behavior is that behavior considered strange or unusual, however, much behavior that is considered abnormal is so considered for cultural reasons, since much behavior is culturally formed and judged by whether the members of a community meet the norms set by that community.

From the Paper
"Sue, Sue, and Sue (2002) discuss abnormal behavior and some of the different ways in which it is manifested. Abnormal behavior is that behavior considered strange or unusual. Much behavior that is considered abnormal is so considered for cultural reasons, since much behavior is culturally formed and judged by whether the members of a community meet the norms set by that community. Deviance is an expression of a degree of stigmatization of a sub-population by the majority population. The sub-population is separated on the basis of some difference, a difference that is emphasized by the majority population in identifying the deviant population."

Tags:abnormal, deviance, dysfunction

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the history and origins of abnormal behavior and psychopathology. Contemporary models of abnormal psychology are also examined.

From the Paper
"Kring, Davison, Neal and Johnson define abnormal behavior as any behavior which is not typical, and which in addition is disturbing, socially unacceptable, distressing, maladaptive and self-defeating. The authors further note that over time, 'abnormal behavior' has increasingly come to be seen as primarily due to psychopathology, which is to say that it is most often due to impairment of cognitive, emotional or social functioning. The purpose of this paper is to examine the history and origins of abnormal behavior and..."

Tags:abnormal behavior, psychopathology

Abstract
This paper discusses abnormal psychology with reference to the character of Jerry Fletcher in the movie "Conspiracy Theory". The character of Jerry was in constant fear of "them" without knowing who those people are. This paranoid perspective makes him behave strangely.

Tags:abnormal, psychology

Abstract
This paper provides an historical account of how mental illness has only been recognized as a scientific discipline for the last 100 years. The paper also helps to identify some of the origins of the field of abnormal psychology, how particular illnesses and behaviors are defined as abnormal, and analyzes some of the many models that directly relate to the field of abnormal psychology.

Outline:
Origins of Abnormal Psychology
Defining and Classifying Abnormal and Normal Behavior
Models Related to Abnormal Psychology
Psychosocial Model
Biological/Medical Model
Sociocultural Model
Conclusion

From the Paper
''Before the invention of modern day medicine and treatment, the majority of illnesses were blamed on outside sources such as demonic possession, angering the gods, or magic.Various treatments were used in attempt to get the evil entity out of a person, sometimes even killing that person in the process. Exorcisms were commonly performed to draw spirits out of a person, but there were also many lobotomies performed on these seemingly possessed persons. Early on in history, Hippocrates was already on the way to thinking that abnormal illnesses had a great deal to do with the pathology of the brain, and had already pointed out that injuries to the head could cause brain disorders. Hippocrates was also one of the earliest people to put a great deal of weight on the theory that a person's heredity and disposition could have an impact on him or her (Binkert, n.d)."

Tags:treatment, mentally-ill, medicine

Abstract
This paper discusses the field of abnormal psychology. The paper contends that there are many divergent and opposing views of what can be defined as abnormal. The paper claims that the definition of abnormal psychology is part of the fascination of the subject and that there is considerable debate with regard to the exact parameters of this field of psychology. There are a wide and often overlapping number of pathologies that are considered under the rubric of abnormal psychology and psychiatry. These include schizophrenia, as well as various anxiety, personality, and dissociative disorders. The range of abnormal psychological disorders has, in recent years, been extended to include abuse and dependence disorders, as well as eating disorders and sexual and gender identity complexes. The paper discusses all of these disorders that are considered as being within the field of abnormal psychology.

From the Paper
"A general definition of Abnormal psychology is as follows: "Abnormal psychology can broadly be defined as the application of the principles of psychology to the study of mental disorders, including research into the causes and treatment of psychopathologies." (Introduction to Abnormal Psychology) The central and most controversial aspect of abnormal psychology is the issue surrounding the meaning of the term 'abnormal'. In other words, what precisely constitutes an abnormal psychological state? There is no single and conclusive view of what is 'abnormal' and each theoretical approach is determined by underlying assumptions about the meaning of this term."

Tags:mental, disorders, psychopathologies

Abstract
This paper provides a brief overview of the origins of abnormal psychology, its development as a scientific field and the theoretical framework relating to its development. The paper discusses the sociocultural and psychosocial perspectives of abnormal psychology and the areas that each type of theorist would consider when examining a person.

Table of Contents:
Origins of Abnormal Psychology
Theoretical Framework

From the Paper
"The sociocultural and psychosocial perspectives examine social, family and cultural environments in regards how they affect an emotional health. Sociocultural theorists take into consideration such social dynamics as unemployment, poverty, stress, correctional system and culture-bound syndromes when examining a criminal behavior, for example. In addition, they believe that behaviors and attitudes are shaped by learning and modeling after the social and cultural models, ideals and pressures (Hansell, J., & Damour, L., 2005). Anorexia nervosa, for instance, is predominantly found among white young women of an upper-middle class in the western societies, where ideals and models of beauty portray thinness. Conversely, some African societies, like Nigeria, admire plumpness in the woman's body and attribute it to the wealth and happiness. An underweight Nigerian girl would probably suffer from the feelings of inadequacy in her culture, but placed in a western society, may found herself proudly strutting on the fashion podium. Thus, sociocultural perspective emphasizes a broader spectrum of mental health issues, i.e. improving a well-being of society as a whole, instead of narrowing it to the individual differences. From the therapeutic standpoint, such perspective would be cumbersome to apply to the individual treatment, however it helps to understand where a person comes from, before diagnosing him or her as mentally sick."

Tags:society, emotions, sociocultural, psychosocial

Abstract
The author states that behavioral and scientific abnormal psychology models do not apply in our modern, multicultural society. The paper reviews, in detail, throughout history, the definitions and theoretical interpretations of abnormal behavior. The author believes that sociocultural psychology, which takes into account an individual's society, family, and culture, offers a more comprehensive view of abnormal psychology. She states that the relative lack of ethnographic data on specifically defined cultural groups is a problem especially when working within immigrant communities.

From the Paper
"The ancient Greeks were revolutionary in this regard. In the fourth century B.C.E., Hippocrates believed that some kind of physical malady was responsible for mental disorders. In fact, the "father of modern medicine" may be the first person to attribute mental illness to biological causes. Even with his primitive understanding of the human body and attribution of mental illness to the "humors," Hippocrates recognized the importance of diet, stress, and heredity on mental illness. Hippocrates even described disorders we catalog in the DSM today: depression, paranoia, Alzheimer's, and alcoholism. Steering away from superstitious, supernatural explanations of abnormal behavior was an immense step forward in the treatment of those who suffered with mental illness."

Tags:psychopathology, behavior, psychiatric, multicultural, hippocrates, greek, freud, coping, cross-cultural, limitations, diagnosing, treatment

Abstract
The paper examines the origins of abnormal psychology and its evolution into a scientific discipline. The paper also addresses the psychosocial, biological/medical and sociocultural theoretical models and discusses their applications in abnormal psychology.

Outline:
History
Becoming a Scientific Discipline
Models
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Since the treatment of abnormal behaviors was wholly based on the cultural perception of the abnormal, ancient societies viewed torture as an option. As previously mentioned, the drilling of a hole into a person's skull, or trepanation, was thought to allow the demon or spirits to escape the individual, thus correcting the abnormal behavior, according to Comer (2003). During the inquisition, individuals displaying deviant or abnormal behavior were subject to being burned, pressed, hung and murdered. In the early part of the 20th century, asylums still existed, however the work of Sigmund Freud and others led to the development of psychotherapy to help treat those with 'abnormal' behaviors. Modern science and physicians began to understand that 'abnormal' behaviors were based on cultural relativism and were not always significant of a mental illness or a disease (Long, 2009). During the 1700's and 1800's, people started investigating the idea that abnormal behavior could be caused by serious personal problems and even physical conditions. Comer introduces the German psychiatrist, Emil Kraepelin, and then Sigmund Freud, the famous Austrian doctor, as the developers of theoretical models for abnormal behavior. Their work and the research of others led to the development of psychotherapy to help treat those with 'abnormal' behavior."

Tags:behavior, disciplines

Abstract
This paper attempts to answer the question of what is abnormal behavior and how the field of abnormal psychology seeks to find answers to this question through psychological inquiry. It considers the influence of culture and gender when making decisions about the psychological status of persons and explains the four different diagnostic categories.

From the Paper
"When we trace the history of the treatment of the mentally ill, we can appreciate how far we have come in a very short period of time. Historically, the treatment of persons' suffering from mental illness was awful. Prehistoric and Ancient - During this period, the belief was that demons and evil spirits possessed mentally ill persons. Trephining (surgically chipping away part of the skull) was used to release these evil spirits. Exorcism was also used and person's were flogged and starved to rid them of the evil spirits.Hippocrates during the Greco-Roman era believed that there was a scientific explanation for mental disorders and he focused on brain dysfunction. "

Tags:disorder, dsm, mental, illness

Abstract
Beginning with primitivism and concluding with the technological and specialized classification and diagnostic tools of 21st century psychology, this review examines the recursive cycles of humanitarian approaches to psychology. The fleeting appearances of a morality and value system in psychology indicate a change in modern techniques is over-due. This paper concludes with a summary of structural and functional approaches to psychology and emphasizes the lack of interconnected theories that might illuminate treatments of abnormal psychology.