Abstract This paper discusses abnormalpsychology 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.
Abstract This paper discusses the field of abnormalpsychology. 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 abnormalpsychology 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 abnormalpsychology and psychiatry. These include schizophrenia, as well as various anxiety, personality, and dissociative disorders. The range of abnormalpsychological 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 abnormalpsychology.
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."
Reviews the history of abnormalpsychology as a history of mental illness and the various influences that have advanced the research and treatment of mental illness.
2,400 words (approx. 9.6 pages), 6 sources, 2002, $ 89.95
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 abnormalpsychology.
This paper discusses the characteristics, treatments and potential outcomes of three abnormalpsychological conditions: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anorexia nervosa and schizophrenia.
Abstract This paper explains that abnormalpsychology is generally concerned with undesirable behaviors, which, since the early 1900s, have been classified and updated yearly in the DSM-IV that is used by professionals to help identify mental illnesses. The author explains that attention-deficit disorder and disruptive behavior (ADHD), which runs in the family, was once thought to be only a childhood disorder but research shows that it continues into adulthood. The paper relates that the treatment for schizophrenia demands medication, such as Risperdal, Zyprexa, and Clozaril, along with psychotherapy; however, sometimes hospitalization is necessary during an active phase of the illness.
From the Paper "Unfortunately with behavioral disorders, relapses are triggered by stressful events and the majority of people in this world go through many stressful events in their lifetime. As for people with schizophrenia, they will never return to a fully normal and healthy life. The disorders symptoms can be controlled with medications and therapy. One problem they are left with is permanent side effects from the medications they have to take over their life times, which can be undesirable in social and occupational settings. Treatments are constantly changing and hopefully someday the outlook for all disorders will be bright. But we need to understand what the outcome can be so we can pass on to our patients what they can achieve."
Abstract The author states that behavioral and scientific abnormalpsychology 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 abnormalpsychology. 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."
Abstract This paper argues that gender and culture play a significant role in the defining of abnormal behavior. Socially-defined gender roles and characteristics frequently place unreal expectations and pressures on individuals, women in particular. It looks at how the desire on the part of Western women to conform to male ideals of womanhood can cause them to view their own bodies and personalities in a negative context.
From the Paper "Such discoveries lead naturally into discussions of cross-cultural as well as intra-cultural differences as they relate to attitudes toward the role of women, and toward what is considered "abnormal" vs. normal. The fact that different societies possess different ideas of masculine and feminine norms speaks eloquently to the notion that these are not biologically-determined characteristics. ?Cultures set a range of opportunities for development; they define the limits of what is desirable, ?normal,? individual variation, and what is "abnormal" in that culture (although there is some cultural consensus that some forms of deviance and psychopathology are abnormal).? (Reese & Franzen, 1997, pp. 4-5) Recent studies of non-Western peoples have resulted in the discovery that many linkages between emotional and mental states on the one hand, and psychoses or neuroses on the other, are quite different from those connections observed in the West. Even in so seemingly simple a case as the expression of anger (and thus whatever problems its inappropriate expression might entail), there are significant differences from culture to culture: Whereas Eskimos seldom display anger, others employ elaborate and complex means of expressing anger. Likewise, other cultures encourage (i.e., Iranians) or discourage (i.e., Navajos) displays of extreme sadness and sorrow. (Manson, Bechtold, Novins & Beals, 1997, p. 139) By the same token, ?Within-group differences also are evident along these lines, most notably in terms of social class and gender, especially for dysphoria and excessive worry. This appears to be true among mainstream Americans as well as such ethnic minorities as Indians and Natives.? (Manson, Bechtold, Novins & Beals, 1997, p. 139)"
Abstract This paper attempts to answer the question of what is abnormal behavior and how the field of abnormalpsychology 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. "
Abstract The paper explains that the prison study created an abnormal environment in order to examine the reactions of regular people to this environment. The paper details the study and illustrates the humiliation and control techniques used. The paper shows how this abnormalpsychology study helped researchers understand how humiliation and confinement affect the mind, how people cope with those situations and how power can corrupt people.
From the Paper "The study began with newspaper ads recruiting college students to be prisoners for two weeks. Twenty-four applicants were finally were approved for the study. They were divided into two groups, guards and prisoners, totally randomly. The actual "prison" was constructed in the basement of the Stanford psychology building, and it contained cells and a "yard" (actually a corridor) where the prisoners could exercise once each day. The researchers consulted law enforcement officers, ex-convicts, and other experts to make the entire prison experience as realistic as possible. The prison cells looked remarkably realistic; it even contained a "hole" or solitary confinement cell for prisoners who misbehaved."
Abstract This paper is an in-depth examination of the field of abnormalpsychology and the treatment of mental illness. This paper examines the many different components of this field, including the historical treatment and explanation of mental iIllness, the role of the criminal justice system as a tool used to treat the mentally ill and the benefits and dangers of using labels in mental health. The author also looks at different models that have been applied in this field and presents both the advantages and disadvantages to their use. Also examined in detail is the treatment of children, uses and abuses of medication and child's rights when being treated by a therapist.
The following is a table of contents for the paper:
Historical Treatment and Explanation of Mental Illness
Criminal Justice System as Treatment for Mentally Ill
The Benefits and Dangers of using Labels in Mental Health
What is Concordance?
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Medical Model Approach to Mental Disorders
Inter-Rater Reliability of the DSM-IV
Why has ADHD's prevalence recently increased so dramatically?
Who should have control over the treatment of children?
The right of the mentally ill to have children
What are: Mental Retardation, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, and Learning Disorders?
There is a bibliography, but no footnotes or endnotes.
From the Paper "The advantages of this view include getting faster results, attaining functionality, and avoiding stigmatization through labeling. The medical model's approach of treating the behaviour can often achieve much faster results because it does not spend time searching for an often difficult to find, underlying cause. It treats what is already obvious, the behaviour, and thus can attain much faster results. The medical model is also capable of restoring a person to a level of functionality much faster than the non-medical model. By treating the behaviour problems, a person can become able to function within their daily lives. The medical model would advocate teaching coping skills rather than trying to cure the unconscious causes of behaviour, which they may not even admit exist. Another advantage of the medical model is that it avoids the labeling associated with the traditional diagnoses offered by the DSM-IV. By only treating the behaviour, the medical model does not provide a label for the patient and thus avoids the associated stigmatization of labeling."
An analysis of ADHD in children through a review of the journal article, "Difficulties in Comprehending Causal Relations Among Children With ADHD: The Role of Cognitive Engagement," from the "Journal of AbnormalPsychology".
Abstract This paper discusses the journal article, "Difficulties in Comprehending Causal Relations Among Children With ADHD: The Role of Cognitive Engagement," from the "Journal of AbnormalPsychology". The paper claims that this article is a significant report on the condition of ADHD in children. The article opens by acknowledging the significant academic difficulties that are experienced by students with ADHD, which are well-documented in many studies. The paper explains that there has been a significant lack of research documenting the specific ways in which the comprehension and memory processes for complex, interconnected information differ between ADHD and normal children. The paper presents one of the effective methods that may be used to research these comprehension and memory processes: televised stories.
From the Paper "In order to measure visual attention levels, researchers have had both ADHD and non-ADHD children view one television program in a room with no toys, and another television program in a room with toys. With no toys in the room, both ADHD and non-ADHD children averaged over 90% visual attention to the program. With toys in the room, ADHD children had a far larger drop in the amount of visual attention paid to the program than the non-ADHD children. There was no difference in the understanding of factual events between the groups of children. The ADHD group did have a larger drop in their understanding of causal relations compared to non-ADHD children when toys distracted them from the program. The question, then, is why the ADHD children are able to maintain this understanding of factual events, but not of the causal relations. Possible causes proposed include that children with ADHD shift visual attention more frequently which disrupts the continuity of the story processing, or that ADHD children look at the television for shorter spans of time with toys present which would also impair ability to construct the story."
Abstract This paper is a literature review on a issues related to abnormalpsychology, such as (PTSD) post-traumatic stress disorder on children and teenagers. The paper identifies, analyzes, synthesizes and critiques research on PTSD.
Tags: post-traumatic stress disorder on children/teenagers, symptoms, treatment, prognosis
Abstract An analysis of the role psychological disorders play in the creative process and the toll it takes on an individual's creativity.
From the Paper "...Psychological disorders have long been seen as an affecting factor in the use and development of creativity. Much research has been done and numerous tests administered, but since there are no tried and true methods of testing creativity, the exact correlations may be unclear. Throughout history there are many examples of the role psychological disorders have played in the creative process including Vincent Van Gogh and Sir Isaac Newton. Many have resorted to measures to try and "cure" their psychological disorder, which may have been a factor that enhanced their creativity.... "
Abstract The paper shows that while the use of psychological interrogation methods is currently permissible by the courts in Canada, Great Britain and the U.S.A., many researchers argue that psychological interrogation is, in essence, no different than blatant coercion. Confession Law has slowly evolved over time alongside the evolution of interrogation methods. The paper discusses how prior to the 18th Century, English Common Law accepted confessions without any restrictions, which allowed confessions extracted through torture to be accepted as viable representations of objective truth. Today, the bottom line on the admissibility of confessions is that they are "typically excluded if elicited by physical violence, by a threat of harm or punishment, by a promise of leniency or immunity from prosecution, or by failure to notify a suspect of his or her constitutional rights to counsel and silence" (Kassin & McNall, 1991). The paper shows that despite these seemingly stringent laws regarding the admissibility of confessions, psychological interrogation methods are adept at circumventing the law, and continue to employ methods that run the risk of eliciting false confessions. This paper reviews the literature on Psychological Interrogation methods, false confessions and the implications of both.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Psychological Interrogation Tactics
Inside the Interrogation Room
Custodial Legal Advice & The Right to Silence
Psychological Interrogation Functioning as Coercion
Police Interrogations and Confessions
Communicating Promises and Threats by Pragmatic Implication
False Confessions
Occurrence of False Confessions
Creation of False Confessions
An Empirical Study On Recall
Discourse Study
Interrogative Suggestibility & Delinquent Boys
Psychological Characteristics of False Confessors
Consequences of False Confessions
From the Paper "Interrogation, as defined by the Merriam Webster Dictionary, is the act of "questioning; formally and systematically." Interrogations within criminal justice systems are used to gather information relevant to investigations, and more importantly, to elicit confessions from suspects. Methods of interrogation have changed drastically throughout history, but the ultimate goal of obtaining confessions has held constant. While the whips and chains of the past have now exited the western world's interrogation rooms, many scholars argue that today's suspects are still subjected to psychological tortures. Psychological Interrogation is the most recent approach used by law enforcement officials to extract information from suspects."
Tags: applied, brutality, deprivation, police, psychology, sleep, social
Abstract The writer of this paper explores in-depth the three schools of psychology which consist of psychoanalysis, the second force of psychology and third force psychology. This paper discusses each school of thought in detail and expresses the different viewpoints each has on man's intrinsic nature regarding human nature, motivation and behavior.
Topics covered in this paper include:
Introduction
Freud - The First Force - Psychoanalysis
Watson and Skinner - The Second Force of Psychology Abraham Maslow and Third Force Psychology Conclusion
References
From the Paper "Until Freud began his study of hysteria in women in the late 19th Century, the mentally ill were thought to be possessed by evil spirits or demons. The main method of treatment was confinement and often-brutal beatings and starvation. Occasionally, a less severe patient would be treated by the application of leeches to restore the balance of the 'humours', blood, bile etc. or at best given a dose of opium to calm them. As mentally ill patients were considered to be spiritually ill or possessed, their 'babblings or outbursts were ignored as they were considered unholy words."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the roots and goals of existential-humanistic psychology and transpersonal psychology. The author describes why the theories are fundamentally different, by illustrating the basic principles of each outlook. The historic roots of each theory are described. The author concludes that a belief that people are afraid of non-existence in existential psychology contrasts with the goals that transpersonal psychologies seek in their states of "collective unconscious" or deep meditation, where one transcends the earthly, human body and moves into a state of uniting with the entire universe.
From the Paper "The Transpersonal Psychologies find their similarities in their approach to the body-mind relationships and transformation. Essentially they believe that the mind controls the body and if you can put your mind at peace, the body will respond. Based on the work of Carl Jung, who first coined the term "transpersonal" (uberpersonlich) in the phrase "transpersonal unconscious" which he used as a synonym for his well-known "collective unconscious," it refers to the human condition as essentially healthy and full of potential, not as ill and diseased (Schneider,2004)."
