Unit 1. Part 1
- 1. Introduction to Abnormal Psychology Unit 1 Health-Illness Models M.D. Cecilia Meza From: Abnormal Psychology (1965) by Jack Roy Strange
- 3. The Field of Abnormal Psychology Psychology is the study of the behavior of organisms. Its emphasis is on the overall adaptive behavior of human individuals.
- 4. In its narrow definition abnormal psychology is a branch of the science of psychology, which developed late in the nineteenth century. The scientific content of abnormal psychology has come mainly from the psychology departments and laboratories in colleges and universities and from physiology and pharmacology laboratories in medical schools.
- 5. Casa de Locos Museo de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. Madrid Fransisco de Goya
- 6. A definition of “Abnormal” The word “abnormal” means literally “away from the normal”. Thus, the key to a usable definition of “abnormal” rests on an adequate definition of “normal”.
- 7. La demencia de Doña Juana (1867) Óleo sobre lienzo, 238 x 313,5 cm. Museo del Prado. Madrid Obra de Vallés
- 8. We use the word “normal” in a sense that combine two basic references, these references are the concept of norma and the idea of statistical average . So far as culture is concerned, normal behavior is behavior that fits in without too much friction. When a person will not or cannot meet this demand, he is likely to be considered abnormal.
- 9. El Loco (1904) Acuarela sobre papel. 86 x 35. Museo Picasso. Barcelona Picasso
- 10. Age, Sex, and Status Variants In nearly all cultures different standards of judgment are applied to the behavior of the young. Special allowances are also made for the aged: a certain amount of “childishness” is expected and tolerated. Of course, the strictest standards of conduct are reserved for the adults, who are expected to live up to their society’s ideal of maturity.
- 11. ¿Locos en el manicomio? (1746-1828) Museo del Monasterio de Guadalupe. Guadalupe (Cáceres). España. Fransico de Goya
- 12. We see that if we do not “act our age” or remember our sex or if we do not fulfill our roles satisfactorily, we may stand out as maladjusted and abnormal in the eyes of our society. We are never normal and well adjusted unless we are able to maintain an inner harmony and integration of motives and emotions.
- 13. Useful terms and concepts in abnormal psychology Terms like “crazy”, “nutty” and others tend to degrade and make the mental person an object of ridicule. If we are attempting not to offend, most people call these severe disorders insanity. This word is a legal term rather than a psychological one. A person is sane or insane according to a judgment made by a court of law. The correct psychological term for the most serious mental illnesses is the word psychosis.
- 14. Corral de Locos (1793-94) (Yard with Lunatics) Oil on tinplate, 43.8 x 32.7 cm Meadows Museum, Dallas Fransisco de Goya
- 15. Some other terms deride a sick person, these terms should not be used. In most of these cases, the psychologist would say that the person thus referred to is suffering from a psychoneurosis or from some other form of personality disorder. The favorite lay explanation of the cause of various behaviors deviations is that there is nothing really wrong, that it is “only in the mind”.
- 16. If abnormal behavior is a matter of not conforming to group and personal norms, the deviate behavior is better explained as the result of very poor social learning.
- 17. Hombre loco atado con cadenas (The Maniac) Stereotype image of madman, 1806. Sir Charles Bell
- 18. Some descriptive terms The Psychotic person is someone out of touch with some aspect of reality. The person who sees or hears or feels things that ‘aren’t there’ is said to be suffering from a hallucination . Another specific symptom of psychosis may be a systematized, unfounded belief called delusion .
- 19. Las tres Gorgonas: la Enfermedad, la Locura y la Muerte (The three Gorgones: sickness, madness, death) Beethovenfrieze: 'The hostile forces' (detail), 1902 Vienna, Secession Klimt
- 20. Another common psychotic symptom is that of confusion and loss of orientation . In some others forms of psychosis, we can find a serious degradation because of extensive damage, the accompanying deterioration is technically called dementia . These symptoms can result from many different combinations of physical and psychosocial factors.
- 21. Geraert Lambertsz Escultura de una Loca desnuda Rijks Musseum. Amsterdam. Países Bajos
- 22. Specialist in the Field of Abnormal Psychology The Psychiatry The Clinical Psychologist The Psychoanalyst The Psychiatric social worker The Psychometrist