PSYC 381 Exam 1

Biological Viewpoint

Biological Viewpoint

the belief that mental disorders have a physical of physiological basis

Cultural Relativism

the idea that a person’s beliefs, values, and behaviors are affected by the culture within which that person lives

Cultural Universality

the assumption that a fixed set of mental disorders exists whose manifestations and symptoms are similar across cultures

Etiology

the cause or causes for a condition

Humanism

a philosophical movement that emphasizes human welfare and the worth and uniqueness of the individual

Hysteria

an outdated term referring to excessive or uncontrollable emotion, sometimes resulting in somatic symptoms (such as blindness or paralysis) that have no apparent physical cause

Lifetime Prevalence

the percentage of people in the population who have had a disorder at some point in their lives

Moral Treatment Movement

a crusade to institute more humane treatment for people with mental illness

Positive Psychology

the philosophical and scientific study of positive human functioning focused on the strengths and assets if individuals, families, and communities

Prevalence

the percentage of individuals in a targeted population who have a particular disorder during a specific period of time

Psychological Viewpoint

the belief that mental disorders are caused by psychological and emotional factors rather than biological influences

Self-stigma

acceptance of prejudice and discrimination based in internalized negative social beliefs or stereotypes

Social Stigma

a negative societal belief about a group, including the view that the group is somehow different from other members of the society

Syndrome

certain symptoms that tend to occur regularly in clusters

Systemic Racism

deeply imbedded societal policies and structures that disadvantage certain racial groups

Tarantism

a form of mass hysteria prevalent during the Middle Ages, characterized by wild raving, jumping, dancing, and convulsing

Treatment Plan

a proposed course of therapy, developed collaboratively by a therapist and client, that addresses the client’s most distressing mental health symptoms

Trephining

a surgical method from the Stone Age in which part of the skull was chipped away to provide an opening through with an evil spirit could escape

Psychopathology

scientific study of symptoms, causes of mental disorders, and available treatments

Objectives of the Field of Abnormal Psychology

describing, explaining, predicting, and modifying behaviors associated with mental disorders

The most widely used classification system

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5)

Aspects of judging psychopathology

Distress

Deviance

Personal Dysfunction

Dangerousness

Prevalence

Percentage of people in a population who have the disorder during a given interval of time

Psychiatric Epidemiology

The study of the frequency with which mental illness occurs in a society

What percent of U.S. adults have experienced a mental disorder in the past 12 months?

26%

Percent facing serious mental disorders

7.7%

Percent of students around the world reporting to have had experienced symptoms that would meet criteria for at least one mental disorder

Over 35%

Culture

the learned behavior that members of a group transmit to the next generation

Opinions of Thomas Szasz (1987)

Prehistoric and Ancient Beliefs

evil spirits

trephining

exorcism

Naturalistic Explanations

Greco-Roman Thought: Hippocrates, Plato,
Galen

Reversion to Supernatural Explanations

The Middle Ages (Exorcism, Group hysteria, Tarantism: agitation and frenzied dancing)

Witchcraft

The 15th Through 17th Centuries: Period of social and religious reformers. Witch hunts (Malleus Maleficarum)

The Rise of Humanism

14th-16th Century

Horrible asylum conditions (Bethlehem Hospital)

Humanism & Johann Weyer

Moral Treatment Movement

18th & 19th Centuries

Shift to more humane treatment of people with mental illnesses (Pinel and Tuke)

Humane treatment moves to the U.S. (Benjamin Rush, Dorothea Dix, Clifford Beers)

The Biological Viewpoints

The belief that mental disorders have a physical or physiological basis

Flourished in the 19th century

Kraepelin

1856-1926

Defined syndromes based on clusters of symptoms; Foundation for DSM used today

von Krafft-Ebing

Proved that mental symptoms of general paresis are linked to syphilis bacteria

The Psychological Viewpoint

Belief that mental disorders are caused by psychological and emotional factors

Friedrich Anton Mesmer

Father of hypnosis

Liébeault and Bernheim

demonstrated that physical disorders could have a psychological rather than a biological explanatio

Breuer

Freud

Behaviorism

viewpoint rooted in laboratory science; focus on directly observable behaviors

Alternative Explanation

offered successful procedures for treating some psychological conditions

Influence of Multicultural Psychology

Culture, ethnicity, and gender are recognized as powerful influences on many aspects of human development

Mental health professionals need to:

1. Learn about the worldviews, lifestyles, and challenges faced by culturally diverse groups.
2. Use culturally sensitive assessment and relevant approaches to therapy.
3. Help clients determine if their presenting problem is a result of prejudice, discrimination, or systemic racism.
4. Recognize that therapists’ cultural background can influence reactions to clients.

Positive Psychology

Recovery Movement

The Drug Revolution in Psychiatry

The Development of Managed Health Care

An Increased Appreciation for Research

Acculturative stress

the psychological, physical, and social pressures experienced by
individuals who are adapting to a new culture