Abnormal Psychology: Key Concepts, History, and Research Methods

What is abnormal psychology?

The scientific study of abnormal behavior in an effort to describe, predict, explain, and change abnormal patterns of functioning.

What are the Four Ds commonly used to define abnormality?

Deviance, Distress, Dysfunction, and Danger.

What influences determine whether behavior is abnormal?

Norms, culture, and context.

What argument did Thomas Szasz make about mental illness?

He argued that societal involvement may invalidate the concept of mental illness.

What are the essential features of all therapy?

A sufferer, a trained and socially accepted healer, and a series of therapeutic contacts.

How did ancient societies view abnormal behavior?

As the work of evil spirits.

What treatments were used in ancient times for abnormal behavior?

Trephination and exorcism.

Who believed illnesses had natural causes and introduced the four humors theory?

Hippocrates.

What treatments did Hippocrates recommend for abnormal behavior?

Quiet life, vegetable diet, temperance, exercise, celibacy, and bleeding.

How was abnormality viewed during the Middle Ages in Europe?

As caused by demons, with treatments like exorcism and torture; later, hospitalization emerged.

Who was Johann Weyer and what was his contribution?

The first mental health physician; he argued the mind is susceptible to sickness like the body.

What were asylums, and when did they emerge?

Institutions for people with mental disorders, appearing by the mid-16th century.

Who were key figures in moral treatment during the 19th century?

Philippe Pinel (France), William Tuke (England), Benjamin Rush, and Dorothea Dix (U.S.).

What are the somatogenic and psychogenic perspectives?

Somatogenic: abnormal functioning has physical causes. Psychogenic: abnormal functioning has psychological causes.

Who is Emil Kraepelin and what did he contribute?

He linked physical factors to mental dysfunction and classified mental disorders.

Which methods revived psychogenic explanations?

Hypnotism (Mesmer) and psychoanalysis (Freud).

What discovery in the 1950s transformed treatment for severe disturbances?

Psychotropic medications: antipsychotics, antidepressants, and antianxiety drugs.

What was a major consequence of psychotropic drug use?

Deinstitutionalization and the rise of outpatient care.

What is multicultural psychology?

The study of how culture, race, ethnicity, gender, and similar factors affect behavior and thought.

What is the dominant form of insurance coverage for mental health today?

Managed care programs.

What are today's leading theoretical perspectives?

Psychoanalytic, biological, cognitive-behavioral, humanistic-existential, sociocultural, developmental psychopathology.

What are the main research methods in clinical psychology?

Case studies, correlational method, and experimental method.

What is a limitation of case studies?

They often lack internal and external validity due to subjectivity and bias.

What is correlation, and what are its advantages and disadvantages?

A statistical relationship between variables. Advantage: high external validity. Disadvantage: cannot prove causation (low internal validity).

What are confounds in experiments?

Variables other than the independent variable that may influence results.

What are three features used to guard against confounds?

Control group, random assignment, and masked (blind) design.

What is random assignment?

A selection procedure ensuring all participants have equal chance of being placed in any group.

What are alternative experimental designs?

Matched designs, natural experiments, analogue experiments, single-subject experiments.

What are longitudinal studies used for?

To observe the same individuals over long periods to identify developmental changes.

What do epidemiological studies reveal?

Incidence (new cases) and prevalence (total cases) of disorders in populations.

What is the role of an Institutional Review Board (IRB)?

To protect the rights and safety of human participants in research.

What are the ethical rights protected by IRBs?

Voluntary participation, informed consent, right to withdraw, benefits outweigh risks, protection from harm, access to information, and confidentiality/anonymity.