Abnormal Psychology – PSY404 VU
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1
LESSON 1
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
According to William James (1842-1910)” To study the abnormal is the best way of understanding the
normal”.
What is Psychology?
Psychology is the science of behavior it deals with prediction and control of behavior. Psychologists use the
methods of science to investigate and study all kinds of behavior and mental processes say for example the
activity of single nerve cell to social conflicts that take place in complex societies or say from the
development of language in childhood to the major adjustments required in old age.
Why study Psychology?
• Know thy self
• To have a clear understanding of your own behavior, personality, attitudes, emotions, cognitions
and many more things about yourself and others.
What is Abnormal Psychology?
It is a branch or field of Psychology which relates to mental disorders or psychopathology. It involves
studying patterns of thinking and behaving that are maladaptive, disruptive .These disruptive patterns of
thinking and behaving ultimately effects the individual relationship with others.
You may have heard about a number of mental disorders in television talk shows or in dramas or in the
movies. Most of us are even familiar with the names of these mental disorders, such as Depression, Anxiety
disorder, Eating disorder, Schizophrenia, Post traumatic stress disorder, Obsessive Compulsive disorder and
many more.
Abnormal Psychology studies:
• The symptoms (what the disorders look like?), about
• The etiology (what causes these disorders),
• The assessment (how we can measure the disorders)
• The diagnosis (how we can classify the disorders)
• The prognosis (the possible outcome of the disorder)
• The treatment (how we intervene)
• Social implications (the effects that disorders have on the individual, their family and on the society
in particular).
Example
A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL in her biology class saw the dissection of a frog, about half way she left
the room but she was bothered by images of the dissection. She began to avoid situations where she might
see blood or injury .she found it difficult to look at raw meat or band aid. She could not stand the sight of
blood. She fainted in her class frequently and she could not stand the people talking about blood, surgery or
injury.
Symptoms sight of blood, injury or band aid or raw meat created fear.
Etiology saw a dissection of frog
Assessment impaired functioning, and DSM-IV-TR
Diagnosis blood injury Phobia
Prognosis good
Treatment phobia treatment by Systematic Desensitization
Social implications can not study in class; enter professions like medicine or nursing.
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