Veena B. 1114333

CONTEMPORARY VIEWS OF ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR

                                   

The advances in the use of science had drastically developed and the need of scientific behavior in the application of abnormal psychology was found to be at a greater importance. There were four major themes that are to be taken into the account for the advances in nineteenth and the twentieth century, they are:

1.     Biological discoveries.

2.     The development of the classification system for mental disorders.

3.     The emergence of psychological causation views.

4.     Experimental psychological research developments. (Robert C Carson, 2007)

BIOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES: ESTABLISHING THE LINK BETWEEN THE BRAIN AND MENTAL DISORDER

Understanding the biological factors improved as a relying source in understanding physical and mental disorders. They have resulted in studying about a serious mental illness general paresis and syphilis.

            General Paresis and Syphilis- In 1927, Julius Wagner Jauregg has won a noble award for discovering the malaria treatment of general paresis. General paresis of the insane was first identified as a distinct disease by Antoine Laurent Jessé Bayle in the 1820s. He characterized it as having both physical and mental symptoms, a regular natural history and consistent post mortem findings. In the final stage of the illness, when the patient was weak, bedridden and demented, there was general agreement that treatment should be humanely restricted to palliative measures. Opinions about prevention were more varied, but generally the advice given was, as in other forms of insanity, directed at avoiding emotional turmoil and excesses of alcohol and sex. (Abnormal Behavior and Psychopathology) (Robert C Carson, 2007) (malaria.html)

            Brain Pathology As a Casual Factor- the question why most disorders do not explain the causations of a mental disorder was an important point to note down.

The scientists focused on physical ailments of the disorder and assumed that mental illness is caused by the pathology of organs- ‘Brain’. The results scores that brain pathology led to general paresis. Alzheimer’s disease was also established in the form of brain pathology following the general paresis. In 20^{th century} the pathologies laid the toxicities of mental disorders, mental retardation and mental illness.  (Robert C Carson, 2007) (Evidence of parallels between mercury intoxication and the brain pathology in autism.)

 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLASSIFCATION SYSYTEM

Emil Kraepelin played a crucial role in the role of biological development. He stressed on the fact on brain pathology leading to mental disorders and the other causes. His contribution to the pathology was DSM-IV-TR, a symptom occurred regularly enough to be retarded as a specific type of mental disease. He saw each type of mental disorder as a distinct way from the others and each disorder could be predetermined or predicted. Thus, this led to the wide description and classification of the mental disorders. (Robert C Carson, 2007)

CAUSATION VIEWS: ESTABLISHING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BASIS OF MENTAL DISORDER

Understanding psychological factors in studying mental disorder was a great progression. Sigmund Freud took the major steps in getting hold with his theory of psychoanalytical perspective. The emphasis was on inner motives or internal behavior. The method he used to study is called as psychoanalysis. Hypnosis is considered to be a root for psychoanalysis.

Mesmerism- Franz Anton Mesmer, an Austrian physician developed the idea of Paracelsus; influence of the planets in human body. He believed that the planet in the form of magnetic fluids runs in our body, which determines the mental disorder or any disease. Thus he says that people who are attracted by these magnetic fluids influence other people effecting cures. Mesmer constructed his concept as an experiment in connection with hypnosis. And this technique was known as Mesmerism that explains the cures of the people.

The Nanny School- Ambrose August Liebeault who was practicing in the town of Nanny practiced hypnosis along with the relation of hysteria with the help of a doctor Hippoolyte Bernheim. They conducted an experiment which concluded that people treated with hypnosis were healed faster than through the other methods. Thereby this was called as self-hypnosis that treats hysteria. On the other hand Jean Charcot disagreed the findings with his experiments on mesmerism. The debates between them led to a conclusion of a similar view that psychological factors are involved in mental disorders.

How do mental disorders that are psychologically hidden develop?

The Beginnings of Psychoanalysis- Sigmund Freud was the founder theorists to analyze the beginning of it. He was convinced with the fact that powerful mental processes are hidden in ones consciousness from the use of hypnosis by the Nanny School and how they treated hysteria patients with the help of self-hypnosis. Freud practiced the use of hypnosis while he allowed his patients to talk freely about their problems during the session. While this session was taking place, Freud saw the release of his patient’s emotional behavior, which he called it as catharsis. This indeed revealed the state at which the patient’s symptoms along with the reason of why they are in that particular state of mind. It was this approach, which led to the discovery of unconsciousness- a state of feeling buried deep in our mind that we are unaware of and that is not released until an external support is provided. They are usually called as the internal image. Freud to study this found two methods:

    Free Association- involving patients to talk about their emotions, problems, motives and etc.

     Dream Analysis- involving patients to record their dreams.

These two techniques helped the patients to solve their problems and let free their peace of mind dominating. (Robert C Carson, 2007) (Psychoanalytic Approaches)

THE EVOLUTION OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH TRADITION: EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

The earlier work of experimental psychology was not directly practiced in clinical side or in studying the abnormal side, but now psychologists has brought this trend into practice.

The Psychology Laboratories- Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental psychology laboratory in 1879. Along with his collegians he set up basic experimental methods and strategies and influenced the early contributors to study the abnormal behavior in an empirical manner. In 1896, Lightner Witmer had set up the first American Psychological clinic with a combined research based on application and methods. The clinic focused on mentally deficient children’s problems in revelation of therapy along with the research. It become an encouraging profession and soon was established all over. Institute of Juvenile Research in Chicago was another major set up established by William Haely in 1909. They focused more on the symptoms of urbanization and not as a result of inner psychological problems. Soon by the first decade of twentieth century psychological labs and clinics were of great deal and matter in terms of both conducting research and treatment.

The Behavioral Perspective- the emergence of the behavioral school evolved opposing the views of free association and dream analysis as the technique could not be verified by the investigators and that its not a scientific technique. They view was the behavior can be studied only through direct observation.

The behavior perspective was initially developed in the laboratory and the main motive is to study the human behavior thorough learning. (Robert C Carson, 2007)

            Classical Conditioning- “the behavioral view of abnormal behavior was studied with an experimental work type learning called as classical conditioning; a form of learning in which a neutral stimulus is paired repeatedly with an unconditioned stimulus that naturally elicits an unconditioned behavior”. After repeated pairing the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus that elicits a conditional response. This work was developed by Ivan Pavlov experimenting with a dog. Another psychologist J.B.Watson who was inspired by the idea of Pavlov studied the overt behavior called as ‘behaviorism’ rather than studying the mentally constructed set.

He challenged the psychologists that he could train a newborn child into either an entrepreneur or a thief through conditioning and studying about the environment.

By 1930, Watson’s approach played a crucial role in the social environment in development of ones personality, both normal and abnormal. (Chapter 4: Learning Theory and Behavioral Psychology )

            Operant Conditioning- E.L.Thorndike and B.F.Skinner studied the likelihood of a repeated behavior on similar occasions. For example, if a baby crying is a stimulus, the immediate response will be as giving food to the child. This repeated action is called as operant conditioning. They believed that this type of behavior ‘shapes’ ones personality in a way that is practiced. (Robert C Carson, 2007) (Chapter 4: Learning Theory and Behavioral Psychology )

Bibliography

Robert C Carson, J. N. (2007). Abnormal Psycholgy. Bangalore: Pearson.

Abnormal Behavior and Psychopathology. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://psych.fullerton.edu/rlippa/Psych101/outline4.htm

Evidence of parallels between mercury intoxication and the brain pathology in autism. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22810216

Psychoanalytic Approaches. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/psychcrit.html

(n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2013, from malaria.html: http://med.brown.edu/HistoryofPsychiatry/malaria.html

(n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2013, from Chapter 4: Learning Theory and Behavioral Psychology : http://allpsych.com/psychology101/conditioning.html