A History of Psychology

How prevalent are psychological disorders? Out of every 100 people: Out of every 100 people: 13 have significant anxiety disorders 13 have significant anxiety disorders 6 have profound depression 6 have profound depression 5 display a personality disorder 5 display a personality disorder 1 is schizophrenic 1 is schizophrenic 1 has Alzheimer’s disease 1 has Alzheimer’s disease 10 significantly abuse alcohol or other drugs 10 significantly abuse alcohol or other drugs

Is Our Society Crazy? Things to consider: –Americans have fewer “safety nets” and support systems than ever before fewer stable families Fewer religious groups Fewer clubs Fewer social organizations BUT –Some psychological disorders occur at the same rate in every society –Societies throughout history have documented abnormal behavior –What we consider abnormal may be perfectly normal in another culture, past or present

Ancient Times

Explanation of Behavior Prehistoric people probably believed abnormal behavior was caused by evil spirits The body and the mind was constantly at battle with both good and sinister beings Good beings produced good behavior, evil beings produced bad behavior

Treatment Force the evil spirits to leave the body Force the evil spirits to leave the body Trephination – a stone instrument was used to cut a circular hole in the skull Trephination – a stone instrument was used to cut a circular hole in the skull Evil spirits would leave through the hole Evil spirits would leave through the hole Shamans also performed exorcisms to expel evil spirits Shamans also performed exorcisms to expel evil spirits

Ancient Greece and Rome

Explanation of Behavior All behavior had natural causes All behavior had natural causes Abnormal behavior was caused by an internal medical problem Abnormal behavior was caused by an internal medical problem Most abnormal behavior could be explained as an imbalance of bodily fluids Most abnormal behavior could be explained as an imbalance of bodily fluids 4 main bodily fluids caused most problems: yellow bile, black bile, blood, and phlegm 4 main bodily fluids caused most problems: yellow bile, black bile, blood, and phlegm

Treatment Make changes to your lifestyle to get rid of abnormal behavior Change diet, exercise patterns, limit alcohol and sex, listen to soothing music If this does not work, the excess fluids would be removed (ex: bleeding)

The Middle Ages

Explanation of Behavior Good and bad behavior was the result of superstition and demonology Abnormal behavior was the work of Satan People could also be possessed by animals like spiders and wolves The moon could also control human behavior

Treatment More superstitions Exorcism, prayer, chanting, dancing In more severe cases, people displaying abnormal behavior would be burned, starved, tortured, scalded, whipped, or stretched Hospitals were first used at the end of the Middle Ages

The Renaissance

Explanation of Behavior Doctors began to believe that the mind could be sick even when the body was not Doctors began to believe that the mind could be sick even when the body was not The mind and the body were separate The mind and the body were separate

Treatment People with abnormal behavior were often kept at home and cared for by their family Some people visited psychic healers and created colonies of mental patients Eventually people with mental disorders were put into asylums Asylums were initially like hospitals, but over time they turned into virtual prisons Filthy conditions and cruel tortures were used Tourists would pay to gawk at those in the asylum

The Nineteenth Century

Explanation of Behavior Phrenology- different parts of the brain were responsible for various behaviors Psychological function was caused by physical conditions Viruses and micro-organisms were responsible for many mental disorders

Phrenology

Treatment Doctors returned to treating the mentally ill humanely Medicines prescribed Hypnotism was widely used “Snake oil” treatments became more popular Freud introduced psychoanalysis

The Early 20 th Century

Structuralism Created by Wilhelm Wundt Believed consciousness could be divided into 2 categories of elements –Objective sensations (sight, taste, etc.) that accurately reflect the outside world –Subjective feelings – our emotional responses and mental images Structuralists believe the human mind works by combining these elements to experience the world

Functionalism Created by William James Created by William James Focused on how mental processes help organisms adapt to their environment Focused on how mental processes help organisms adapt to their environment They ask “what are the purposes of behavior and mental processes? What do certain behaviors or processes accomplish for a person?” They ask “what are the purposes of behavior and mental processes? What do certain behaviors or processes accomplish for a person?” Successful actions are repeated and become habits Successful actions are repeated and become habits

Behaviorism Created by John Watson Treats psychology like a natural science, focuses on actions, not on states of consciousness or thinking processes Limited study to observable, measurable events - behavior

Reinforcement Studied by B.F. Skinner Studied by B.F. Skinner When an animal is rewarded for an action or behavior, it is more likely to repeat it When an animal is rewarded for an action or behavior, it is more likely to repeat it Skinner believed people learned in the same way animals do Skinner believed people learned in the same way animals do They learn to behave in certain ways because they have been reinforced to do so They learn to behave in certain ways because they have been reinforced to do so

The Gestalt School Gestalt means “shape” or “form” Perceptions are more than the sums of their parts – how we perceive of the whole gives meaning to the individual parts Gestalt psychologists believe learning is active and purposeful You can’t break learning into individual parts like the structuralists Learning is not mechanical like the behaviorists argue

Freud and Psychoanalysis Emphasizes the importance of unconscious motives and internal conflicts on human behavior Emphasizes the importance of unconscious motives and internal conflicts on human behavior Freud conducted research through consultations with his patients, not in a laboratory Freud conducted research through consultations with his patients, not in a laboratory Most of what exists in an individual’s mind is unconscious and consists of conflicting impulses, urges, and wishes Most of what exists in an individual’s mind is unconscious and consists of conflicting impulses, urges, and wishes When people are made aware of their unconscious thoughts, they can find socially acceptable ways of expressing their wishes and meeting their needs When people are made aware of their unconscious thoughts, they can find socially acceptable ways of expressing their wishes and meeting their needs