Psychology 3318 Davison and Neale Chapter 1 Introduction: Historical and Scientific Considerations

Definitions of Psychopathology Statistical Infrequency Violation of Norms Personal Distress Disability or Dysfunction Unexpectedness

Mental Health Professions ProfessionDegreeRemarks Clinical Psychologist Ph. D., Psy. D., Ed. D. Specially trained in research and testing PsychiatristM. D., O. D.Can prescribe drugs Social WorkerM. S. W., B. S. W., Other Historically trained to examine environment; trend is towards casework (therapy) PsychoanalystVariousUses psychoanalytic methods ParaprofessionalVarious, usually subdoctoral Does various things under supervision LawyerJ. D., L. L. B.Often not formally trained. Pastoral CounselorVarious, usually subdoctoral Minister PhysicianM. D., O. D.Can prescribe drugs; often not highly trained in psychopathology PsychopathologistVariousDescribes research role; may not do clinical work

General Models of Psychopathology Demonology –Psychopathology arises from evil spirits –Still part of much contemporary thought –Stresses moral aspects of the disorder Somatogenesis (biogenesis) –Psychopathology is physical illness (structural) Psychogenesis –Psychopathology arises from learning (functional) Political issues are often important

Somatogensis Hippocrates and humor theory Merged with demonology in middle ages –Witchcraft –Malleus Maleficarum (Witches Hammer) Asylums –Bethlehem (Bedlam) Moral Treatment –Pinel at La Bicêtre –William Tuke at York Asylum (England) –Dorthea Dix in US

Somatogenesis (Cont.) Vesalius and anatomy Griesinger: Diagnosis must specify biological cause Kraelpin: Syndromes (collection of symptoms), first diagnostic system. Pasteur and germ theory General paresis found to have biological cause.

Psychogenesis Importance of hysteria: Symptoms without apparent biological cause Mesmer –Hysteria caused by disturbance of magnetic fluid –Placed patients in baquet (tub) –Very charismatic –Introduced hypnosis Charcot –More orthodox and famous neurologist –Fooled by students into believing a hypnotized woman was a conversion hysteric

Psychogensis (Cont.) Breuer –Treated Anna O. –Introduced cathartic method in which emotional release was undertaken –Coauthored Studies in Hysteria with Freud Freud (discussed more fully in next chapter) –Well trained as neurologist –Noted patients with no biological pathology

Science as a Human Enterprise There is debate how objective science is Thomas Kuhn introduced notion of a paradigm: a conceptual framework in which scientist works that accentuates certain things and diminishes the role of others. Newton, Einstein, and others created what many would call new paradigms. Chapter 2 illustrates what might be called paradigms in psychopathology. Your text provides an example of how behavioral therapists and traditional clinicians see behavior differently.