Psychology 3318

Davison and NealeChapter 1

Introduction: Historical and Scientific Considerations

Definitions of Psychopathology

• Statistical Infrequency• Violation of Norms• Personal Distress• Disability or Dysfunction• Unexpectedness

Mental Health ProfessionsProfession Degree Remarks

Clinical Psychologist

Ph. D., Psy. D., Ed. D.

Specially trained in research and testing

Psychiatrist M. D., O. D. Can prescribe drugs

Social Worker M. S. W., B. S. W., Other

Historically trained to examine environment; trend is towards casework (therapy)

Psychoanalyst Various Uses psychoanalytic methods

Paraprofessional Various, usually subdoctoral

Does various things under supervision

Lawyer J. D., L. L. B. Often not formally trained.

Pastoral Counselor Various, usually subdoctoral

Minister

Physician M. D., O. D. Can prescribe drugs; often not highly trained in psychopathology

Psychopathologist Various Describes 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.