...Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Psychology itself is defined as the scientific investigation of the mental process and behavior (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). The discipline includes a closer examination of thoughts, how people feel about situations and the way they interact with their environment and react to situations and other people. Problems that may arise when dealing with psychology can be conflict, general unhappiness or depression. Mental disorders/illness are not part of normal human behavior and can lead to problems in relationships as well as harm to the person with the disorder or people close to them. There are a wide range of therapies for such disorders and each situation differs from case to case. A closer examination follows with a contrast of normal and abnormal psychology, mental disorders from the view of psychology and a deeper look into two therapies used for both normal and abnormal psychology. Normal and Abnormal Psychology According to "What Is The Difference Between Normal And Abnormal Psychology" (2015), "The difference between normal and abnormal psychology tends to be one of degree of disruption. Normal psychology is the study of human behavior, with a focus on “normal” or average, socially-acceptable traits and behaviors. Abnormal psychology, by contrast, is the study of unusual human behavior, and includes the study of mental disorders.” (para. 1). The standard of normal versus abnormal psychology can be very apparent, or it can be subtle...
Words: 1178 - Pages: 5
...Abnormal Psychology and Therapy April Gressett, Michelle Baker, Celia Mikhael, Nick Mccullough Psychology 300 University of Phoenix Betsy Ferronato July 11th, 2013 Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Introduction Normal vs. Abnormal Psychology In the scientific world, psychology is best described as the “scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior.” (Kowalski & Westen, 2011)The question; what is the difference between normal psychology and that of abnormal psychology? To answer this particular question, one must know the parameters of each individual thought of study. Normal psychology is the study of metal processes and behaviors within a range generally accepted behaviors. Abnormal psychology is the study of mental processes and behaviors the reach outside the parameters of the norm, and is thus considered abnormal. So who decides what is normal and abnormal? There are cultural differences in this area of thought; what may be considered as normal to an American citizen may be construed as abnormal in another country. This train of thought goes both ways, behaviors that are deemed normal in Russia, or the Middle East, may in fact be considered abnormal to a visiting foreigner. So it is with this thought, that the line between normal and abnormal may in fact be somewhat subjective. (Kowalski & Westen, 2011) Abnormal psychology is the study of behaviors found to be outside the scope of the norm, and is generally found in people that exhibit psychological...
Words: 539 - Pages: 3
...One of the trickiest scientific ideas to define is abnormal psychology. There are very few universally accepted theories in the science of psychology and with a field that is so open to interpretation defining what is normal is a tall order. Interpreting the meaning of research data is a matter of perspective and is often open to debate. Everyone perceives things through their own concept of the world and since no two people experience the world in the exact same way the definition of normal varies from person to person and culture to culture. In this paper we will examine the field of abnormal psychology, a few common disorders, and the varying methods of therapy from the differing psychological schools of thought. Normal vs. Abnormal Psychology “Defining what is abnormal depends on how one first defines what is normal” (Davis & Buskist, 2008, p. 237). Psychology in general terms is the study of the mind. We study mental processes and human behavior to better understand the human condition. In trying to study the mind and understand the processes of thought there is much overlap from other disciplines; to fully understand behavior we must gain an understanding of all that goes into the process. There are biological, neurological, and evolutionary components to cognition and reaction. There is also a strong philosophical aspect to appreciating the idiosyncrasies of human behavior. In modern psychology there are four main schools of thought: psychodynamic, behaviorist, cognitive...
Words: 1693 - Pages: 7
...Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Paper David Brown, Charles Hodge PSY/300: General Psychology Susan Bonnell June 2, 2015 University of Phoenix Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Paper Abnormal psychology is the study of unusual behavior, thoughts, and emotion by members of a society (American Psychological Association, 2015). To meet the definition of abnormal, the behavior, actions, or thoughts must be atypical of the culture (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Herein is where the challenge lies, due to the fact that our world encompasses many cultures and definitions of normal are significantly different from one region to the next. The paper will provide examples of abnormal psychology in the form of mental disorders and illnesses. Additionally, treatments for these disorders and illnesses will be discussed. Normal and Abnormal Psychology Normal and abnormal psychology can differ by culture. One’s normal behavior is that which allows for a society to maintain a productive and relationship driven life that does not differ drastically from the normalcy of said society (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). When an individual’s behavior is maladaptive to the culture he or she belongs, others will then classify said behavior as abnormal, and then will attempt to change that behavior. Wen-Sing Tseng, M.D. (2013), described a Latino man who hit his body and yelled very loudly, alone while in public, upon hearing of his wife’s death. The treating doctor was unsure if the man’s behavior...
Words: 1450 - Pages: 6
...Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Learning Team B PSY/300 November 17, 2011 Wanda Rush Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Society itself can play a role on an individual and have an effect on that person in many ways. Laws can be passed that can create severe punishments for antisocial behaviors which can have a strong desire for ethics and morals which comes through religious institutions. The primary reason why society can control behavior of some citizens is the natural need for growth and maturity. In this paper we will examine two mental disorders and two mental illnesses along with the similarities and differences from the perspective of psychology and school of thought for treating mental disorders. Normal psychology is described as a person appearing to be in good mental and physical health. He/she tends to be in compliance to societies expectations and would be generally considered a normal person by the general population. The patterns of behavior tend to be equivalent to those demonstrated by most of society. Society controls behavior by two different means. Tradition and Laws! First let us examine tradition. Traditions are simply rituals, which are as old as humanity and conducted so that everyone will behave in a socially acceptable way. For example, table manners are a universal claim, with variations existing in different cultures; they remain similar all around the world. Laws are established by society which...
Words: 1402 - Pages: 6
...Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Jessica King, Galen Gill, Nathan Ferrell PSY January 6, 2015 Wanda Meneese Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Psychology is defined as the scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). There are two types of psychology that will be compared and contrasted within this paper; normal and abnormal. What is considered normal? What is considered abnormal? What distinguishes one from the other? How are both types alike? Abnormal Psychology is associated with diagnosis and therapy, while normal psychology focuses on understanding the cognition and behavior of those who are not. Both types of therapy can enlist many different types of approaches such as psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, biological, and humanistic. There is no clear and concise way to define abnormal behaviors that are studied within psychology. Abnormal behaviors are considered those behaviors within a certain society or group that are atypical. Determining a way to define abnormal behavior has been a work in progress for centuries. Social behaviors that are typically not considered acceptable within a group may classify someone as abnormal while in another group these behaviors may be acceptable and thus the person would be considered normal. Individuals that are considered abnormal have a difficult time functioning and adapting to specified conditions. Abnormal behavior studies include mental processes and psychopathology...
Words: 1337 - Pages: 6
...Team C Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Laura Carranza Armanda Meadows Quoc Nguyen Andrea Sanchez Julann Wygal PSY/300 May 8, 2012 Mary Madrigal PhD Abnormal Psychology and Therapy The purpose of this paper is to discuss abnormal psychology and therapy. First this paper will define what abnormal psychology is. Then this paper will compare and contrast normal and abnormal psychology. Then the paper will examine at least two mental disorders from the perspective of psychology. Next the paper will examine two mental illnesses from the perspective of psychology. Finally the paper will discuss the similarities and difference among two different therapies in the schools of thought in psychology for treating mental disorders. Normal and Abnormal Psychology Normal vs. Abnormal Psychology The study of "normal" psychology is simply the study of someone who is in good health both mentally and physically. Said person adheres to and is responsive to social norms, and engages in activities that are socially acceptable and do not stray from the norm. Normal psychology is the study of the mind and the study of behavior. When unusual patterns of behavior, thought and emotion are studied, it falls under the branch of psychology called Abnormal psychology. The control and understanding of behavior that is considered to be deviant or aberrant either statistically or morally, has been the subject of much research and debate. Psychologists who focus on abnormal psychology identify the...
Words: 2140 - Pages: 9
...Abnormal Psychology and Therapy PSY/300 August 30, 2010 Bonnie Johnson Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Abnormal Psychology is psychology that’s main purpose is to use research in an effort to classify, diagnose, and treat psychological disorders and illnesses. Everyone experiences some kind of worry, fear, and even anxiety. When an individual cannot control their emotions and daily life becomes affected they may suffer from a disorder or illness that is very complex. Abnormal vs. Normal When comparing normal and abnormal psychology there are key differences. Normal psychology deals with the feelings that should be felt. Abnormal psychology deals with the feelings we experience that we shouldn’t . We should not live everyday in constant fear for no reason. When our feelings start controlling our life on a daily bases this is abnormal. Compare and Contrast There are two main divisions in psychology: normal and abnormal. Both of these branches can be easy to distinguish, but the lines between them may be blurred as well. To better understand these two sides of psychology it is necessary to understand what each division represents in this field (Critical psychology, 2001). Normal psychology is what an average animal experiences in response to emotional stimuli. For example, a woman’s boyfriend severs relations between the two people. In the average situation, the woman would be depressed for a short period of time. This sadness could stretch to several weeks or...
Words: 1820 - Pages: 8
...The Diverse Nature of Psychology Marie Feltio PSY 490 February 9, 2015 The Diverse Nature of Psychology The field of psychology has its modern origin set just over 100 years ago and during the last 100 years, interest in the field has risen increasingly. Psychology is the scientific discipline that works to explain human emotion, cognition, actions, and motivations. The diverse nature of psychology is clearly defined in its 54 divisions of the American Psychological Association (APA) as each unit addresses a different perspective of psychology providing a distinct aspect of human interaction (Plante, 2011). Although the psychology field has its own diverse distinctions, it offers a variety of perspectives that respects and honors the individuality of every person regardless of background. The diverse nature of the field of psychology provides a greater ability of embodying the humanity as a whole because of its broad nature and diversity. Influence of Diversity on Major Concepts in Psychology Diversity poses an enormous influence on the major concepts in psychology. The cognitive-behavioral, humanistic and psychodynamic perspectives respectively represent different perceptions of human behaviors, each providing and exclusive theory on human nature. The variety of these perspectives and their respective variations are reflective of the diverse thinking among humanity. No person will perceive an event in the same way as another person, and the same should be noted for...
Words: 1149 - Pages: 5
...Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology PSY 410 December 23, 2013 Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology Introduction In psychology, there are many branches such as cognitive psychology, behavioral psychology, and developmental psychology, but the most difficult would be abnormal psychology. It is difficult because the word “abnormal” is difficult to define. Defining “abnormal” is difficult because it means an individual is not following what is socially normal, but with different cultures, there is no way to set a normal standard of socially acceptable behavior (University of Texas, n.d.). “Abnormal” can be defined as expressing behavior that is either destructive to themselves, family, friends, or co-workers (University of Texas, n.d.). With this definition, individuals need to be able to understand the origins of abnormal psychology, the challenges in defining and diagnosing normal and abnormal behavior, how it has evolved into methodical discipline today, and the theoretical models that help diagnose and treat irregular behaviors. Ancestries of Abnormal Psychology Historically, abnormal psychology is a reasonably young science of approximately one hundred years, although there have been abundant recognized incidents of emotional disorders (Hansell & Damour, 2008). These incidents found in the Bible, which describes people suffering from illnesses known as depression and schizophrenia in today’s world (Hansell & Damour, 2008). In some cultures...
Words: 1250 - Pages: 5
...IS IT BETTER TO BE MAD OR BAD.1 This essay will discuss normal and abnormal behaviour and how the definition of psychologists differentiates although defining normal and abnormal behaviour can be problematic because there is no single definition. It will also look at the current treatment of mental health and how to tackle these issues in the future. There are many ways that normal and abnormal behaviour can be defined for instant one concept is based on statistical for example something which is unusual to the society. Statistically: In this definition of abnormality behaviors which are seen as statistically rare are considered to be abnormal. In terms of statistics, abnormal behaviour involves any behaviour that is significantly different from the norm. for instance some one who is very clever is considered normal in terms of cleverness average on the other hand if some one is less or below the average he or she is considered abnormal. Therefore in the statistical impression, strange behavior improper behaviour could be classified as abnormal. Deviation from Social Norms defines the change or deviation of an individual, from society's traditional acts for example in some cultural backgrounds when couple are getting married women is responsible for every thing while others give the responsibility to the man and they thing other except from their tradition cultural believes is abnormal and they think if some does something different that he or she is deviated from cultural...
Words: 1797 - Pages: 8
...the most important historians to psychology, his work led to the development of behavior modification and behavior therapy which is a model that psychologist continue to apply and modify today. In the beginning with the social need for efficient psychotherapy soon developed a solid theoretical body of behavioral laws, Skinner indicated that in order to develop the appropriate path towards efficient intervention for unadaptive behavior new theories regarding about abnormal behavior and as well as procedural model for evaluations (Labrador, F. (2004). Behavior therapy continued to nourished by developments through experimental psychology, Skinner’s treatments offered many opportunities not just clients but as well researchers/psychologist to explore the newly lens developed. However, behavior modification and therapy had its limitation yet today it continues to have some modification still needed to be implement, it said that in order to acknowledge and pay a tribute to Skinner’s work is to overcome these limitation and further develop behavior therapy into an effective model (Wilson, G., & Agras, W. (1992). Rise of behavior modification & therapy The development of behavior modification and therapy was backed up by the work of Skinner, his techniques and experiments were based in operant conditioning and specifically practical developments that were all Skinner’s work (Labrador, F. (2004). The development of both behavior modification and therapy techniques came even before these...
Words: 2101 - Pages: 9
...Running Head: Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Team C PSY 300 June 14, 2014 Angelique Grady Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Psychology is a scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior (Kowalski & Westen,2011). Normal and Abnormal Psychology share a common similarity which is sharing involvement with mental processes and behaviors. Normal Psychology studies normal behaviors that do not affect mental processing. Abnormal psychology studies abnormal mental process and behaviors. Mental disorders have the potential to be very serious and debilitating. Four examples of mental disorders include ADD and ADHD, Schizophrenia, OCD, and Bipolar disorder. It is important to recognize common symptoms, prevalence, contributing factors, and possible treatments for these disorders. ADD is attention deficit disorder, which is described as the inability to concentrate. ADHD is attention deficit hyperactive disorder, characterized by behaviors that are excessive, long-term, and pervasive energy that keeps an individual hyperactive. Schizophrenia may include the presence of hallucinations and delusions. OCD is often characterized by obsession of impulses that occur repeatedly. Bipolar is a disorder that touches on periods of mania and possible depression. These disorders can be treated by medicine and other therapies. A common question surrounding these disorders involves contributing factors, are these disorders influenced through heredity...
Words: 2101 - Pages: 9
...WEEK3 FORUM POSTS PSY335 (ABNORMAL PYCH) 1.) According to the DSM-5 a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) would be diagnosed by a clinician if the client is experiencing symptoms that continue to last longer than a month after a traumatic event, actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation has occurred. (APA, 2013) The major symptoms of PTSD are anxiety, depression, detachment, guilt, and anger (Comer, 2013) Acute Stress Disorder is has the same symptoms of PTSD, but a client’s onset and duration of symptoms last less than a month. Reference: American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Comer, R.J.(2014) Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, New York: Worth 2) Disorders develop in survivors of trauma due to the fact that they may be re-experiencing the traumatic events in reoccurring thoughts, memories, dreams or nightmares connected to the event. PTSD and ASD are known disorders associated with traumatic disorders. The most common traumatic events are combat, disasters, abuse and victimization. 3) PTSD treatments for combat veterans may vary according to their symptoms displayed. A therapist may choose or combine the following therapies: Drug therapy: an antianxiety drug may be given to control tension, reduce nightmares, panic attacks, flashbacks, and depression; Behavioral exposure techniques: helps veterans to reduce specific symptoms, and often leads to overall...
Words: 1406 - Pages: 6
...Theory you will find the answers on the next points: Review the week Psychology - General Psychology Cognitive Theory Review the week’s reading on cognitive and cognitive-behavioral theories of personality, which have significant application in the treatment of abnormal behavior. Select one of the options below and develop a case study that could use one of the therapy techniques listed to treat a patient exhibiting an abnormal behavior. Indicate in your post which option you selected. Option A: Discuss the theory underlying Rational Emotive Therapy. Why does this approach lend itself so well as a therapy? Develop a short, fictional case study of a client with an abnormal behavior. Describe how you would approach the treatment of this disorder with cognitive therapy and why cognitive therapy would be appropriate for the treatment of this disorder. Your initial post should be a minimum of 250 words and utilize at least one peer-reviewed source that was published within the last five years, cited according to APA guidelines as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Option B: Discuss the theory underlying Beck’s Cognitive Therapy. Why does this approach lend itself so well as a therapy? Develop a short, fictional case study of a client with an abnormal behavior. Describe how you would approach the treatment of this disorder with cognitive therapy and why cognitive therapy would be appropriate for the treatment of this disorder. Your initial...
Words: 351 - Pages: 2
