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Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology

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Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
PSY 410 January 30, 2012

Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology
For many years, various forms of madness have been noted in every culture. Multitudes of theories, as well as some myths, have been developed to explain such conditions. Society’s opinion on what was considered abnormal was based on such phenomenon as paranormal forces, the anger of the gods, the influence of the moon, unstable personality, hereditary factors, and debauchery (Frude, 1998). History shows that theorists continue to develop a variety of theories to explain psychological disorders. These theories usually fall in one of three basic categories: mystical/supernatural (possession of spirits), scientific/medical (biological, imbalances, faulty learning processes, or emotional stressors), and humanitarian (cruelty or inadequate living conditions) (Frude, 1998). Each of these theories and the ongoing advancements in knowledge has been the foundation of the study of abnormal psychology. To comprehend the effort that these aspects of psychology have had in this field of study, it is important to know the origins of abnormal behavior, how this behavior was recognized and treated, how abnormal psychology evolved into a scientific discipline, and the theoretical models related to the development of abnormal psychology.

Origins of Abnormal Psychology and the Evolution of the Scientific Approach

Abnormal psychology has been studied for about 100 years, but the recognition of what society deems to be abnormal behavior goes back further than that, to the primitive and pre-modern societies (Damour & Hansell, 2005). One of the most common approaches in explaining abnormal behavior was a form of animism which indicated that an individual inflicted with a mental disorder was possessed with an evil or malevolent spirit.

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