ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY

Running Head: PSYCHOLOGY 1

PHSYCHOLOGY 5

Abnormal psychology

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Origins of abnormal psychology 

For time now people have come up with many with theories explaining abnormal philosophy. The fields so far that have been debated on the topic are humanitarian, scientific/medical and mystical/supernatural. The supernatural one regards the abnormal behavior caused by the possession of spirits, the scientific dealing with alteration of the normal functioning of the human nature and finally the humanitarian is as a result of views the abnormal condition as result of cruelty and poor condition.

Abnormal psychology exited 100 years back though there are historic stories written describing these conditions. According to Hansell and Damour (2008), one of the first cases recorded regarding the abnormal psychology in the mental illness was the animinism believed to be as a cause of spirits. The spirits were mostly associated to the evil ones. They have been also records regarding the treatment of the evil spirits. Many contradicting stories have been raised regarding the treatment and removal of the evil spirit. Hansell and Damour (2008) explained one of the ways of removing the spirits which was boring holes into the skull to release the evil spirits.

Challenges to defining and classifying normal and abnormal behavior

The behavior action falls in many diverse categories in the human nature. There is a diversity contradiction in differentiating the normal and abnormal behavior. The abnormal psychology has been defined as an exaggerated normal state. It is simply the change in the abnormal behavior in terms of description, prediction, explanation and a change in the abnormal patters of functioning.

Culture is also a wide field of study that allows people if the ethic group of the certain groups allows them to practice or do certain diversity of the behaviors. Even though the behaviors are viewed as abnormal behaviors then we cannot classify them as so but instead call them extraordinary and unique behaviors.. This diversity in culture makes it hard to distinguish the normal and abnormal behaviors.

The religious perspective too views affects the way the abnormal and normal behaviors can be distinguished. Some religious behaviors also cannot be termed as abnormal since they are there to be practiced.

The normal and abnormal behavior before being distinguished then one has to consider the cultural and the religious practices before distinguished. the behavior is observed in a human person and so before acting in any manner then one has to consider an individual by observing all background culture and religion and then give a prediction either the person is abnormal or normal.

Abnormal psychology evolved into a scientific discipline.

The essence of science evolves from the use of empirical approach (McLeod, 2008). It mostly deals with the senses which are hearing, seeing, talking, touching, and feeling. In the years back dated about 460 BCE Hippocrates attributes mental illness to the imbalanced biological state of four fluids within the human body. In his view he was talking on a scientific and specifically in the biological field. Some of the scientist and biological specialists recommended that in the cases of the abnormal behavior in a person, then the person will have to be checked and treated in the medical way but not assume of the spiritual, folklore and anecdote.

Two psychological perspectives emerge which are samogenic and psychogenic. The study of hypnotism became a treatment of hysteria. This eventually attracted Sigmund Freud who eventually came up with the theory on conflicting unconscious directives and their powerful influenced on behavior and thought processes.

 Psychological: this explains the abnormal behavior in terms of unconscious conflict. The abnormal behavior is just like any other behavior but it distinguishes are noticeable by the experience of association, reinforcement and punishment. the internal process in the minds and thoughts like illusion, errors, expectations among others are some of the things that result in the disorder behaviors.

Models of abnormality

Biological or medical: this model is all about the alteration of the functioning of the body. The functioning of the body according to the biological research is as a result of the brain. The brain is the one that communicates and gives the right coding regarding the activities one has to do right and wrong. In this essence it is also able to distinguish the abnormal and the normal behavior. The biologist and medical experts suggest that the biological abnormal psychology might have been caused by an alteration of the brain due to either medical complication or mechanical injury. The abnormal complications arise from sometime, length in medical complications that later affects the brain.

Socio-cultural: this is where the religious and cultural fall. Many people belief in the religious of existence of powerful gods. It is felt that the spirits then enters the human beings and transform them from the normal to abnormal state. This spirits are mostly feared and most of them associate them to the evil spirits and always this condition arises from indifference between individuals and in this case they go to seek more powers from these spirit givers.

Reference

Hansell, J., & Damour, L. (2008). Abnormal psychology. Princeton, N.J: Recording for the Blind

& Dyslexic.

Mcleod, S. (2008) psychological science. Retrieved From:

http://www.simplypsychology.org/science-psychology.html

Physchology facts. (2007). Model of abnormality: Retrieved From:

http://psychologyfacts.blogspot.com/2007/05/models-of-abnormality.html

Psychological Musings. (2011). Historical perspective of abnormal psychology.

Retrieved From: http://psychological-musings.blogspot.com/2011/05/historical-perspectives-of-abnormal.html