...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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...Introduction to professional practice Historical Paper Adam Monge October 15, 2013 Alliant International University Introduction Skinner is one of 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...
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...Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Paper Brenda Foster PSY 300 General Psychology May 6, 2013 Laurel Taron Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Paper Society’s view on normal and abnormal behavior is constantly changing. What one person views as normal another will view it as abnormal. Normal or abnormal behavior may be determined by social or cultural context. What a person does in one country may be completely abnormal in another country. Society may have its own version of the standards of normal but the mental health professional has to determine and define abnormal behavior and determine if the abnormal behavior will constitute as a mental disorder. The study of psychopathology is, “the scientific study of the origins, symptoms, and development of psychological disorders” Hockenbury & Hockenbury, (2001). Psychological or mental disorders are defined as, “a pattern of behavioral or psychological symptoms that causes significant personal distress, impairs the ability to function in one or more important areas of life or both” Hockenbury & Hockenbury, (2001). The determination of behaviors or a pattern of symptoms that constitutes a psychological disorder can be diagnosed with a disorder only if the patient has specific criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-IV, which was published by the American Psychiatric Association (1994). The mental health professionals have a “common language for labeling mental disorders and comprehensive...
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...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...
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...Abnormal psychology: Integrative paper I’ve always been intrigued on how external physiological factors such as drugs affect the level of cognitive function of a normal person. It is known for a fact that there are a number of people who encounter harmful interferences in their mind caused by unnatural intakes in the body. This unwanted variable was made as a cornerstone in a recent study in the United States which I believe may be linked to previous topics discussed in my abnormal psychology class. In vital areas such as physiological or multifactorial indicators of depression depicted in the study, I’ve underlined similar reviews in lectures for both minor and major stress disorders show to have apparent vulnerability to related substances. The respondents in the study were young adults ages 17-23 apparently found to have no pre-problematic indications of drug or even alcohol use. The researchers followed only respondents with a pattern of at least five symptoms for a length of time in order to be diagnosed as depressive disorder. Some of the stated are loss of interest, poor concentration, disruptions in appetite and suicidal tendencies. Based on the five year monitoring research of these nearly 200 participants by neuroscience specialist and leading professor in psychology at Duke University Dr. John Curry, only 10 percent of 192 adolescents whom underwent psychiatric treatment later abused drugs. He implied that consistent drug monitoring and cognitive-behavior...
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...WK 1 Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you examine the foundations of psychology. In your paper be sure to address the following components: • Identify the major schools of thought in psychology and examine their major underlying assumptions. • Identify the primary biological foundations of psychology linked to behavior. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. WK 2 Prepare a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper in which you discuss phobias and addictions as related to classical and operant conditioning. Phobias and addictions are two emotional difficulties which learning theorists can account for. Be sure to include the following: • Explore how phobias can be developed through classical conditioning. • Explore how addictions can be developed through operant conditioning. • Distinguish between classical and operant conditioning. • Explain what extinction means and how it is achieved in both classical and operant conditioning. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. WK 3 Prepare a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper in which you discuss the type of environment that facilitates the attention and perceptive processes of each Learning Team member. In order to prepare your report, perform the following activities: • Conduct an open dialogue about each team member’s threshold for auditory stimuli. • Compare the experiences and comfort levels of each team member with dichotic listening, or the “cocktail party” phenomenon. • Discuss...
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...Abnormal psychology: Integrative paper Bonacua, Ronilo A. Naga city Philippines :) I’ve always been intrigued on how external physiological factors such as drugs affect the level of cognitive function of a normal person. It is known for a fact that there are a number of people who encounter harmful interferences in their mind caused by unnatural intakes in the body. This unwanted variable was made as a cornerstone in a recent study in the United States which I believe may be linked to previous topics discussed in my abnormal psychology class. In vital areas such as physiological or multifactorial indicators of depression depicted in the study, I’ve underlined similar reviews in lectures for both minor and major stress disorders show to have apparent vulnerability to related substances. The respondents in the study were young adults ages 17-23 apparently found to have no pre-problematic indications of drug or even alcohol use. The researchers followed only respondents with a pattern of at least five symptoms for a length of time in order to be diagnosed as depressive disorder. Some of the stated are loss of interest, poor concentration, disruptions in appetite and suicidal tendencies. Based on the five year monitoring research of these nearly 200 participants by neuroscience specialist and leading professor in psychology at Duke University Dr. John Curry, only 10 percent of 192 adolescents whom underwent psychiatric treatment later abused drugs. He implied that consistent...
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...Depression Paper Gabrielle Piperno PSY 270 January 12, 2014 Stephanie Sencil-White Depression Paper Depression is defined as a low, sad state in which life seems dark with overwhelming challenges (Comer, 2012). Mania is considered the opposite of depression as it results in feeling of euphoria and frenzied energy; these two definitions combined are classified as bipolar disorder (Comer, 2012). Unipolar depression is when an individual suffers from depression that lacks bouts of mania (Comer, 2012). Depression, and or symptoms of depression, can affect everyone during one or more stages of life. Some individuals experience times in their lives when they consider themselves to be depressed; in actuality this is most likely a normal mood swing due to a temporary unpleasant circumstance. Upon information and belief, nearly 7 percent of the adult population in the United States suffers from a severe form of unipolar depression, with 5 percent of American’s suffering from mild forms of depression (Comer, 2012). Of the percentage of individuals suffering from unipolar depression, at least 50 percent of those individuals recover anywhere from 6 weeks to one year; in certain case treatment was not required (Comer, 2012). There are many cause that can be attributed to depression and unipolar forms of depression; some of these causes are due to biological factors and environmental factors (Comer, 2012). Neurotransmitters, when defective, may lead to depression. It is believed that...
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...Abnormal Psychology Shrek 2 (Donkey and King Harold) Diagnosis in the Multiaxial DSM System for Donkey Axis I – General Behavior Disorder Axis II – Histrionic Personality Disorder Axis III – Moderate to high hypertension Axis IV – Problems with primary support group (Shrek and Fiona being annoyed at the over talkative personality and need for attention). Problem related to social environment (afraid of losing his best friend Shrek). Axis V – GAF = 41 Histrionic personality disorder and borderline personality disorder are examples of disorders that this paper will discuss of two characters from the movie Shrek 2. The paper aims at highlighting the symptoms, as well as the treatment for the two disorders. Personality Disorders According to DSM’s categorization of disorders, Axis II disorders comprise personality and mental retardation disorders. Personality disorders are defined as those behaviors that tend to deviate from cultural and individual expectations. They are an enduring pattern in behaving that departs from what would be considered normal behaviors within the culture as well as to the individual. The quality of existence of a deviating behavior occurring for a sustained (enduring) period is usually the primary diagnostic criteria for a person suffering from a personality disorder. Histrionic Personality Disorders Histrionic personality disorders are defined by the DSM as a pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking...
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...|[pic] |Syllabus | | |College of Social Science | | |PSY/300 Version 5 | | |General Psychology | | |Group MU13BSP04 | | |8/6/13-9/3/13 | | |Louis Battistone M.A., LMFT, RAS | | |909-239-2496 | Copyright © 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2006 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description General Psychology is a survey course which introduces the student to the major topics in scientific psychology as applied to human behavior. Applications of these principles will...
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...Play Therapy in Elementary School CED 600: Introduction to Counseling Abstract Because the child's world is a world of action and activity, play therapy provides the psychologist in elementary-school settings with an opportunity to enter the child's world. In the play therapy relationship, toys are like the child's words and play is the child's language. Therefore, children play out their problems, experiences, concerns, and feelings in a manner that is similar to the process of talk therapy. This paper provides practical information about play therapy, a discussion of the skills needed by the psychologist/counselor, how to involve parents in the treatment process, and a review of play therapy research studies. Play Therapy in Elementary School An Overview of Play Therapy Play therapy is to children what talk therapy is to adults. Play is a child’s language, children express themselves best through their natural language—the language of play. Play therapy refers to a method of psychotherapy whereby the child’s natural means of expression, namely plays, is used as a therapeutic method to help him/her in coping with emotional stress or trauma. Therapist use a child's fantasies and the symbolic meanings of his or her play as a method for understanding and communication with the child. Play therapy is used to treat problems that are interfering with the child's normal development. Such difficulties would be extreme in degree and have been occurring for many months...
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...Diagnosis, Treatments and Causes of Leukemia Leukemia is cancer of the blood-forming tissues and it strikes all ages and both sexes. Leukemia is a term given to a group of malignant diseases of the bone marrow and lymphatic system. In a person with leukemia, the bone marrow makes abnormal white blood cells (Wong, 2007). The abnormal cells are leukemia cells, unlike normal blood cells; leukemia cells don't die when they should. They may crowd out normal white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. This makes it hard for normal blood cells to do their work (Wong, 2007). This can lead to serious problems such as anemia, bleeding, and infections. Leukemia cells can also spread to the lymph nodes or other organs and cause swelling or pain. This paper examines how leukemia is diagnosed, the main types of treatment of leukemia and possible causes of leukemia (Bhojwani, 2009). Diagnosis of Leukemia Leukemia may be acute or chronic. Acute leukemia gets worse very fast and will make a person feel sick right away. Chronic leukemia gets worse slowly and may not cause symptoms for years. Doctors typically find leukemia after a routine blood test, when a patient has symptoms that suggest leukemia. Symptoms may depend on what type of leukemia a person has, but common symptoms are fever and night sweats, headaches, bruising or bleeding easily, bone or joint pain, a swollen or painful belly from an enlarged spleen, swollen lymph nodes, feeling very tired or weak, losing weight and not...
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