Milestones in Abnormal Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Abnormal psychology or psychopathology is a fascinating and can be a controversial area of the study of mental disorders. To have a full understanding of abnormal psychology, one must examine origins; understand the definitions, and classifications of a normal and abnormal behavior. One must also understand the evolution of psychology as a scientific discipline, and must be able to use different models related to abnormal psychology’s development. Abnormal psychology focuses on abnormal behavior, its definition, classifications, and explanations, and treatment (Hansell & Damour, 2008).
Perspectives in Abnormal Psychology
Behavioral meaning the focus on observable behaviors. This approach only target the behavior itself, not the underlying causes
Medical meaning to focus on biological causes on mental illnesses. This perspective emphasizes understanding the underlying cause of disorders, which might include genetic inheritance, related physical disorders, infection etc.
Cognitive meaning to focus on how internal thoughts, perceptions and reasoning contribute to psychological disorders.
Milestones in Abnormal Psychology
What do we mean when we refer to a milestone? Fundamentally, to me a milestone is considered to be a viewpoint. Viewpoints help determine the kinds of potential causes that are even examined in the first place. Each viewpoint is a theoretical construction that is devised to orient psychologists in the study of abnormal and normal behavior.
* Biological viewpoint means the focuses is on mental disorders such as diseases, many of the primary symptoms of which are cognitive, emotional, or behavioral. This is also where psychopathology is the belief that disorders have an organic or physical cause. The focus to this approach is genetics, neurotransmitters, neurophysiology, biochemistry, etc. Each of these encompasses a number of...