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Prepared by:
ANGELO R. DULLAS, MA Clinical Psych
MYLENE G. SACRO, RPm

E-mail Address:
dullas.angelo@clsu.edu.ph
mylenesacro@clsu.edu.ph

Central Luzon State University

Science City of Munoz 3120
Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Instructional Module for the Course

PSYCH 3155 Abnormal Psychology

MODULE 1
Topic 1: Looking at Abnormality

Overview

In this module, I will provide you with the introduction of what is Abnormal Psychology,
the definition, its etiology and historical perspective. You are expected to define what is
scientific definition of Abnormal Psychology and the history as well as the different perspectives
regarding the historical roots of Abnormality.

I. Objectives:

Upon the completion of this module, you are expected to:

1. Describe pathological and non-pathological manifestations of behavior.
2. Describe the history on how abnormal psychology develops.

II. Learning Activities

ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY DEFINED

According to Nolen-Hoeksema (2014) Abnormal Psychology is the area within

psychology that focuses on maladaptive behavior, its causes, consequences, and treatments. It
is also the study of the nature, symptomatology, development and treatment of psychological
disorders (Morison, 2014; Sarason & Sarason, 2005).

Abnormal Behavior Defined

Abnormal behavior can be considered if it satisfies the four criteria or four D’s of
Abnormality- e.i. Dysfunctional, Distress, Deviant and Dangerous. Based on these criteria, refer
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to the diagram below to see the difference between normal to abnormal context of behavior in
relation with the four D.
 Dysfunctional – interruption in cognitive, emotional and/or behavioral
functioning; impairment in some important area of life like work, social aspect,
personal aspect or relationships. It is also characterized as a set of impairment in
the context of a person’s background
 Distress – An individual’s reactions to situations or self is caused him or her a
great deal or disordered form of distress.
 Dangerous – behaviors and feelings are of potential harm to the individual, such
as suicidal gestures, or to others, such as excessive aggression.
 Deviance – behavior is deviated/outside the norms or cultural norms; something
is considered abnormal because it occurs infrequently; deviates from the
average. What is deviant is influenced by cultural norms.

Source: Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2014). Abnormal Psychology (6th Ed.). Mcgraw-Hill. New York, NY.

The historical perspectives on abnormality (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2013)

• The Ancient Theories

-Driving away evil spirits
• Exorcism – casting out evils
• Shaman – a medicine man
• Alternative medicine
• Trephination – creating a hole (2 cm.) in the skull presumably to release demons
( 3000-2000 BC)
-Ancient China: Balancing Yin and Yang
- The Ancient Greece
1. Rational analysis of the natural world
2. Concepts of motivation and intelligence
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3. Extending the boundaries of human understanding through reasoning

Behavior was a form of punishment for offense against the gods
4. Asclepius was the god of therapy – he attended to their dreams and healed them
5. Hippocrates identified epilepsy as a disease of the brain, also depression
delirium, psychosis, phobias, and hysteria
6. Socrates, the Socratic method – self-exploration
- Plato, the organismic approach – behavior is the product of all the psychological
processes. Disturbed behavior is the result of conflicts between emotion and
reasoning. Championed separating the mentally ill from the rest of society.
- Aristotle, reasoning and application, and body forces need to be in balance
- Galen, Greek physician – The Four Humors describe personality and temperament.
Imbalances caused various mental disorders:
Blood – changeable
Black bile – melancholic
Yellow bile – hot tempered
Phlegm - sluggish
- The rational approach formed the foundation of modern science.
• Medieval Views
- The Christian church in control, rational explanations for abnormal behavior were
discarded and demonology was once again seen as the root of abnormal behavior.
- Magic, exorcism, and dance therapies became treatments for abnormal behavior
- St. Augustine – roots of psychodynamic theory
1. Wrote about mental anguish and human conflict
2. Used introspection to examine mental conflicts
3. Confessions reveal exploration of emotional conflicts and temptations as a
source of psychological knowledge of the self.
- Religious dogma moved church toward demonology and away from rationality
- English government had the right and duty to care for the mentally impaired.
o A natural fool – mentally retarded individual
o Non compos mentis – “not of sound mind” for acquired mental disability
o By the 15th century the term “idiot” replaced natural fool
o The term “lunatic” replaced non compos mentis
- During the 13th century legal competency hearings were held in England.
-The Renaissance
 Demonology and exorcism persisted but humanism increased and
scholarship increased.
 Johann Weyer (1515-1576) – a physician, emphasized psychological
conflict and disturbed interpersonal relations as causative of mental
disorders.
 He emphasized a medical approach rather than theological approach.

 Scientific method and reason became the means for studying the natural
world.
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 William Harvey (1578-1657) – relationships between psychological and

physiological aspects of life.
 Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) – the mind and the body are inseparable.
Psychological processes are of equal importance to the material
processes of the natural world.
 Shakespeare (1564-1616) probed unconscious in Hamlet.
 Psychotic breakdown of King George II (1765) began movement toward
more humane treatment of mentally ill.
 English “madhouses” were licensed in 1774.
 Physiognomy – the art of judging character, personality, and feelings
from the shape of the body and the face.
 Joseph Gall (1758-1828) – developed “phrenology”
 William Cullen (Scotland: 1712-1790) – neurotic behavior results from
nervous system defects.
 Franz Anton Mesmer (Vienna: 1734-1815) – magnetism and strong
emotional circumstances to effect mental and physical cures. Contributed
hypnosis.
• The spread of Asylums
• Establishment for the confinement and care of mentally ill
• Priory of St. Mary of Bethlahem
-One of the first mental institutions; origin of the term Bedlam.
Eventually became London’s great tourists attractions. The treatment in
Bedlam or Assylum is non-existent and harmful.

• Moral Treatment in the 18th and 19th centuries

• In France, Phillipe Pinel (1745-1826) was a leader in providing more
humane treatment of mentally ill in asylums.
• Britain’s “Parliamentary Inquiry into Madhouses of England” (1815)
revealed a great deal of abuse and cruelty in asylums, Hospital of St.
Mary of Bethlehem known as Bedlam.
• Opinion for treatment included removal from damaging forces of family
and community.
• Belief in “moral treatment” of medical, nutritional, and activity oriented
care.
• Benjamin Rush (1745-1813), founder of American Psychiatry began
treating mental illness in hospitals rather than in institutions,
Pennsylvania Hospital (Philadelphia) was the first to admit mental
patients.
• Dorthea Dix (1847) was responsible for the creation of 32 mental
hospitals.
• Clifford Beers (1908) fought for more humane treatment after his release
from mental institution. Wrote “A mind that found itself”. Founded the
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National Committee for Mental Hygiene – now the National Association

for Mental Health.

• THE BEGINNINGS OF MODERN BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

• Recent deinstitutionalization increases humane treatment, but lowers
the standard of care. Many homeless persons suffer from mental illness.
• Wilhelm Griesinger (1817-1868) – published The Pathology and Therapy
of Psychic Disorders, presenting a systematic argument that all
psychological disorders can be explained in terms of brain pathology.
• Emil Kraepelin (1856-1926) – developed classification system for mental
disorders that remains influential today.
• Discovery of general paresis, a disease that leads to paralysis.
• Richard Krafft-Ebing – the discovery that syphilis is the cause of one form
of insanity given great weight to the idea that biological factors can cause
abnormal behavior.
• Deinstitutionalization- Attempted to move mental patients from mental
health facilities to community-based mental health centers.
Unfortunately, community-based mental health centers have never been
fully funded or supported, leaving many former mental patients with few
resources in the community.

To summarize, the historical perspective has two themes. These are (a) the changing beliefs
about abnormal behavior and its etiology and (b) the need for humane and effective
approaches to those with mental disorders.

Click the link for additional information about the history and definition of Abnormal Psycholgoy
Video Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vl8LvDxIdg

References

Morrison, J. (2014). DSM-5 Made Easy. The Clinician’s Guide to Diagnosis. The Guilford Press.
New York.

Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2014). Abnormal Psychology (6th Ed.). Mcgraw-Hill. New York, NY.

Sarason, I.G. & Sarason, B.R. (2005). Abnormal Psychology. The Problem of Maladaptive
Behavior (11th Edition). Pearson Prentice Hall. New Jersey.
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