Course at a Glance

In contemporary abnormal psychology there are few hard and fast answers. In fact, the very way the field should be conceptualized and the kinds of questions that should be asked are hotly debated issues. In this course, you will try to examine possible answers for two primary, fundamental questions:

• What causes psychopathology or abnormal behavior?
• Which treatments are most effective in preventing or reducing psychological suffering?

You will not only examine theories and research in psychopathology, but you also will see how the field of psychopathology seeks answers to some of the most puzzling questions facing humankind.

Two important aspects of this course that bear mentioning are the use of a scientific clinical approach to understanding psychopathology and the use of paradigms as an organizing principle.

First, a scientific clinical approach to examine psychopathology emphasizes the importance of science in gathering information and interpreting data pertaining to the etiology, symptoms, and treatments of various psychopathologies, but it also recognizes the often uncontrollable nature of the subject matter and the importance of clinical findings.

Second, focusing on and using paradigms to organize material serves the purpose of making explicit the unspoken assumptions underlying any description of behavior. Throughout this course four major paradigms or points of view will be repeatedly discussed:

• psychoanalytic
• learning (behavioral)
• cognitive
• biological

Objectives

The primary goal of Abnormal Psychology is to help you become familiar with the scientific study of psychopathology. In order to reach this goal, you will:

• be exposed to a wide range of human behaviors, some that will seem familiar and conventional and others that will appear bizarre and even disturbing
• address the fundamental question that anyone exploring this field must face—how to determine what is abnormal
• explore the concept of abnormality as applied to a wide variety of problems or diagnoses
• study the research being done on the causes of psychopathology and the techniques and methods being used to treat or change abnormal behavior

*Course information, including tuition, technology requirements, textbooks, lessons and exams, is subject to change without notice.