6101-1 Week 1 – Assignment: Prepare a Lecture Contrasting the Origins of Psychotherapy
6101-1 Week 1 – Assignment: Prepare a Lecture Contrasting the Origins of Psychotherapy
As you begin your own study of abnormal behavior, review two classic essays by psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, who gained fame when he questioned the legitimacy of mental illness. How does his work influence the development of modern psychopathology? Links for these articles are found in the Week 1 Books and Resources area.
- The myth of mental illness
- The uses of naming and the origin of the myth of mental illness
Warm Up Activity 1.2
View the story of Vivian Wheeler, whose family sold her to the circus, where she spent years as the bearded lady. Would you assess her reluctance to leave the circus and remove her facial hair as abnormal? The link for the video, Bearded Lady: I’m Not a Mistake, is found in the Week 1 Books and Resources area.
Warm Up Activity 1.3
Psychologist David L. Rosenhan conducted a classic modern study of abnormal behavior, which was published in 1973 as a two-part study. First, eight healthy research assistants pretended to have auditory hallucinations in an attempt to receive psychiatric treatment. Second, after learning of the pseudopatients, a hospital administrator from a facility not involved in the first phase, challenged Rosenhan to send pseudopatients and the staff would be able to determine if they were healthy.
Review Rosehan’s study findings: On Being Sane in Insane Places.
Now that you have reviewed Rosenhan’s study, review Spitzer’s (1975) critique:
- On pseudoscience in science, logic in remission, and psychiatric diagnosis: A critique of Rosenhan’s ‘On being sane in insane places’
Warm Up Activity 1.4
Systems-based clinicians have a specific understanding of the mental health diagnosis. Review the article by Denton (2002) to start your reflections around this unique perspective in the contemporary mental health field.
Main Task
Imagine that you are delivering a lecture to an upper-level undergraduate class in abnormal psychology. Your topic is “Explaining the Origins of Psychopathology.” In your lecture, you will:
- Deliver an overview contrasting different historical views of psychopathology.
- Explain and compare the various perspectives on the etiology of psychopathology.
- Indicate the directions that the study of psychopathology may be taking.
Support your lecture with at least two scholarly resources presented in this course assigned readings. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources may be included.
Your lecture should be scholarly, yet engaging. In making your lecture engaging, you may depart from usual writing form and organization by choosing to use anecdotes, humor, or other speaking tools; however, be sure, to cite your sources appropriately in the print version of the lecture you submit. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University’s Academic Integrity Policy.
For grading purposes, submit a transcript of the lecture you would present, along with any visual aids (chart, graph) that you would use to enhance the presentation. In addition, include an audio file or video of your lecture so that your instructor can give you ungraded feedback on your lecture style.
If you choose to record your lecture, upload it to the Courseroom in MP3 format; this file must not exceed 8mb. An average lecture tends to be 100 to 150 words per minute. There are many audio recording programs available. Audacity is an open-source recording program available on the internet. A link to instructions on using Audacity for your recording is found in the Week 1 Books and Resources area. If you choose to create a video of your lecture, upload the video to a public site like Vimeo or YouTube and send your instructor the URL (link).
Length: 5-7 pages, including at least two scholarly resources
Your essay should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.
