Historical Figures and Treatments in Psychology

Historical Figures in Psychology

• Sigmund Freud introduced psychoanalytic theory, emphasizing the role of unconscious processes.
• Abraham Maslow is known for the hierarchy of needs, focusing on human motivation.
• Carl Rogers developed person-centered therapy, promoting unconditional positive regard.
• Ivan Pavlov, awarded the Nobel Prize in 1904, conducted classical conditioning experiments with dogs, demonstrating conditioned reflexes.

Early Psychological Treatments

• Bloodletting and leeches were once used to balance bodily fluids.
• Philippe Pinel advocated for moral therapy, reforming French mental institutions to be more humane.
• Dorothea Dix campaigned for improved treatment in American mental institutions, advocating for humane practices.

Developments in Medical Psychology

• Syphilis was identified as caused by a specific bacterium, treatable with penicillin (1938).
• John Watson conditioned fear in the Little Albert experiment using a white rat (1920).
• B.F. Skinner published principles of operant conditioning, studying behaviors of organisms (1948).
• Insulin shock and electric shock therapies were used for severe mental disorders.

Personality & Diagnostic Tools

• The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was published in 1943 as a psychological assessment tool.
• The first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published in 1952.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

• Majority of individuals with ASD do not have low IQ scores; false belief.
• Three levels of severity (DSM-5) in ASD: Level 1 requires support, Level 2 requires substantial support, Level 3 requires very substantial support.
• Rett Disorder is a genetic condition affecting females, characterized by hand-wringing and poor coordination. It has been misattributed to parenting failures.

Intellectual Disabilities (ID)

• Intellectual disability diagnosed when an individual has significantly subaverage intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior deficits, evident before age 18.
• Levels of needed support include intermittent, limited, extensive, and pervasive.
• The course of ID is chronic, not fluctuating like other disorders.

Symptoms of Schizophrenia

• Negative symptoms include alogia (lack of speech), affective flattening (lack of emotion), anhedonia (lack of pleasure), asocial behavior, and avolition (lack of motivation).
• Positive symptoms involve hallucinations, disorganized thoughts, and inappropriate emotional responses.
• Disorganized symptoms present as difficult organizational communication and tangential speech.

Bipolar Disorder

• Average onset for Bipolar I disorder is 15-18 years; Bipolar II onset is 19-22 years.
• Rapid-cycling is characterized by at least four episodes (manic or depressive) within a year, typically resistant to standard treatments.
• Cyclothymia results in chronic mood swings over two years, potentially developing into full-blown bipolar disorder.

Depressive Disorders

• Major depressive disorder is marked by a depressed mood or a loss of interest/pleasure, plus additional symptoms for at least two weeks.
• Prepubertal children show lower rates of major depressive disorders, which increase dramatically during adolescence.
• Complicated grief can impact relationships and overall functioning and is assessed by daily symptom tracking.

Other Depressive Disorders

• Other Specified Depressive Disorder causes significant impairment without meeting full criteria for diagnosis.
• Symptoms can include mood swings, irritability, lethargy, appetite changes, and feelings of being overwhelmed.

This guide summarizes key concepts, theories, and historical developments in psychology, mental health treatments, and disorders.

Explore key historical figures in psychology, their theories, and early treatments used in mental health. Learn about the contributions of Freud, Maslow, Rogers, and others who shaped the understanding of psychological processes and treatments from antiquity to modern times.