Summary Introduction to CBT
Psychopathology, Second Edition
By: Graham Davey
Chapter 1: An introduction to Psychopathology:
Concepts, Paradigms and Stigma
Introduction
Crazy/madness/insanity using reasons:
1. When someone’s behavior deviates from expected norms
2. When we are unclear about the reasons for someone’s actions
3. When a behavior seems to be irrational
4. When a behavior or action appears to be maladaptive or harmful to the individual or others
Psychopathology= the study of deviations form normal or everyday modes of functioning by
psychologists.
Clinical psychology= branch of psychology responsible for understanding and treating
psychopathology.
Just because someone’s behavior deviates from accepted norms or patterns does not mean they are
suffering from a mental or psychiatric illness. Just because we use the word ‘crazy’ to describe
someone’s behavior does not mean that it is the product of disordered thinking. We cannot attempt
to define psychopathology on the basis that some ‘normal’ functioning has gone wrong, because:
1. We are still some way from understanding the various processes that contribute to
psychopathology
2. Many forms of behavior that require treatment by clinical psychologists are merely extreme
forms of what we would call ‘normal’ or ‘adaptive’ behavior (e.g. we all worry sometimes,
but for some people this interferes with daily life significantly).
1.1. A brief history of psychopathology
The term ‘madness’ does not imply a cause: it simply redescribes the behavior as something that is
odd.
Demonic possession= historical perspective on explaining psychopathology.
Medical model= An explanation of psychopathology in terms of underlying biological or medical
causes.
1.1.1. Demonic Possessions
Many forms of psychopathology are accompanied by what appear to be changes in the individual’s
personality. Changes in personality or behavior are some of the first symptoms that are noticed.
Historically they were called possessed: personality appears to have been taken over and replaced by
the persona of someone or something else. Rather persecuted and psychically abused rather than
offered the support and treatment they need.
Demonology= ancient civilizations believing that hose exhibiting symptoms of psychopathology were
possessed by bad spirits and the only way to exorcise these bad spirits was with elaborate ritualized
ceremonies that frequently involved direct physical attacks on the sufferer’s body in an attempt to
force out the demons (e.g. through starvation). Such actions usually had the effect of increasing the
distress and suffering of the victim.
The continued adoption of demonic possession as an explanation of mental health is often linked to
local religious beliefs, and may often be accompanied by exorcism as an attempted treatment – even
in individuals with a known history of diagnosed psychotic symptoms.
1.1.2. The Medical or Disease Model
When starting to understand some of the biological causes of psychical disease and illness, our
conception of ‘madness’ moved slowly towards treating it as a disease. Somatogenic hypothesis= the
causes or explanations of psychological problems can be found in physical or biological impairments.
1
Psychopathology, Second Edition
By: Graham Davey
Chapter 1: An introduction to Psychopathology:
Concepts, Paradigms and Stigma
Introduction
Crazy/madness/insanity using reasons:
1. When someone’s behavior deviates from expected norms
2. When we are unclear about the reasons for someone’s actions
3. When a behavior seems to be irrational
4. When a behavior or action appears to be maladaptive or harmful to the individual or others
Psychopathology= the study of deviations form normal or everyday modes of functioning by
psychologists.
Clinical psychology= branch of psychology responsible for understanding and treating
psychopathology.
Just because someone’s behavior deviates from accepted norms or patterns does not mean they are
suffering from a mental or psychiatric illness. Just because we use the word ‘crazy’ to describe
someone’s behavior does not mean that it is the product of disordered thinking. We cannot attempt
to define psychopathology on the basis that some ‘normal’ functioning has gone wrong, because:
1. We are still some way from understanding the various processes that contribute to
psychopathology
2. Many forms of behavior that require treatment by clinical psychologists are merely extreme
forms of what we would call ‘normal’ or ‘adaptive’ behavior (e.g. we all worry sometimes,
but for some people this interferes with daily life significantly).
1.1. A brief history of psychopathology
The term ‘madness’ does not imply a cause: it simply redescribes the behavior as something that is
odd.
Demonic possession= historical perspective on explaining psychopathology.
Medical model= An explanation of psychopathology in terms of underlying biological or medical
causes.
1.1.1. Demonic Possessions
Many forms of psychopathology are accompanied by what appear to be changes in the individual’s
personality. Changes in personality or behavior are some of the first symptoms that are noticed.
Historically they were called possessed: personality appears to have been taken over and replaced by
the persona of someone or something else. Rather persecuted and psychically abused rather than
offered the support and treatment they need.
Demonology= ancient civilizations believing that hose exhibiting symptoms of psychopathology were
possessed by bad spirits and the only way to exorcise these bad spirits was with elaborate ritualized
ceremonies that frequently involved direct physical attacks on the sufferer’s body in an attempt to
force out the demons (e.g. through starvation). Such actions usually had the effect of increasing the
distress and suffering of the victim.
The continued adoption of demonic possession as an explanation of mental health is often linked to
local religious beliefs, and may often be accompanied by exorcism as an attempted treatment – even
in individuals with a known history of diagnosed psychotic symptoms.
1.1.2. The Medical or Disease Model
When starting to understand some of the biological causes of psychical disease and illness, our
conception of ‘madness’ moved slowly towards treating it as a disease. Somatogenic hypothesis= the
causes or explanations of psychological problems can be found in physical or biological impairments.
1
