Research Paper
on Abnormal Psychology
Narration
Robert C Carson of duke University, James N Butcher University of Minnesota and
Susan Mineka of North Western University have described in their book “Abnormal
Behavior” the causes of abnormal behavior in terms of major disorder i.e. DSM IV
or other psychological factors (online-website) of human beings. The
interpretation of………can provide the answer. (Robert Cartson, James Butcher and
Susan Mineka, 1963)
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To analyze the factors of leading to abnormal behavior, three cases will be
discussed to highlight the psychological stresses that existed in the
background. Susan Smith killed her two sons by strapping them in her car seats
and rolled it into the John D. Long Lake. The prosecution, led by 32 years old
Tommy Pope, announced it would seek the death penalty for Smith. Prosecutor
tried to present Smith as a cold-blooded killer. Was prosecutor justified in
demanding so? Should a case of “abnormal behavior” be treated in this fashion?
Yet in another case Andrea Yates drowned her five children in a bathtub while
her husband Hurst was at work at Johnson Space center. In third case of abnormal
behavior, newly converted Muslim John Muhammad killed 13 people in the suburbs
of Washington out of some strange reasons.
Analysis
The above cases are striking features of psychological depression. The
personality disorder is the absence of ritualistic and symbolic representation
in the symptomatology, free association together with symbolic representation is
not related to above case. In second case Yates had suffered postpartum
depression, a condition that affects some mothers typically up to a year after
childbirth. In case Yates had experienced postpartum after the fourth child and
so she was treated for postpartum depression for two years. Hurst however does
not accept the disorder of mental state he says, “I would say she is answering
the questions of the homicide investigators and her demeanor, right now,
according to the investigators, is that she is talking to them.” The difference
in the perception of a doctor and psychiatrist is quite evident. On the other
hand, reasons of occurrence of first case are different. Smith wanted to win the
affection of a man with whom; she had been having an affair. The other reason
coming to lime light was that Smith had suffered from sexual molestation at the
hands of her stepfather. The third reason going in her favor was, that her
parent separated when she was 6. Committing of suicide by her father added more
complication to her personality. The lawyers might recommend capital punishment
for Smith but the medical psychologists term it a simple case of depression,
which resulted in abnormal behavior, developing into Smith’s character over a
long period.
Both the instances reveal appeasement, self-denigration and a pervading sense of
inevitability. It is therefore important to bear in mind that doctors and
psychologists have at times different functions. Smith therefore enjoys
different positions with different experts for her abnormal behavior. She is a
criminal in the eyes of lawyers, but she is physically fit in doctor’s opinion.
She is an extreme case of depression, deprivation as per psychologists and
extremely cruel in the eyes of common people. The third case relating John is
different than other two cases. It is a case of simple indoctrination in which
John, like so many other youngsters, has accepted foreign influence and
demonstrated an abnormal behavior, of exceptional nature. The depiction of
abnormal behaviors by all the individuals has one thing common that all of them
had undergone abnormal experience in the past due to which they had turned out
to be harmful for their friends, for their society and above all for their
children. The commission of very act by these individuals, of such extremity
does not leave any doubt about the illness of their mental health. Psychologist
can come to forefront to cure the individuals but can they do anything to
improve the environment and remove other pricks, found so common in the society
these days?
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