Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

Perspectives on Psychological Disorders
Perspective
Description
Possible Application of Perspective to Lily’s Case
Medical
Assumes that physiological causes are at the root 
of psychological disorders
Examine Lily for medical problems, such as brain tumor, 
chemical imbalance in the brain, or disease
Psychoanalytic
Argues that psychological disorders stem from 
childhood confl icts
Seek out information about Lily’s past, considering possible 
childhood confl icts
Behavioral
Assumes that abnormal behaviors are learned 
responses
Concentrate on rewards and punishments for Lily’s behavior, 
and identify environmental stimuli that reinforce her behavior
Cognitive
Assumes that cognitions (people’s thoughts and 
beliefs) are central to psychological disorders
Focus on Lily’s perceptions of self and her environment
Humanistic
Emphasizes people’s responsibility for their own 
behavior and the need to self-actualize
Consider Lily’s behavior in terms of her choices and eff orts 
to reach her potential
Sociocultural
Assumes that behavior is shaped by family, 
society, and culture
Focus on how societal demands contributed to Lily’s 
disorder
medical perspective 
The perspective 
that suggests that when an individual 
displays symptoms of abnormal 
behavior, the root cause will be found 
in a physical examination of the 
individual, which may reveal a 
hormonal imbalance, a chemical 
defi ciency, or a brain injury.
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506 Chapter 
15 
Psychological Disorders
Still, recent advances in our understanding of the biological bases of behavior 
underscore the importance of considering physiological factors in abnormal behavior. 
For instance, some of the more severe forms of psychological disturbance, such as 
major depression and schizophrenia, are infl uenced by genetic factors and malfunc-
tions in neurotransmitter signals (Plomin & McGuffi n, 2003; Iversen & Iversen, 2007; 
Howes & Kapur, 2009).