pathology

Examples of pathology in the following topics:

• Dissociation

  • Dissociative experiences can be placed on a continuum from non-pathological to pathological, where pathological means "caused by a mental disorder."
  • At the non-pathological end of the spectrum, the term "dissociation" can be used to describe events as common as daydreaming during class.
  • At the pathological end of the dissociation spectrum are the dissociative disorders.
  • Pathological dissociation involves the dissociative disorders, including dissociative fugue and depersonalization disorder.

• Dissociative Disorders

  • Dissociative disorders involve a pathological separation from conscious awareness and range from mild to extreme.
  • Further along the continuum are non-pathological altered states of consciousness.
  • More pathological dissociation involves dissociative disorders.
  • These categories are used for forms of pathological dissociation that do not fully meet the criteria of the other dissociative disorders, or if the correct category has not been determined.

• Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders

  • Severe problem gambling may be diagnosed as clinical pathological gambling if the gambler meets certain criteria and is associated with both social and family costs.
  • According to the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, evidence indicates that pathological gambling is an addiction similar to chemical addiction.
  • It has been seen that some pathological gamblers have lower levels of norepinephrine than normal gamblers.
  • According to a study conducted by Alec Roy, formerly at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, norepinephrine is secreted under stress, arousal, or thrill, so pathological gamblers gamble to make up for their under-dosage.

• Influences of Culture and Gender in Psychotherapy

  • Those who support cultural specificity also point to the problem of power in defining what is normal or pathological.
  • The majority of "universal" standards for what is deemed normal or pathological are determined by European-American psychology.

• Current Issues and Debates in Psychology

  • While it has been shown to be effective in shifting the behaviors of those with ASD, some argue that the treatment serves to pathologize and further marginalize those on the spectrum by trying to "normalize" autistic behaviors.
  • Under the new guidelines, certain responses to grief could be labeled as pathological disorders, instead of being recognized as normal human experiences

• Behavior Therapy and Applied Behavioral Analysis

  • Applied behavioral analysis has been criticized for trying to "normalize" the behavior of children with autism; critics argue that children with autism express themselves in different ways that are not pathological, and that ABA pathologizes these behaviors and seeks to re-shape them into more socially acceptable behaviors.

• Evaluating the Psychodynamic Approach to Personality

  • Freud completed the entirety of his research using case studies of pathology in human adults.

• Introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology

  • Unlike Scott, Mayo was fascinated by the emotions and pathologies of workers rather than their efficiency.

• Personality Testing in the Workplace

  • That is, they normalize one identity while pathologizing other identities.

• Sexual Dysfunction and Disease

  • Classifying the lack of sexual desire as a "disorder" is considered by some to be controversial because it pathologizes those who are asexual.