About This Course
This is a video instructional series on the function (and
dysfunction) of the human brain for college and high school classrooms and adult learners.
There are 13 one-hour video programs
Free sign up required for first-time users.
To hear the sound and view video, you should have Windows Media Player, DSL, a cable
modem, or a LAN connection to a T1 line or greater, and have Javascript enabled.
You can download a free copy of the player from here:
Acknowledgements
Video for The World of Abnormal Psychology and the
individual program descriptions shown here are provided courtesty of Annenberg/CPB.
This site is not affiliated with nor endorsed by
Annenberg/CPB |
Programs
(Select One)
- 1.
 Looking at Abnormal Behavior
The program visits the Jackson Memorial Hospital Crisis Center in Miami,
where suicidal, depressed, and schizophrenic patients meet with psychologists,
psychiatrists, and social workers to assess the nature and seriousness of their problems.
It also introduces the various theories used to explain and treat abnormal behavior.
- 2. The Nature of Stress
We see that stress affects many people — from the overworked and
out-of-work, to survivors of suicide and homicide, to Vietnam War veterans who continually
re-experience the stress of the battlefield. The program explores the long-term effects of
stress and what is known about how to reduce them.
- 3. The Anxiety Disorders
Even in the best of times, we all experience some anxiety. But millions
of Americans suffer from major anxiety disorders. This program examines two of the most
common, panic with agoraphobia and generalized anxiety disorder, and shows how
psychologists are making headway in treating them.
- 4. Psychological Factors and
Physical Illness
This program examines the relationship between emotions and health to
explore how psychological treatment can improve well-being. It focuses on a teenager with
migraine headaches, a dentist trying to decrease his risk for developing heart disease,
and a woman with breast cancer, along with those who are treating them.
- 5. Personality Disorders
One in ten Americans has a personality disorder. Some are mildly
annoying; others are exceedingly dangerous. Viewers will meet individuals with
narcissistic, anti-social, borderline, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders,
including a murderer and a group of women who mutilate themselves, and will learn about
the challenges involved in both diagnosis and treatment.
- 6. Substance Abuse Disorders
Millions of Americans abuse alcohol, cigarettes, and cocaine. Health
professionals know a great deal about these dangerous and costly disorders, including how
to treat them. This program examines how the concept of treatment matching is used to help
individuals overcome a variety of addictions.
- 7. Sexual Disorders
A man exhibits himself in public. A woman feels guilty about not
desiring sex. An otherwise happy couple finds themselves at odds over sex. These people
share their private problems and demonstrate how the assessment and treatment of sexual
disorders has advanced in the past 25 years.
- 8. Mood Disorders
Depression is one of the most common psychological problems. In this
program, psychologists and biologists look at the causes and treatment of both depression
and bipolar disorder and show the progress that has been made in helping people return to
productive and satisfying lives.
- 9. The Schizophrenias
In emotionally moving interviews, this program visits people who suffer
from the hallucinations, paranoia, and psychological disarray of these disabling
illnesses. In addition to examining symptoms and treatments, the program helps debunk some
of the myths associated with the disorder and shows its human side and the strength of
those who fight to overcome it.
- 10. Organic Mental Disorders
A teenager must relearn all the basic skills following a head injury.
After years of alcohol abuse, a man loses his short-term memory. A woman sees her husband
struggle against the ravages of Alzheimer's disease. Science and technology's role in
treating these debilitating disorders is also examined in this program.
- 11. Behavior Disorders of Childhood
Almost all parents worry whether or not their child's behavior is
normal. This program visits families of youngsters with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, conduct disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and autism. In addition, experts
in child development and psychology discuss how to differentiate abnormal behavior from
developmental stages.
- 12. Psychotherapies
This program allows viewers to "sit-in" on five distinctly
different kinds of psychotherapy: psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, Gestalt, couples,
and group. Theory and practice are intertwined as these patients progress through therapy,
sometimes trying alternative models for the same problem.
- 13. An Ounce of Prevention
Imagine a society whose citizens are protected from psychological
disorders. This final episode visits several programs that are attempting to eliminate
known risk factors — including social isolation and inadequate parenting skills
— that often lead to serious disorders. The stories are touching; the results are
promising.
|
|
