Notes
Slide Show
Outline
1
Abnormal Psychology
in Saguaro Cacti:
Seeing is Believing
  • Brian Burke, Ph.D.
  • Fort Lewis College
  • Value of visual metaphor in the psychology classroom
  • DSM-IV & the AZ desert…
2
Major Depressive Episode
3
Bipolar I Disorder
  • A few exuberant arms (mania) but one tiny arm falling toward the earth (depression)...
4
Dissociative Identity Disorder
  • Observe the personality splitting & identity fragmentation in this cactus
5
Agoraphobia
6
Narcissistic Personality
  • Don’t you just love my reflection?
7
Cocaine Abuse
  • This is your brain on drugs: Fried!
8
Anorexia Nervosa
9
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • Notice repetitive patterns and the
    quest for symmetry & organization!
10
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
11
But what can this show us?
  • It is easy for us to create elaborate categories/labels to describe deviations from the norm in terms of
    surface morphology
  • The DSM-IV uses this approach, with criteria based on surface characteristics
    (e.g., visible symptoms)
12
But what can this show us?
  • Future research: Discovering the causes of psychological disorders so we can develop a less cactus-like classification scheme...
  • CONSIDER THIS:
    WHY MIGHT THIS DEMO BE USEFUL?