Unit 5 - Lesson 7
AP Psychology Lesson: Historical Developments in Psychological Treatment
Unit: Mental and Physical Health | Lesson: 7 of 8 | Topic: Historical Developments in Psychological Treatment
AP Exam Weighting: 15%–25%
Instructions: Complete this lesson during class by filling in the blanks and answering questions. All information needed is provided or will be researched in class. This lesson prepares you for the AP Psychology exam by exploring the history of psychological treatments. Use the provided spaces to write your answers clearly, focusing on applying concepts critically.
Warm-Up
Purpose: Get you thinking about how mental health treatment has evolved.
Questions:
- How might older mental health treatments differ from modern ones?
- Why might past treatments have been less effective or harmful?
Your Answers: Write a short response (1–2 sentences) for each question.
Key Concepts
Instructions: Read the information below and answer the questions to learn core AP concepts. For definitions, write them in your own words based on the content or look up a different definition if directed by your teacher (e.g., via apa.org or Google Scholar).
Content: Historical treatments for mental disorders included asylums, lobotomies, and early talk therapies. Asylums isolated patients, often with poor conditions. Psychoanalysis, developed by Freud, used talk therapy to explore unconscious conflicts. Behaviorism led to therapies like systematic desensitization for phobias. Example: Early 20th-century lobotomies reduced symptoms but caused severe side effects. These approaches influenced modern treatments by highlighting ethics and efficacy. Cultural attitudes shaped treatment acceptance (e.g., stigma around asylums). Modern standards evolved from these historical practices.
- Define psychoanalysis in your own words: _______________________________
- Define behaviorism in your own words: _______________________________
- Define historical treatments in your own words: _______________________________
- Explain how psychoanalysis influenced a treatment, using a specific example:
- Explain how behaviorism influenced a treatment, using a different example:
- How did asylums impact the treatment of mental disorders historically?
- Why might cultural attitudes have limited historical treatment effectiveness?
- How did historical treatments contribute to modern ethical standards?
Guided Activity
Instructions: Work in pairs to complete the two tasks below. Write your answers and be prepared to share one key point from each task with the class.
Task 1: Scenario Analysis: Scenario: A historical patient with anxiety was treated with talk therapy to uncover unconscious fears. Analyze how psychoanalysis and historical treatments contributed to their care. For example, consider how talk therapy or past practices shaped outcomes.
Your Response for Task 1: Explain the role of each concept in the treatment.
Class Share for Task 1: Note one point you’ll share.
Task 2: Case Application: Imagine a patient with a phobia was treated with systematic desensitization in the 1950s. Apply the concepts of behaviorism and historical treatments to explain their care. For example, evaluate how behavioral techniques or past practices affected outcomes.
Your Response for Task 2: Apply the concepts to explain the treatment.
Class Share for Task 2: Note one point you’ll share.
Class Assignment: Refer to the assignment file for this lesson
Instructions: Complete the tasks below to deepen your understanding of historical psychological treatments.
Study Summary 1: A 2017 study reviewed how psychoanalysis influenced early 20th-century treatment of depression.
Question 1: How does this study demonstrate the role of psychoanalysis in historical treatments, and what might have limited its effectiveness?
Study Summary 2: A 2019 study found that behaviorism-based therapies like systematic desensitization improved phobia treatment outcomes in the mid-20th century.
Question 2: Evaluate how this study illustrates the impact of behaviorism on historical treatments, and suggest one limitation of its findings.
AP Exam Connection: This practices analyzing and evaluating research, a key skill for FRQs.
AP Exam Practice
Instructions: Answer the question below. We’ll review answers as a class to learn exam strategies.
Free-Response Question (FRQ):
Explain how psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and historical treatments interact to influence the development of psychological treatment for a specific disorder (e.g., depression or phobias). Provide one example for each factor (psychoanalysis, behaviorism, historical treatments) and analyze how they interact to shape treatment approaches.
Closure
Instructions: Write a brief summary (2–3 sentences) of two key ideas you learned today about how historical treatments shaped psychological care.
Extended Practice
Instructions: Complete the tasks below based on today’s lesson to reinforce AP skills.
- Review your answers from this lesson.
- Write a detailed paragraph (5–7 sentences) applying today’s topic to a historical treatment scenario (e.g., how past treatments affected a patient’s care). Include references to psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and historical treatments, and explain their interaction.
- Find a short article or study on historical psychological treatments (e.g., via apa.org) and write 2–3 sentences summarizing its relevance to today’s lesson. Cite the source (e.g., website or article title).