Controversy: Evaluating Media’s Accuracy

This week our goal as a class is to discuss the accuracy of media depictions of psychotherapy and psychopathology. This tends to be a lively forum given all of the media examples of mental health. For example, how does the media portray suicide or Bipolar Disorder and does this representation further stigmatize mental health groups or can it help reduce stigma? For example, check out the 2013 article in Political Scrapbook regarding jokes made about Schizophrenia: http://politicalscrapbook.net/2013/07/schizophrenia-jokes-from-the-chair-of-amnesty-international-uk-ciarnan-helferty/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

Think about how the media depicts persons with mental health concerns and explore some of the prompts for this discussion posts both in the Week 2 Discussion instructions and available below for your convenience. Keep in mind that you do not need to include all of these prompts in one bulk post; rather work on spreading out your response over the course of at least 3 separate days. This week’s prompts include the following:

·1) Analyze depictions of the identification and treatment of abnormal behavior in media sources (E.G., Think of examples of mental health and treatment from television or the internet).

·2) Consider and comment on the consequences of accurate and inaccurate depictions of mental health conditions in popular media (E.G., what are some of the positive effects of accurate media depiction and negative effects of inaccurate depictions?).

·3) Identify at least one theoretical perspective (e.g., biological, cognitive, psychodynamic) from the literature that informs your observations (E.G., from a Behavioral perspective, people who observe others being treated poorly for getting help might be less likely to seek help themselves, etc).

·4) Integrate information on how media shapes our cultural expectations and norms with respect to abnormal/maladaptive behavior (E.G., What do our media depictions as a society say about our norms and culture?).

·5) Utilize fundamental concepts for the ethical application of psychology from Standards 2.04 and 5.04 of the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct as you create your responses (E.G., What are some ethical concerns pertaining to media images of psychopathology?).