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287
PSYCHOLOGY AND LIFE
CASE STUDY LECTURE LAUNCHER
In 1923； personal tragedy transformed the life of an 18…year…old Texan named Howard。 This
overprotected college freshman had never made a major decision for himself。 When a heart attack
killed his father； only two years after the death of his mother； Howard suddenly inherited three…
fourths of the interest in the family’s lucrative tool pany。 His uncle and grandparents； who
owned the rest of the business； urged Howard to return to school。 Despite his reputation as a shy
and obedient boy； Howard refused。 Within four months； he bought out his relatives’ share in the
pany。 By the time Howard was 19； a judge had granted him adult status； giving him full legal
control of the million…dollar pany （Barlett & Steele； 1979）。 However； he had no interest in
running the family business。 Instead； he wanted to bee the world’s top aviator and most
famous motion picture producer。 “Then；” he told his accountant； “I want you to make me the
richest man in the world” （Dietrich & Thomas； 1972； p。 73）。
By the time he was 38； Howard Hughes was an American legend。 He founded the Hughes Aircraft
pany； manufacturer of the first spacecraft to land on the moon。 He transformed Trans World
Airlines into a 500 million empire。 He designed and built airplanes for racing； military； and
mercial uses。 As a pilot； he broke many aviation records； capping his triumphs with a 1938
round…the…world flight。 Ticker…tape parades in New York； Chicago； Los Angeles； and Houston
honored his achievement （Drosnin； 1985）。 However； long before that； when he was only 20 years
old； he had already reaped national honors producing several films； among them an Academy
Award winner。 As head of the RKO film studio； Hughes used his power to fuel the 1950s
antimunist purge in Hollywood。 Eventually； Hughes realized his ambition； he became the
world’s richest man。
Despite his incredible public success； Howard Hughes was a deeply disturbed individual。 As his
empire expanded； he became increasingly disorganized。 He began to focus so excessively on trivial
details that he acplished less and less。 He became a recluse； sometimes vanishing for months at
a time。
Hughes’s mishaps as a pilot and driver caused three deaths。 On several occasions Hughes suffered
serious head； face； and； perhaps； brain injuries； one near…fatal plane crash resulted in what became
a lifetime addiction to codeine （Fowler； 1986）。 His risk taking extended to the world of finance as
well； where he lost over 100 million of taxpayers’； stockholders’； and his own money （Dietrich &
Thomas； 1972）。
As he grew older； Hughes became obsessed with germs。 On hearing a rumor that an actress he once
dated had a venereal disease； he burned all his clothes； towels； and rugs。 Eventually； the only
people allowed to see him were members of his “Mormon guard；” an elite cadre of men who never
questioned his often bizarre orders。 Those orders included instructions to “wash four distinct and
separate times； using lots of lather each time from individual bars of soap” （Drosnin； 1985； p。 167）。
Anything their employer might touch they wrapped in 50…tissue swaths of Kleenex； each box
opened with a clean； unused knife。
Paradoxically； Hughes lived in squalor。 He rarely wore clothes or washed； never brushed his teeth；
and used an unsterilized needle to inject himself with large doses of codeine。 He stayed in bed for
days at a time。 The richest man in the world slowly starved his 6…foot； 4…inch frame to an emaciated
120 pounds。
Looking to Hughes’s childhood for clues to the paradox of his personality reveals many possible
links between his early experiences and their later transformation。 Similar to his father； Hughes
loved mechanical gadgets。 At age 3； he started taking pictures with a box camera。 He tinkered in his
father’s workshop； creating objects out of bits of wire and metal。 He was allowed to play in the
workshop—as long as he kept it spotless。
Hughes’s parents fussed excessively about his health。 His quiet； dignified mother devoted herself
288
CHAPTER 14： UNDERSTANDING HUMAN PERSONALITY
full…time to him； taking him to the doctor at the slightest provocation。 At 14； his parents sent him to
a boarding school in Massachusetts。 A developing hearing loss isolated him from friendships。 The
highlight of his stay in the East was a ride with his father in a seaplane that “fired his fascination
with airplanes and marked the beginning of a lifelong love affair with aviation； his most enduring
passion。”
Later； when he went to a California school； Hughes spent much of his time alone； riding his horse
in the hills and visiting his Hollywood screenwriter uncle。 At his uncle’s Sunday brunches；
Hughes met many stars and movie moguls； as did his father； who had an eye for beautiful women。
Hughes began to perceive people as objects to be avoided or collected。 He would bring teenaged
aspiring starlets to Hollywood； put them up in apartments； and； as they waited for stardom； forget
all about them （Fowler； 1986）。
A few years before Hughes’s death； his former barber reflected on the eccentric billionaire’s
personality； “I know he has his problems： don’t we all？ He just operates a little different from the
rest of us。 Who’s to say who’s wrong？” （Keats； 1966）。
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PSYCHOLOGY AND LIFE
290
CHAPTER 15
Psychological Disorders
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
On pletion of this chapter； students should be able to：
1。 Define “normal” and “abnormal”
2。 Identify distinguishing differences between normal and abnormal behavior
3。 Explain current methods of studying and assessing abnormal behavior
4。 Describe the goals of psychological assessment and classification of disorders
5。 Explain the use of each axis of DSM…IV…TR
6。 Demonstrate a basic understanding of the major types of psychological disorders
7。 Explain the theoretical positions from which abnormal behavior is studied
8。 Describe the evidence that some abnormal behaviors have a genetic ponent
9。 Name and discuss the types of schizophrenic disorders
10。 Suggest some factors that may play causal roles in the development of mental illness
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I。 The Nature of Psychological Disorders
A。 Definitions
1。 Psychopathological functioning involves disruptions in emotional；
behavioral； or thought processes that lead to personal distress or that
block one’s ability to achieve important goals
2。 Abnormal psychology is the area of psychological investigation most
directly concerned with understanding the nature of individual
pathologies of mind； mood； and behavior
B。 Deciding What Is Abnormal
1。 DSM…IV…TR provides seven criteria for determining behavior as
abnormal
a） Distress or disability： An individual experiences personal
distress of disabled functioning； producing risk of physical
and/or psychological deterioration or loss of freedom of
action
b） Maladaptiveness： An individual behaves in a fashion that
hinders goal attainment； does not contribute to personal
well…being； or often interferes s