Clinicians have long been fascinated by the rare and exotic in med icine. Similarly, psychiatrists and mental health professionals have been intrigued by the uncommon and extraordinary syndromes which, despite their rarity, have much to teach us about the limitless forms of human adaptation. Of particular interest is the fact that fragments and partial expressions of these rare disorders are often encountered in the dreams and fantasies of the "ordinary" patient. For this reason, the understanding and insights collected in this volume are likely to have clinical usefulness far beyond those rare occasions when we encounter the exotic in its fully developed form. These disorders demonstrate the complex interplay between intra psychic dynamic forces and the cultural influences which act to shape overt symptomatology. The section on extraordinary syndromes from non-Western cultures demonstrates the universality of the psychody namic roots of human suffering, despite the seemingly strange furms in which this suffering is expressed. As clinicians we are too often restricted by ethnocentric attitudes and culturally determined stereotypes. This volume provides a stimulating and enjoyable opportunity to reach beyond those limitations.

Clinicians have long been fascinated by the rare and exotic in med icine. Similarly, psychiatrists and mental health professionals have been intrigued by the uncommon and extraordinary syndromes which, despite their rarity, have much to teach us about the limitless forms of human adaptation. Of particular interest is the fact that fragments and partial expressions of these rare disorders are often encountered in the dreams and fantasies of the "ordinary" patient. For this reason, the understanding and insights collected in this volume are likely to have clinical usefulness far beyond those rare occasions when we encounter the exotic in its fully developed form. These disorders demonstrate the complex interplay between intra psychic dynamic forces and the cultural influences which act to shape overt symptomatology. The section on extraordinary syndromes from non-Western cultures demonstrates the universality of the psychody namic roots of human suffering, despite the seemingly strange furms in which this suffering is expressed. As clinicians we are too often restricted by ethnocentric attitudes and culturally determined stereotypes. This volume provides a stimulating and enjoyable opportunity to reach beyond those limitations.

Unusual and Rare Psychological Disorders collects and synthesizes the scientific and clinical literatures for 21 lesser-known conditions.

While much attention has been focused on perfecting a taxonomy of mental illness, the editors of this volume argue that cataloguing normal human behavior is an equally vital, if not more daunting, task. A better understanding of normality will further our understanding of the complexities of psychopathology, they maintain, because we will have a meaningful yardstick for comparison and evaluation. Further advancing the evolution of the science of normatology, this important volume assembles an impressive array of researchers and clinicians from many fields--psychiatry, psychotherapy, stress research, alcoholism research, military psychology, family studies, sociology, and forensics--to discuss how researchers and practitioners in these disciplines define what is normal and what is pathological. The book addresses a broad range of intriguing questions: Why do some families adapt well, despite a host of factors stacked against them? Is mental health more common in some cultures than in others? What psychosocial or biological markers are the best indicators of successfully coping with stress? Taking into account the vast amount of new empirical data, clinical observations, and theoretical conceptualization in this field, this work is an important contribution to understanding the many variants and types of human behavior that may be subsumed under the heading of "normal."

The psychology classic—a detailed study of scientific theories of human nature and the possible ways in which human behavior can be predicted and controlled—from one of the most influential behaviorists of the twentieth century and the author of Walden Two. “This is an important book, exceptionally well written, and logically consistent with the basic premise of the unitary nature of science. Many students of society and culture would take violent issue with most of the things that Skinner has to say, but even those who disagree most will find this a stimulating book.” —Samuel M. Strong, The American Journal of Sociology “This is a remarkable book—remarkable in that it presents a strong, consistent, and all but exhaustive case for a natural science of human behavior…It ought to be…valuable for those whose preferences lie with, as well as those whose preferences stand against, a behavioristic approach to human activity.” —Harry Prosch, Ethics

The transformative wave of Darwinian insight continues to expand throughout the human sciences. While still centered on evolution-focused fields such as evolutionary psychology, ethology, and human behavioral ecology, this insight has also influenced cognitive science, neuroscience, feminist discourse, sociocultural anthropology, media studies, and clinical psychology. This handbook's goal is to amplify the wave by bringing together world-leading experts to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of evolution-oriented and influenced fields. While evolutionary psychology remains at the core of the collection, it also covers the history, current standing, debates, and future directions of the panoply of fields entering the Darwinian fold. As such, The Cambridge Handbook of Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Behavior is a valuable reference not just for evolutionary psychologists but also for scholars and students from many fields who wish to see how the evolutionary perspective is relevant to their own work.