Which of the following periods was marked by increased humanism and curiosity about abnormal behaviour?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (3) → The Renaissance Period
| Option | Reason |
|---|---|
| Option (1): Middle ages. Incorrect. | In the Middle Ages, demonology and superstition gained renewed importance in explaining abnormal behaviour. |
| Option (2): Period of Reform Movement. Incorrect. | The Reform Movement grew out of the scientific attitude of the eighteenth century and is known for asylum reform and compassion for sufferers. |
| Option (3): The Renaissance Period. Correct. | The Renaissance Period brought increased humanism and curiosity about behaviour, and Johann Weyer saw psychological conflict as a cause of disorders. |
| Option (4): Age of Reason and Enlightenment. Incorrect. | The Age of Reason and Enlightenment is known for the scientific method replacing faith and dogma. |
NCERT (2026-27): “Historical Background … “The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were known as the Age of Reason and Enlightenment, as the scientific method replaced faith and dogma as ways of understanding abnormal behaviour. The growth of a scientific attitude towards psychological disorders in the eighteenth century contributed to the Reform Movement and to increased compassion for people who suffered from these disorders. …” |