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Abnormality, Maladaptive behavior and Personal Distress |, Study notes of Psychology

class notes Material Type: Notes; Class: Psychology; Subject: Psychology; University: Youngstown State University; Term: Forever 1989;

Typology: Study notes

2010/2011

Uploaded on 05/11/2011

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Class Notes for 3-29-11 (Chapters 12, 13, 14)
Definition of Abnormal- No single agreed upon definition.
Psychologist emphasizes the Characteristics of Abnormality:
Statistical Rarity:
Abnormal is rare, infrequent.
Not all rare behavior is abnormal
Violations of Norms:
Norms are rules of social conduct, norm violations make observers nervous.
Norm violators may simply be odd but not abnormal.
Norms change over time.
Maladaptive behavior:
Behavior that interferes with providing the basic necessities of life.
Not all maladaptive behavior would be considered abnormal ( e.g.,
struggling actors)
Personal Distress:
Behaviors that lead to distress or unpleasant emotions.
Distress is subjective
1. Different levels of stress effect people differently
2. Different people react to stress differently.
Not all psychological disorders have a stress component. (e.g., antisocial
personality disorder)
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Class Notes for 3-29-11 (Chapters 12, 13, 14) Definition of Abnormal - No single agreed upon definition. Psychologist emphasizes the Characteristics of Abnormality : Statistical Rarity:  Abnormal is rare, infrequent.  Not all rare behavior is abnormal Violations of Norms:  Norms are rules of social conduct, norm violations make observers nervous.  Norm violators may simply be odd but not abnormal.  Norms change over time. Maladaptive behavior:  Behavior that interferes with providing the basic necessities of life.  Not all maladaptive behavior would be considered abnormal ( e.g., struggling actors) Personal Distress :  Behaviors that lead to distress or unpleasant emotions.  Distress is subjective

  1. Different levels of stress effect people differently
  2. Different people react to stress differently.  Not all psychological disorders have a stress component. (e.g., antisocial personality disorder)

The context- none of the characteristics alone is sufficient to define abnormal behavior. Rare, anti-normative, maladaptive, distressing behavior creates a context from which to evaluate behavior. Abnormal behaviors are part of a continuum- exaggerations of anxiety, depression, disorientation, all people have experienced this. INSANITY: “Insane” is a legal term, not a psychological one. Legal Aspects of Insanity:  Civil Commitment  Criminal Commitment  Competency to stand trial CRIMINAL COMMITMENT:  “M’Naghten Rule”: 1st^ case of insanity

  1. Don’t understand what you are doing
  2. Can’t tell right from wrong  Irresistible Impulse
  3. An action which cannot be controlled or prevented. (e.g., Lorrain Bobbet) DIAGNOSTIC & STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS 4th^ ed. (DSM-IV)  Over 200 psychological disorders in DSM-IV  Describes symptom: type severity and length.