ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
WHAT IS ABNORMAL?
CHAOYUN (FIONA) LI
WELCOME EVERYONE!!
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ABNORMALITY-VIDEO TIME!
Do you think this boy’s behavior is abnormal?
Why?
WHAT IS “ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR”???
1. How to define “Abnormality”
Review
2. Common Characteristics
3. Cultural Relativity
Quiz
HOW TO DIFINE “ABNORMALITY”?
• Modern judgements of abnormality are influenced by the interplay of four dimensions, often
called:
Four Ds
Distress
Dysfunction
Deviance
Dangerousness
DISTRESS
o When people’s suffering is manifested in EXTREME or
PROLONGED emotional reactions that is inappropriate for the
situation, then this behavior can be considered abnormal
Try an example
Go back to
Four “Ds”
WHO IS ABNORMAL?
I am Bill, I still feel sad
even my grandfather
passed away two years
ago. I just cannot stop
thinking about it.
My grandmother has
passed away, I feel very
sad.
Jessica
Bill
Click the picture of who you think is abnormal
CORRECT!!
OOPS!!
DYSFUNCTION
• Emotional or behavior problems interfere with fulfillment/performance
of daily roles and responsibilities
• It cannot be caused by any physical problems or medication taking
Try an example
Go back to
Four “Ds”
CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER!
Read the following description of two people, and choose the one
that you think is abnormal:
a) Carla who recently feel overwhelming emptiness and
hopelessness, and began to stay in bed more, sometimes for
days at a time
b) Jennifer who is 70 years old. She has arthritis in her knees,
which causes her severe pain and frequently prevents her from
independently performing basic life skills
CORRECT!!
OOPS!!
DEVIANCE
• Behaviors that are out of the norm (in the extremes)
• Normality equates behaviors that occur most frequently in a
population
Try an example
Go back to
Four “Ds”
WATCH THE FOLLOWING VIDEO
How many behavior in
this video are abnormal?
Choose the correct
answer.
a. 2
b.3
c. 1
CORRECT!!
OOPS!!
DANGEROUSNESS
• Behaviors deemed dangerous to self and others
• The best predictor of dangerousness is the previous
violent behavior
• Despite the fear that people with psychopathology might
become violent, it is statically rare
Go back to
“Four Ds”
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
1. Highly unusual for the social context
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
2. The source of significant individual distress
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
3. Significantly interfering with social or occupational functioning
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
4. Highly dangerous to the individuals or others
IS IT REALLY ABNORMAL??
Consider these two behaviors:
1. A man driving a nail through his head
2. People built altars to honor dead loved ones.
To offer them food and gifts, and to speak
with them as if they were in the room
IT DEPENDS!
• Culture and contexts matter in determining what
is abnormal
• Culture is defined as a way of living, which
contains and transmits information capable of
affecting individuals 'behavior that they acquire
from other members of their species through
teaching, imitation, and other forms of social
exchanges
In Buddhist religions, this is
the way people display
when someone they loves
dies. They will built altar to
honor them, and give them
food, gifts as well.
C
u
l
t
u
r
e
In Mexico, some
Christians have
themselves nailed
to commemorate
the crucifixion of
Jesus
CULTURE AFFECTS PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Manifestations of symptoms
Stigma and willingness to
endorse symptoms
Professional help seeking
Psychologists
use “FOUR Ds”
to define an
abnormal
behavior
Culture and
contexts also
matter in
determining
what is
abnormal
Common
characteristics
of abnormal
behavior can
help to identify
abnormal
behaviors
CHOOSE THE ONE THAT IS ABNORMAL
A woman refusing to eat for several days after she lost her
husband in an car accident
In Asian, people build a shrine to their dead relatives in the
living room and leaving food and gifts at the altar
Jeff who is 14 years old. According to his mother’s description
Jeff cannot control his temper. Sometimes he will feel very
sad, and sometimes he is very irritable for no good reason
CORRECT!!
OOPS!!
Click
to go back
and view the
information that you
need. Come back later
when you are ready for
quiz!
Please watch this video, and explain why Kim's
behavior are abnormal? Type your answer in
the box
Hint: use four Ds & common characteristics
Check answer
Did you answer right?
In you answer, you need to include at least two
common characteristics, such as highly dangerous to
individuals, or highly strange in the social context and
so forth. Moreover, you need to use “Four Ds” to define
her abnormal behavior.
Still confused? Click the
to go back and view the
information you need. Come back later when you are
ready for quiz!
MATCH
__Dangerousness
__Distress
__Dysfunction
__Deviance
a. Behaviors are out of the norm (in the
extremes)
b. Behaviors deemed dangerous to self and
others
c. Behavioral problems or emotion
interfere with performance of daily roles
and responsibilities
d. When people’s suffering is manifested in
extreme or prolonged emotional
reactions that are inappropriate for the
situations
Check answer
Did you answer right?
The answer should be:
b. d. c. a.
Don’t know why? Click the
to go back and view
the information you need. Come back later when you
are ready for quiz!
WELL DONE!
Now, you know how to define and
identify abnormal behaviors! You have
done all of this activity! Very good job!