Chapter 1
Abnormal Psychology:
Definition &
The Core Concepts
Core Concepts in Abnormal
Psychology
Core Concepts in Defining Abnormality
1. The importance of context in defining and
understanding abnormality
Core Concepts in Abnormal
Psychology
2. The continuum between normal and
abnormal behavior
Intelligence
Suicidality
Core Concepts in Abnormal
Psychology
3. Cultural and historical relativism in
defining and classifying abnormal behavior
• No universal definition of abnormality
Approaches to Defining
Abnormal Behavior
• Does Infrequency Define Abnormality?
• Does Suffering Define Abnormality?
• Does Strangeness Define Abnormality?
• Does the Behavior Itself Define
Abnormality?
• Should Normality Serve as a Guide?
Commonly Used Criteria for
Defining Abnormality (HIDES)
• Help Seeking
• Irrationality/Dangerousness
• Deviance
• Emotional Distress
• Significant Impairment
Core Concepts in Abnormal
Psychology
“describes behavioral, emotional, or
cognitive dysfunctions that are unexpected
in their cultural context and associated
with personal distress or substantial
impairment in functioning”
(DSM-IV)
Psychopathology Defined
• A psychological dysfunction associated with
distress or impairment in functioning that is not
a typical or culturally expected response
• Mental Illness is a less preferred term
• Psychopathology is the scientific study of
psychological disorders
Core Concepts in Abnormal
Psychology
Science of Pathology
• Roles
– PhD vs. MD vs. MSW
• Clinical descriptions
– Prevalence, onset, prognosis, course
The Science of Psychopathology
• What Factors Contribute to the Development of
Psychopathology?
– Study of etiology
• How Can We Best Improve the Lives of People Suffering
From Psychopathology?
– Study of treatment development
– Includes pharmacologic, psychosocial, and/or
combined treatment
• How Do We Know That We Have Alleviated Psychological
Suffering?
– Study of treatment outcome
– Limited in specifying actual causes of disorders
Historical Conceptions of Abnormal
Behavior
• Major Psychological Disorders Have
Existed
– In all cultures
– Across all time periods
• Supernatural Theory
Historical Conceptions of Abnormal
Behavior
• Disorders caused by
demons and
supernatural powers
• Treatments include
exorcisms
Historical Conceptions of Abnormal
Behavior
• Biological Theory
– Hippocrates
– Syphilis
– John Grey
– Treatment Options
Historical Conceptions of Abnormal
Behavior
• Psychoanalytic Theory
– Freud
• Structure of the mind
• Defense mechanisms
• Stages of development
• Humanistic Theory
– Jung, Alder, Rogers
• Self actualization
Historical Conceptions of Abnormal
Behavior
• Behaviorism
– Pavlov’s classical conditioning
– Watson’s Albert experiment
– Skinner’s operant conditioning
Historical Conceptions of Abnormal
Behavior
• Thomas Szasz
– Anti-psychiatry movements
– Myth of Mental Illness
– “if you talk to God, you are praying; if God
talks to you, you have schizophrenia”