ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY Presentation by Apsara Katuwal Objectives of this lesson • To know about the concept of Abnormal behavior, • To define abnormal behavior, • To know the criteria for determining abnormality, • To know the causes of abnormal behavior ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY • Abnormal psychology is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion and thought, which may or may not be understood as precipitating a mental disorder. • Although many behaviors could be considered as abnormal, this branch of psychology generally deals with behavior in a clinical context. • The field of abnormal psychology identifies multiple causes for different conditions, employing diverse theories from the general field of psychology and elsewhere, and much still hinges on what exactly is meant by "abnormal". • The science of abnormal psychology studies two types of behaviors: adaptive and maladaptive behaviors. • Behaviors that are maladaptive suggest that some problem(s) exist, and can also imply that the individual is vulnerable and cannot cope with environmental stress, which is leading them to have problems functioning in daily life in their emotions, mental thinking, physical actions and talks. • Behaviors that are adaptive are ones that are well-suited to the nature of people, their lifestyles and surroundings, and to the people that they communicate with, allowing them to understand each other. CONCEPT OF ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR • Abnormality (or dysfunctional behavior) is a behavioral characteristic assigned to those with conditions regarded as rare or dysfunctional. • Behavior is considered abnormal when it is atypical or out of the ordinary, consists of undesirable behavior, and results in impairment in the individual's functioning. • Abnormality is that which is considered deviant from specific societal, cultural and ethical expectations. These expectations are broadly dependent on age, gender, traditional and societal categorizations. The definition of abnormal behavior is an often debated issue in abnormal psychology because of these subjective variables. • Abnormal behavior should not be confused with unusual behavior. Behavior that is out of the ordinary is not necessarily indicative of a mental or psychological disorder. Abnormal behavior, on the other hand, while not a mental disorder in itself, is often indicative of mental and psychological disorders. • A psychological disorder is defined as an "ongoing dysfunctional pattern of thought, emotion, and behavior that causes significant distress, and is considered deviant in that person's culture or society". • Important to note is that abnormal behavior, as it relates to psychological disorders, would be "ongoing" and a cause of "significant distress". • A mental disorder describes a patient who has a medical condition whereby the medical practitioner makes a judgement that the patient is exhibiting abnormal behavior based on the DSM-5 criteria. • Thus, simply because a behavior is unusual does not make it abnormal; it is only considered abnormal if it meets certain criterias. DEFINING ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR • Abnormal behavior may be defined as behavior that is disturbing (socially unacceptable), distressing, maladaptive (or self‐defeating), and often the result of distorted thoughts (cognitions). • Abnormal behavior is behavior that deviates from what is expected and normal. CRITERIA FOR ABNORMALITY • The first criterion is violation of social norms. Behavior that goes against what is considered normal by society is abnormal. • The second criterion for identifying abnormal behavior is statistical rarity. As with a person who has an extremely low IQ or high IQ because it is "rare" or only includes a small percentage of people. • A third criterion of abnormal behavior is personal distress. When we engage in abnormal behavior, the cause (and sometimes, result) of our behavior can be distress. (i.e. OCD or Anti Social personality disorder). • The fourth is Maladaptive Behavior. Behavior that could hurt the person or someone else. CAUSES OF ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR Genetics • Investigated through family studies, mainly of monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (fraternal) twins, often in the context of adoption. • Monozygotic twins should be more likely than dizygotic twins to have the same disorder because they share 100% of their genetic material, whereas dizygotic twins share only 50%. • For many disorders, this is exactly what research shows. But given that monozygotic twins share 100% of their genetic material, it may be expected of them to have the same disorders 100% of the time, but in fact they have the same disorders only about 50% of the time. • These studies allow calculation of a heritability coefficient. Biological causal factors • Neurotransmitter [imbalances of neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin and GABA (Gamma aminobutryic acid)] and hormonal imbalances in the brain • Genetic vulnerabilities • Constitutional liabilities [physical handicaps and temperament] • Brain dysfunction and neural plasticity • Physical deprivation or disruption [deprivation of basic physiological needs] Socio-cultural factors • Effects of urban/rural dwelling, gender and minority status on state of mind. • Generalizations about cultural practices and beliefs may fail to capture the diversity that exists within and across cultural groups, so we must be extremely careful not to stereotype individuals of any cultural group. Systemic factors • Family systems • Negatively Expressed Emotion playing a part in schizophrenic relapse and anorexia nervosa. Biopsychosocial factors • Illness dependent on stress "triggers". REFERENCES • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abnormal_psyc hology • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abnormality_(b ehavior) • https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study.../abnorma l.../perspectives-on-abnormal-behavior • https://quizlet.com/82263499/criteria-forabnormal-behavior-flash-cards/ • If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. • Thank you for your valuable time.
