Psychology Chapter on Abnormal Behavior

Abnormal Behavior

• Defined as deviant, maladaptive, or personally distressful behavior lasting over a prolonged period.
• Deviant Behavior: Does not conform to societal norms and can vary across cultures.
• Maladaptive Behavior: Interferes with functionality and may pose danger to self or others.
• Personal Distress: Long-term feelings of distress, such as shame or guilt, leading to harmful behaviors (e.g., self-induced vomiting).

Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorders

• Biological Approach: Focuses on organic and internal causes linked to brain functioning, genetics, and neurotransmitters.

• Medical Model: Views psychological disorders as medical diseases with biological origins impacting thoughts, behaviors, and interactions.

• Psychological Approach: Emphasizes the role of personal experiences, thoughts, emotions, and personality, often linked to childhood trauma.

• Sociocultural Approach: Considers how social and cultural contexts influence mental health. Cultural norms can lead to misconceptions about mental illness.

  • Example: Individuals interpreting protests as signs of mental illness due to cultural misunderstandings.

• Biopsychological Model: Integrates psychological and sociocultural factors, recognizing both can lead to normal or abnormal behaviors.

• Vulnerability-Stress Hypothesis (Diathesis-Stress Model): Suggests that genetic factors, personality traits, or past experiences increase the risk for developing psychological disorders, highlighted in the gene-environment interaction (G x E).

Classifying Psychological Disorders

• Classification System: Organizes specific behaviors into defined psychological disorders.
• DSM Classification System: Developed by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) for mental health professionals.

Critiques of Classification

• Overemphasis on individual problems without broader context.
• Heavy reliance on societal norms that may not apply universally.
• Introduction of numerous new disorder categories lacking substantial research support.

Key Concepts

• Somatic Symptom Disorder: Formerly somatoform disorder, characterized by experiencing physical symptoms without a medical cause.
• Comorbidity: Presence of two or more psychological disorders in an individual, such as anxiety combined with depression.
• Risk Factors: Traits or experiences that increase the likelihood of developing a psychological disorder.