Check in chapter 4 Flashcards
What is typical behaviour
Patterns of behaviour that are expected of an indervidual or that conform to standards of what is acceptable for a given situation
What is atypical behaviour
Patterns of behaviour that are not expected for an indervidual or that deviate from the norm and can be harmful or distressing for the indervidual and those around them
Criteria for categorising typical and atypical behaviours
- Cultural perspectives
- Social norms
- Statistical rarity
- Personal distress
- Maladaptive behaviour
What is Cultural perspectives and example
Consideration of cultural. norms or standards to consider what acceptable for that culture
What is viewed as normal, acceptable or typical behaviour in one culture can be considered atypical in another
e.g showing affection (western vs eastern) making eye contact (middle eastern vs western)
Limitations of using cultural perspectives to categorise a/typucal behaviour
- no universal agreement on what is tupical vs atypical
- some countries are culturally diverse, so there may be many conflicting ideas on what is acceptable
- difficult to differentiate between atypical/abnormal behaviour and unusual behaviour
What is Social norms and example
- social norms are shared standards or social beliefs on what is typical, acceptable behaviuors
-e.g giving up a seat for the elderly
Limitations for using social norms
- social norms change over time (e.g drink driving, same sex marriage)
- social norms can change depending on context (e.g cannibalism)
- no universal agreement on social norms
What is Statistical rarity
- behaviours that deviate significantly from the ‘mean’ are atypical
- behaviours that are common are the ‘mean’ anyting significantly different is atypical
- e.g 7 hours sleep
Limitations for statistical rarity
- even though the behaviours might be different from the ‘mean’ they are quite frequent and common (e.g anxiety)
- The decision of where the cutoff point is subjective (e.g IQ of 69 vs. 70)
- When viewing behaviour according to this criterion, both ends of the behaviour are considered atypical (e.g anxiety vs no anxiety)
What is personal distress
- a negative anf self-oriented emotional reaction
- involves unpleasant emotions such as sadness, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, or cause some psychological pain/suffering
- e.g excessive alcohol consumption -> alcohol dependency -> shame, anxiety, sadness
Limitations to personal distress
- the maladaptive behaviour might not cause distress (e.g smoking)
- normally must be in conjunction with another criteria because distress alone does not make something atypical (e.g losing a loved one)
What is maladaptive behaviour
- if it is considered unhelpful, dysfunctional and non-productive, it is maladaptive and atypical
- Interferes with a persons ability to adjust appropriately and effectively to their environment
- e.g test coming up, instead of cutting back on work hours to study, you pick up more shifts distract yourself
Limitations for maladaptive behaviours
- level of maladaptive behaviour is subjective (depends on the psychologist)
- the context of the behaviour matters (e.g stealing for a reason)
What is normal
- behaviours that are typical and expected, or that conform to standards of what is acceptable
What is abnormal
- behaviours that are unusual, bizarre, atypical or out of the ordinary
What is neurotypical
- an individual whose neurological development or functioning is within the typical (average) range
What is neurodiverse
- not neurotypical; functioning outside the typical range of neurological development