DP #5 Typical and Atypical

Question 1

What is typical behaviour?

Answer 1

The behaviour of the majority of people in a population or behaviour that is consistent with the way an individual normally behaves.

Example: waving your arms in the air and singing loudly at a music festival.

Question 2

What is Atypical behaviour?

Answer 2

Behavious that are not displayed by majority of people in a population or is inconsistent with the way an individual normally behaves.

Example: waving your arms in the air and singing loudly in the supermarket

Question 3

What are the 5 categorized behaviour?

Answer 3

1. Cultural Perspectives
2. Statistical Rarity
3. Social Norms
4. Personal Distress
5. Maladaptive Behaviour

Question 4

Cultural perspectives definition, example, usefulness and limitations

Answer 4

definition - Functioning or coping adequately in a particular society.

Example - In Argentina they kiss everyone on the cheek including dentists.

usefulness - Many behaviours can be explained when the cultural conext is considered.

limitations - Different cultures often have different ideas about acceptable behaviour. Normality may not be consistent in every culture.

Question 5

Statistical Rarity definition, example, usefulness and limitations

Answer 5

Definition - Fitting in with the most commonly occuring characteristics in a society.

Example - Surveying people for IQ and majority fall on a certain number.

Usefulness - Commonly occurring characteristics or behaviours are usually seen by society as acceptable and positive.

Limitations - Some extreme characteristics are desirable, but also classified as abnormal’ is the average always the most desirable?

Question 6

Social norms definition, example, usefulness and limitations

Answer 6

Definition - Obeying
popular or
common
standards in a
particular social
situation.

Example - Having a mobile phone in year 11

Usefulness - There are some universal rules: e.g. all cultures consider it normal to be able to
communicate with others and behave in
a predictable fashion.

Limitations - People defying social norms may be labelled as abnormal. The context
(situation) of the behaviour may not be
considered.

Question 7

What is stress?

Answer 7

The physiological response to feeling threatened, is thought to be experienced when the demands of an individual exceed the necessary resources present to deal with a stressor, even if the stressor is not life threatening.

Example: sweating or blushing.

Question 8

What is distress?

Answer 8

A negative psychological response to a stressor. It is experienced when a person feels overwhelmed by the perceived demands of a situation, loss or threat.
It can erode a person’s sense of wellbeing and lead them to feel anxious for long periods of time.

Example: being unable to cope with normal activities or having negative feelings about oneself.

Question 9

Personal distress definition, usefulness, limitations

Answer 9

definition - Experiencing a level of distress that doesn’t prevent usual activities.

usefulness - It allows the person to evaluate how they are feeling without comparison to others.

limitations - It is subjectively measured; a complete lack of the behaviours that may cause distress results in boredom - a lot level of distress is normal.

Question 10

Maladaptive Behavior definition, usefulness, limitations

Answer 10

definition - Behaviours that stop a person from developing or functioning in their day-to-day life and limit their ability to adjust to hanging. circumstances

eg. drinking alcohol

Usefulness - It can assist in the identification of problems such as substance abuse, mental illness and other psychopathologies.

limitations - it can be confused with bad or wrong heaviour.