Introduction to Abnormal Behavior

Question 1

What’re the 7 components to defining abnormal behavior?

Answer 1

1. Suffering/Subjective Distress
2. Maladaptiveness
3. Statistical deviancy
4. Violation of the standards of society
5. Social Discomfort
6. Irrationality and unpredictability
7. Dangerousness

Question 2

Define suffering/subjective distress. (Does it work?)

Answer 2

• Causes the person distress or discomfort

- Doesn’t work in all cases (stress about exam tomorrow, depression vs schizophrenia)

Question 3

Define maladaptiveness. (Does it work?)

Answer 3

• Negative impact on ability to function daily

- Doesn’t work with all disorders (antisocial personality disorder)

Question 4

Define statistical deviancy

Answer 4

• away from the normal
• how rare is the behavior
• some cases it works, others = value judgment

Question 5

Define violation of the standards of society

Answer 5

• Violation of laws, rules, norms, moral standards
• No universal standards
• Not all violations are abnormal

Question 6

Define social Discomfort

Answer 6

• Violation of implicit social rule and causes other people to feel distress or unease
• Not all abnormal behavior

Question 7

Define irrationality and unpredictability

Answer 7

• Behavior that doesn’t make sense within the context

- We all act irrationally sometimes, not all abnormal behavior

Question 8

Define dangerousness

Answer 8

• Danger to themselves or others
• Required hospitalization or reporting
• Not common for mental illness people
• Not everyone who is a danger to self/others is abnormal (soldier, bad driver, extreme sport)

Question 9

Advantages and disadvantages of maladaptiveness.

Answer 9

+ practical, objective, covers more mental illness

- define how maladaptive behavior needs to be

Question 10

Advantages and disadvantages of statistical deviancy

Answer 10

+ Mostly objective

- Doesn’t work without value judgment, how rare does it have to be?

Question 11

Advantages and disadvantages of violation of the standards of society.

Answer 11

+ Accounts for cultural differences

- Relative: varies between cultures and over time

Question 12

Advantages and disadvantages of irrationality and unpredicatibility.

Answer 12

+ Helps differentiate abnormal behavior form normal reactions
- Subjective (judgment), depends on context

Question 13

Advantages and disadvantages of social discomfort

Answer 13

+ accounts for cultural differences

- relative, not specific, not all abnormal behavior happens in social context

Question 14

What does the ICD stand for?

Answer 14

International Classification of Disease