Abnormal Psychology: The branch of psychology focused on studying, diagnosing, and treating mental disorders, especially patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion that deviate from societal norms.
Mental Disorder: A syndrome marked by clinically significant disturbances in cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior, impairing functioning.
Deviance: Behavior, thoughts, or emotions that differ markedly from societal or cultural norms.
Maladaptiveness: Behavior that interferes with an individual’s ability to function effectively in daily life.
Statistical Rarity: Behaviors or traits that are infrequent within a population, often used as a criterion for abnormality.
Distress: Significant emotional pain or suffering experienced by the individual, often associated with mental disorders.
1. What is the definition of abnormal psychology?
2. Who was the psychiatrist responsible for developing an early system of classifying mental disorders based on symptom patterns, which laid the groundwork for modern diagnostic systems?
3. What is the primary role of classification systems like the DSM and ICD in abnormal psychology?
Abnormal Psychology — definition?
Study of mental disorders, deviations, distress, impairment.
Historical Views — shift?
From supernatural to biological and humane approaches.
Classification Systems — examples?
DSM and ICD provide standardized diagnostic criteria.
Abnormal Psychology — focus?
Study, diagnosis, treatment of mental disorders.
Mental Disorder — definition?
Significant disturbances impairing functioning.
Deviance — concept?
Behaviors or thoughts differing from norms.
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