PS280 Lecture 1: Abnormal Psychology
Document Summary
Field (cid:272)o(cid:374)(cid:272)er(cid:374)ed (cid:449)ith the (cid:374)ature a(cid:374)d de(cid:448)elop(cid:373)e(cid:374)t of a(cid:271)(cid:374)or(cid:373)al . Abnormality usually determined by the presence of several characteristics at one time such as: A 14-year old boy wetting his bed and mental retardation (iq < 70) occur infrequently, as do most mental disorders. Consider the flip side of mental retardation-- intellectual giftedness (iq >130) Places the majority of people in the middle as far as any particular characteristic is considered; very few people fall at either extreme. A behaviour that defies or goes against social norms; it either threatens or makes anxious those observing it. Anti-social behaviour of the psychopath violates social norms and is threatening to others. But, (cid:862)(cid:448)iolatio(cid:374) of (cid:374)or(cid:373)s(cid:863) (cid:374)eeds to (cid:271)e (cid:272)o(cid:374)sidered i(cid:374) refere(cid:374)(cid:272)e to pre(cid:448)aili(cid:374)g (cid:272)ultural (cid:374)or(cid:373)s: what is the norm in one culture may be abnormal in another. A behaviour that creates personal suffering, distress or torment in the person.
