PSY240H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Quiet Life, Syphilis, Demonic Possession
Document Summary
Psy240 chapter 1: concepts of abnormality throughout history. Mental illness similar to psychological abnormality except it implies a medical cause rather than a psychological cause. Behaviour judged as abnormal if occurs infrequently in population: relative infrequency (ex. Problem w/ statistical criterion: it"s not clear how unusual a behaviour has to be in order to be considered abnormal: ex. Depression and anxiety are not statistically infrequent but still considered a disorder that needs treatment (same w/colds) Distress not present for all people identified as abnormal. Individuals in society may also be distressed by behaviour. Distress under certain circumstances considered normal (e. g. family death) Distress frequent but not essential feature of abnormality. When behavior is clearly maladaptive (interferes w/ appropriate funct. ) it is typically said to be abnormal. Definition of dysfunction not clear cut (harmful dysfunction = key notion: dysfunctions refer to failures of internal mechanisms to perform naturally selected functions (wakefield)
