What is abnormal psychology? By definition, abnormal psychology is an area of psychology that deals with psychopathology and abnormal behavior. The term covers a broad scope of disorders, from depression to obsession-compulsion to sexual deviation. The perception of abnormality is basically a label applied to behavior that does not conform. The DSM-V also defines mental disorder as ‘Clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior that indicate a dysfunction in mental functioning that are usually associated with significant stress of disability in work, relationships, or other areas of functioning'. Counselors, clinical psychologists and psychotherapists often work directly in this discipline.
Abnormal psychology identifies occurrences and …show more content…
Abnormal behavior can span a huge range with respect to severity, frequency, and/or impact. Nevertheless, such behavior is often understood differently by each practitioner, subject to the significance each practitioner consciously or unconsciously attaches to a particular understanding, cause, approach, or treatment model for abnormal behavior.
Genetics, biological factors, systemic factors and stress all play a part in abnormal psychology. The way in which individuals recognize specific disorders may vary between cultures. What is abnormal in one culture might be viewed as special or sacred in another. Numerous cultures define disorders differently, depending on their social and cultural backgrounds. In individualistic cultures, people may define disorders as a mental illness, because of their background of depending on themselves to solve their own problems. In contrast, people in collectivistic cultures define disorders as rather having to do with physical illness, because they are less willing to admit to having a mental
Abnormal psychology identifies occurrences and …show more content…
Abnormal behavior can span a huge range with respect to severity, frequency, and/or impact. Nevertheless, such behavior is often understood differently by each practitioner, subject to the significance each practitioner consciously or unconsciously attaches to a particular understanding, cause, approach, or treatment model for abnormal behavior.
Genetics, biological factors, systemic factors and stress all play a part in abnormal psychology. The way in which individuals recognize specific disorders may vary between cultures. What is abnormal in one culture might be viewed as special or sacred in another. Numerous cultures define disorders differently, depending on their social and cultural backgrounds. In individualistic cultures, people may define disorders as a mental illness, because of their background of depending on themselves to solve their own problems. In contrast, people in collectivistic cultures define disorders as rather having to do with physical illness, because they are less willing to admit to having a mental