What is Abnormal Psychology? For the first subject of this assignment I interviewed Mr. Ray, our handy-man. Mr. Ray is approximately forty-five years old and has never been to college. He recently visited my home to fix a kitchen leak. I took this opportunity to ask him a few questions.
I asked, “What do you initially think of when you hear someone is abnormal psychologically?” He looked surprised.
“Well, I don’t think I have ever answered such a question before,” he chuckled. “When I hear abnormal psychology, I think something is wrong with someone.” “If someone is abnormal that, to me, means that they think or do things differently than normal.”
I then asked, “Have you ever met someone with a psychological abnormality?” He took a long pause and seemed to be concentrating. …show more content…
“If psychology is about the mind, then abnormal psychology must be about how some people’s brain doesn’t function like it should.” He chuckled again, “I’ve never been to a mental hospital, but I doubt everyone’s brain works perfectly all the time.”
His perspective on abnormal psychology is similar to our textbook’s definition. I was not expecting his response (Stewart Ray, personal communication, January 14, 2017).
The second interviewee is Mrs. Yates. She is approximately sixty years old and we attend the same church on Wednesday nights. She also, has never been to college. I asked her the same question as Mr. Ray: What do you think of when you hear someone is abnormal psychologically?
Mrs. Yates quickly responded, “People that are crazy and can’t control themselves.” “I think of mental hospitals and scared patients”. When I asked her if she had ever seen someone with a psychological abnormality, she also took a long pause.
Finally she said, “Not that I am aware of.” “I have seen some people lash out, but they aren’t like that all the
I asked, “What do you initially think of when you hear someone is abnormal psychologically?” He looked surprised.
“Well, I don’t think I have ever answered such a question before,” he chuckled. “When I hear abnormal psychology, I think something is wrong with someone.” “If someone is abnormal that, to me, means that they think or do things differently than normal.”
I then asked, “Have you ever met someone with a psychological abnormality?” He took a long pause and seemed to be concentrating. …show more content…
“If psychology is about the mind, then abnormal psychology must be about how some people’s brain doesn’t function like it should.” He chuckled again, “I’ve never been to a mental hospital, but I doubt everyone’s brain works perfectly all the time.”
His perspective on abnormal psychology is similar to our textbook’s definition. I was not expecting his response (Stewart Ray, personal communication, January 14, 2017).
The second interviewee is Mrs. Yates. She is approximately sixty years old and we attend the same church on Wednesday nights. She also, has never been to college. I asked her the same question as Mr. Ray: What do you think of when you hear someone is abnormal psychologically?
Mrs. Yates quickly responded, “People that are crazy and can’t control themselves.” “I think of mental hospitals and scared patients”. When I asked her if she had ever seen someone with a psychological abnormality, she also took a long pause.
Finally she said, “Not that I am aware of.” “I have seen some people lash out, but they aren’t like that all the