Abnormal psychology

On Being Sane in Insane Places Essay Abnormal psychology is a field that is not defined with clear lines and categories. Instead, the field is operationalized through a blurry gradient scale, riddled with ambiguities. The definition of what constitutes normal is in no way consistent throughout the world (Benedict, 1934). A culture has a social definition of what normal is and consequently, this definition influences the psychiatric determination of normal and abnormal. Consequently, a huge weight and is placed on the discretion of the professionals in determining psychological abnormality. Diagnosis and correct treatment for the insane is a task made extremely difficult by a multitude of factors that span into various areas of uncertainty,…

Abnormal Behavior The interpretation of abnormal psychology can be subjective to variation on what is strange or considered uncommon to the average individual. According to Sue, Sue, Sue, and Sue (2014, p.2), abnormal psychology is the “scientific study whose objectives are to describe, explain, predict, and modify behaviors that are considered strange or unusual.” I find it intriguing that abnormality is dependent on each individual perspective. My analysis of abnormal psychology is the same…

2 To differentiate psychology from other sciences and to explain how the human mind processes information, various schools of thought have surfaced. Before the 1950s, psychologists used their own theories for classification of mental disorders. Now in its fifth edition, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) offers general criteria to diagnose psychiatric disorders. “DSM-5 takes a non-axial documentation approach, combining the first three DSM-IV-TR Axes into one list,…

The “4 D’s” in Abnormal Psychology are dysfunctional, distress, deviance, and danger. Dysfunctional is the behavior and feelings that may be deemed dysfunctional when they interfere with the person’s ability to hold a job, be able to form relationships, and function in daily life. Distress refers to the unsettling or unpleasant behavior that an individual displays. Deviant behavior is the violation of cultural norms. Finally, danger refers to an individual displaying harm to themselves or…

Verona Hibbert 11.10.2016 Abnormal Psychology Reflection essay An illness is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as, “a condition of being unhealthy in your body, mind or a specific condition that prevents your body or mind from working normally: a sickness or disease” (2014). When we look at the way one’s understanding of a disorder, we may find that the dictionary tends to define it as, something that disturbs the normal order of processing in the brain. Once one understand the different…

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…

than most. No one in my immediate family has been affected with a diagnosed mental disorder and therefore growing up I was not exposed on an intimate level to the hardships and suffering as well as the stigma that mental disorder brings. My inner compass has always lead me towards care for others and empathy. As a result my interest in abnormal psychology stems from a desire to help people and lessen the suffering of others. Abnormal psychology is, at its base, the study of what “goes wrong”.…

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…

them. The office serves as a positive outlet for clients and they need to know that they can trust the counselor and they will not be judged. If there is judgement from the counselor (or any other professional in mental health), the client will take note of that and will not want to proceed with any form of treatment or intervention, and they could even become more isolated and fearful, which in turn means that they may not seek help again if they should need it. I have noticed an idea from…

Dreams can affect the way people interact with others. Dreams can be said to make the brain see them as a memory. If you see someone while awake that was in a previous nightmare, your brain is going to see them as a threat or trigger fear. Psychology Today says that some common symptoms from nightmares are, “being oriented and alert instantly upon awakening and repeatedly waking up with detailed recollection of long, frightening dreams that center around threats to survival, security, or…