PSY100Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Abnormal Psychology, Psychopathy, Operant Conditioning

• School: UTM
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY100Y5
• Professor: Dax Urbszat

Document Summary

No universal definition of what abnormal behavior is. Many different conceptions, each with pros and cons: deviance, statistical rarity, subjective distress, dysfunction/impairment, biological dysfunction, danger, deviance: thoughts, and emotions are considered abnormal when they differ from a society"s ideas about proper functioning. Judgements about deviance and abnormality vary from society to society: statistical rarity: uncommon in the population. But this isn"t quite right: subjective distress: most mental disorders produce emotional pain. But not all generate distress: dysfunction/impairment: most mental disorders interfere with people"s ability to function in everyday life. But not all conditions that impair ability to function are mental disorders: biological dysfunction: many mental disorders may result from the breakdowns or failures of physiological systems. Under-activation of frontal lobes in schizophrenia or psychopathy: danger: some people with psychological dysfunction become dangerous to themselves or other. If, for example, individuals are consistently hostile or confused, they may put themselves, family members, or friends at risk.