01:830:101 Lecture 14: Chapter 15: Abnormal Psychology

• School: Rutgers University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: 01:830:101
• Professor: Lawrence Jacobs

Document Summary

Psychological disorder - a set of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive symptoms that are significantly distressing and disabling in terms of social functioning, work endeavors, and other aspects of life. Abnormal psychology - an academic field devoted to the study of psychological disorders: during various moments we feel, think, and act like an abnormal individual, psychological disorders may bring unexplained physical symptoms, irrational fears, and suicidal thoughts. To study the abnormal is the best way to understanding the normal - william james (1842-1910) Deviant, distressful, & dysfunctional: deviant behavior in one culture may be considered normal, while in others it may lead to arrest, deviant behavior must accompany distress, if a behavior is dysfunctional, it is clearly a disorder. Deviant, but not disordered: demonstrators in new delhi, india. Philippe pinel (1745-1826) from france, insisted that madness was not due to demonic possession, but an ailment of the mind. Yes, people those days thought the demons made your mind mad.