PHY 158 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Johann Weyer, Underlying Representation, Philippe Pinel

• School: University at Buffalo
• Department: Physics
• Course: PHY 158
• Professor: Steven Tarasek

Document Summary

Abnormal psychology is to understand psychological disorders. Not typical (statistically and/or socially abnormal): need a behavior of something that is not normal socially different, can also look at statistical deviance (using data). In the 68% range is the average when looking at the bell curve, people away from the. 68% range is considered extremes: can define disorders by comparing them with normal conditions, not all deviant behavior is bad, ex. Smoking or excess drinking: some problems with defining things as maladaptive is not always defined as a disorder, consequences to life or health. Substance abuse: distress painful or upsetting feelings (psychological distress, most people experience distress from time to time. It"s a matter of degree, not either or!! There is no one correct answer to defining if something is abnormal or normal. Everything in psychology is in the grey area. Ancient theories: psychology as a practice goes back to the stone ages where humans started living in groups.