PSYB32H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Canada Health Act, Suicidal Ideation, Genetic Counseling
23 Feb 2013
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Document Summary
Psychopathology , the field concerned with the nature and development of abnormal behaviour, thoughts and feelings, we do well to keep in mind. Abnormality is usually determined by the presence of several characteristics at one time. Abnormal behaviour - includes such characteristics as statistical infrequency, violation of norms, personal distress, disability or dysfunction, and unexpectedness. One aspect of abnormal behaviour is that it is infrequent in the general population the normal curve or bell shaped curve, places the majority of people in the middle as far as any particular characteristic is concerned. An assertion that a person is normal implies that he/she does not deviate much from the average in a particular trait or behavioural pattern statistical infrequency is used explicitly in diagnosing mental retardation. One of the criteria to diagnose mental retardation is low intelligence. When an individual"s iq is below 70, his/her intellectual functioning is considered sufficiently subnormal to be designated as mental retardation.
