Psychology 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 16: Major Depressive Episode, Binge Eating Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Laura Fazakas- De Hoog

Document Summary

Three criteria seem to govern decisions about abnormality (practical definitions): Distressing we are likely to label behaviours abnormal if they intensely distress an individual. Dysfunctional most behaviours that are abnormal are dysfunctional for the individual or society. Deviance abnormality of a behaviour is based on society"s judgments of the deviance of it. Danger - causing harm to themselves or to others. Could be due to neglect or due to inability to properly care for themselves. Abnormal behaviour behaviour that is personally distressful, personally dysfunctional, and/or culturally deviant. 1. statistical deviation: based on frequency but no distinction of desirable and undesirable. Equate normality with those behaviours that occur most frequently in the population. Abnormality is defined in terms of those behaviours that occur least frequently. Problem: brilliance is infrequent: deviations from ideal mental health. Stress the importance of attaining some positive goal, such as self-actualization, competence, and autonomy. Not everyone is self-actualized and autonomous but that doesn"t make them mentally ill.