1. What Is Psychological Abnormality?
MANY DEFINITIONS of abnormality,
NONE ARE UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED.
No one definition is the "correct" or the "best" definition
CRITERIA OFTEN ARE VAGUE AND SUBJECTIVE
When is a pattern of behavior “enough” to be
considered abnormal?

2. Most definitions share some common features – “The Four Ds”:
WHAT IS A PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDER?
Most definitions share some common features – “The Four Ds”:
1. Dysfunction
- Causes disruption in social, occupational,
day to day functioning
2. Distress
– UNPLEASANT & UPSETTING
Causes distress to individual or those
around the individual
3. Deviance
– DIFFERENT, EXTREME, UNUSUAL
a. Statistical Deviance/ infrequency,
b. Cultural Deviance – norms
4. Danger
- CAUSES INTERFERENCE WITH LIFE
POSES RISK OF HARM

4. Defining Psychological Disorders
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Defining Psychological Disorders
DSM-IV-TR Definition:
1. Behavioral, emotional, or cognitive dysfunctions
that are:
2. associated with personal distress Or
substantial impairment in functioning
AND
3. unexpected/ not typical in their cultural context
This definition also excludes deviant behavior that is
not a symptom of dysfunctional behavior

5. DSM-IV definition of mental disorder
A mental disorder is “conceptualized as a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and that is associated with present distress or disability or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom.”
IN ADDITION,THE BEHAVIOR IS NOT TYPICAL OR CULTURALY EXPECTED.

6. DSM-IV definition of mental disorder
“The syndrome or pattern must not be merely an expectable and culturally sanctioned response to a particular event, for example, the death of a loved one.”
“It must currently be considered a manifestation of a behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunction in the individual.”

7. Breakdown of one’s cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning
1. Psychological Dysfunction
Breakdown of one’s
cognitive,
emotional,
or behavioral
functioning
Sometimes, this is not “abnormal”
Depression over a death

8. 1. DYSFUNCTION/MALADAPTIVENESS behaviors that:
are physically damaging to the individual;
cause emotional suffering or harm;
interfere with the ability to function in daily life
or indicate that the individual has: lost touch with reality or cannot control behavior or thoughts.

9. 1. MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR:
1) MALADAPTIVE TO ONE'S SELF
- inability to reach goals, or
to adapt to the demands of life.
and
2) MALADAPTIVE TO SOCIETY –.
- interferes with / disrupts social group functioning

10. Abnormality/Psychopathology
What are behaviors that are maladaptive but not deviant?
Over eating/obesity; smoking
What are deviant behaviors that are not maladaptive?
MTV (Tom Green); M. Manson (theatrical deviance)
Behaviors that combine deviance and maladaptation = abnormality/psychopathology
C. Manson

11. 1. DYSFUNCTION/MALADAPTIVENESS behaviors that:
are physically damaging to the individual;
cause emotional suffering or harm;
interfere with the ability to function in daily life
or indicate that the individual has: lost touch with reality or cannot control behavior or thoughts.

12. 1. MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR:
1) MALADAPTIVE TO ONE'S SELF
- inability to reach goals, or
to adapt to the demands of life.
and
2) MALADAPTIVE TO SOCIETY –.
- interferes with / disrupts social group functioning

13. Abnormality/Psychopathology
What are behaviors that are maladaptive but not deviant?
Over eating/obesity; smoking
What are deviant behaviors that are not maladaptive?
MTV (Tom Green); M. Manson (theatrical deviance)
Behaviors that combine deviance and maladaptation = abnormality/psychopathology
C. Manson

14. 2. DISTRESS SUBJECTIVE DISCOMFORT
Some people argue that behavior is only abnormal if the individual as a result of the behavior and 2.
suffers
wishes to change/eliminate it
DSM-IV - HOMOSEXUALITY – is a disorder only if person has subjective discomfort/distress
Problems with the “subjective discomfort” criterion :
people are not always aware of severe problems that their behavior may create for themselves or others . . .
Ex. sociopath – no guilt
Ex. a psychotic patient who hears voices from his dead
mother that make him happy

15. 2. DISTRESS
SUBJECTIVE DISCOMFORT
Some people argue that behavior is only abnormal if the individual suffers as a result of the behavior and wishes to change/eliminate it.
DSM-IV - HOMOSEXUALITY – is a disorder only if person has subjective discomfort/distress
Problems with the subjective discomfort criterion :
people are not always aware of severe problems that their behavior may create for themselves or others . . .
Ex. sociopath – no guilt
Ex. a psychotic patient who hears voices from his dead
mother that make him happy

16. 3. DEVIANCE
A. STATISTICAL DEVIANCE
B. SOCIAL DEVIANCE

17. 3. DEVIANCE A. Statistical Deviance
Rare/ infrequent behavior that deviates from the average/majority = ABNORMAL
TYPICAL OR USUAL = NORMAL
THE MORE INFREQUENTLY A BEHAVIOR OCCURS,
THE MORE ABNORMAL IT IS CONSIDERED.
Is the average the ideal?

18. Problem: not all deviant/uncommon behavior is abnormal
3. DEVIANCE
A. Statistical Deviance
Problem: not all deviant/uncommon behavior is abnormal
Ex. (genius/ talented)

19. B. SOCIAL DEVIANCE – DEVIANCE FROM NORMS
A. Statistical Deviance
B. SOCIAL DEVIANCE – DEVIANCE FROM
NORMS
Most of our behavior is shaped by norms
= cultural expectations about the right
and wrong way to do things.
Examples of norms: proper dress, how/what to eat,
behavior on the first date, eye contact with strangers,
student/instructor behavior
Someone who frequently violates these unwritten rules is seen as
abnormal.
Examples “abnormal behavior” – violating social norms:
Behavior that is harmful to oneself or others
Inappropriate emotional reactions
Erratic behavior

20. B. SOCIAL DEVIANCE – DEVIANCE FROM NORMS
A. Sta Deviance
tistical
B. SOCIAL DEVIANCE – DEVIANCE FROM
NORMS
Deviance defined:
behavior that violates important norms of the group (or society)
b. the behavior must occur frequently
e.g., if I show up at work once a year or drunk only
once, chances are no one will call that deviant, but if I
show up in that condition every day, then it is deviant

21. --------------------------------------------------------------
What's abnormal in one society may be perfectly normal ("norm consistent") in another.
eg: Sex and Temperament in New Guinea tribes
Margaret Mead (1963):
Three tribes, each with very different norms
1. Arapesh: Both males and females are mild, parental, and nurturing.
2. Mundugumar: Males and females are fierce, oppressive and
cannibalistic.
3. Tchumbuli: Males are catty, wear curls and pretty clothes, love to go shopping. Females are energetic, managerial, unadorned.

22. 3. DEVIANCE B. SOCIAL DEVIANCE
normality is the same as conformity to the mainstream,
Problems with this definition
1. there are many streams.
even in a single society such as the U.S., there are a myriad of subcultures.
WHO SETS THE STANDARDS?
2. NORMS CHANGE through the years
so what's normative in one generation, may not be in another.
ex. Victorian era dress – exposure of flesh = abnormal
We are left with a single society where there are no clear norms that apply across all individuals.
The term abnormality thus loses any firm referent
3. WHO ADHERES TO ALL NORMS?

23. 4. labels all social reformers as abnormal
3. DEVIANCE
B. SOCIAL DEVIANCE
normality is the same as conformity to the mainstream,
Problems with this definition (cont.):
4. labels all social reformers as abnormal

24. The Elusive Nature of Abnormality
In sum, while abnormality is generally defined as behavior that is (4 D’s):
1. DYSFUNCTIONAL
2. DISTRESSFUL
3. DEVIANT
4. DANGEROUS,
THESE CRITERIA OFTEN ARE VAGUE AND
SUBJECTIVE
WHEN IS A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR “ENOUGH” TO BE CONSIDERED ABNORMAL?

25. THOMAS SZASZ He argues that, because of the influence of
MENTAL ILLNESS IS A MYTH
He argues that, because of the influence of
culture, the whole concept of mental illness is
Invalid.
Deviations called “abnormal” are only “problems of living”
Societies use the concept of mental illness to
control those who threaten social order

26. SHOULD WE LABEL BEHAVIOR AS ABNORMAL ?
POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES:
1. “EXPLANATION” PROVIDES RELIEF
2. IDENTIFIES EXISTENCE OF A PROBLEM FOR
SOCIETY, INCREASING LIKELIHOOD OF RESEARCH
3. IDENTIFIES EXISTENCE OF PROBLEM FOR INDIVIDUAL, INCREASING PROBABILITY OF RECEIVING TREATMENT

27. SHOULD WE LABEL BEHAVIOR AS ABNORMAL?
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES:
STIGMATIZED WITH STEREOTYPES
OF THE LABEL (BY OTHERS AND SELF )
2. INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF ISOLATION –
SOCIALLY AND PHYSICALLY
3. POSSIBILITY OF ENFORCED TREATMENT
4. DISCOURAGES NOVEL OR UNCONVENTIONAL
BEHAVIOR