GR OU P 3

A B N O R MA
L
BEHAVIO
 B N O R MA L
WHAT IS A
BE H AV I O R ?
ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR is something
deviating from the normal or differing from
the typical, is a subjectively defined
behavioral characteristic, assigned to those
with rare or dysfunctional conditions. It may
be abnormal when it is unusual, socially
unacceptable, self-defeating, dangerous, or
suggestive of faulty interpretation of reality
or of personality distress.
 The American
Psychiatric Association
defines abnormal
Abnormal Behavior is behavior in medical
behavior that is deviant, terms as a mental illness
maladaptive, or that affects or is
personally distressful manifested in a person’s
over a long period of brain and can affect the
time. way a person thinks,
behaves, and interacts
with people.
 WHAT IS
H O PAT H O LO G Y ?
PS Y C
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY is the scientific study
of mental disorders, including efforts to
understand their genetic, biological,
psychological, and social causes; effective
classification schemes (nosology); course
across all stages of development;
manifestations; and treatment. It is also
defined as the origin of mental disorders, how
they develop, and the symptoms they might
produce in a person.
T HE 4 Ds
 DEV I A NCE
This term describes the idea that specific
thoughts, behaviors and emotions are
considered deviant when they are unacceptable
or not common in society. Clinicians must,
however, remember that minority groups are not
always deemed deviant just because they may
not have anything in common with other groups.
Therefore, we define an individual’s actions as
deviant or abnormal when his or her behavior is
deemed unacceptable by the culture he or she
belongs to.
 DIS TRE S S

This term accounts for negative

feelings by the individual with the
disorder. He or she may feel deeply
troubled and affected by their
illness.
DY S FUNCTI O N
This term involves maladaptive behavior
that impairs the individual’s ability to
perform normal daily functions, such as
getting ready for work in the morning, or
driving a car. Such maladaptive behaviors
prevent the individual from living a normal,
healthy lifestyle. However, dysfunctional
behavior is not always caused by a disorder;
it may be voluntary, such as engaging in a
hunger strike.
 DA NG E R
This term involves dangerous or
violent behavior directed at the
individual, or others in the environment.
As an example of dangerous behavior
that may suggest a psychological
disorder is engaging in suicidal activ
ity.
 M O DE L S O F
AB NO RM A L I T Y
B E HAV I O RA L
Behaviorists believe that our actions are
determined largely by the experiences we have in
life, rather than by underlying pathology of
unconscious forces.

Classical conditioning has been said to

account for the development of phobias. The
feared object is associated with a fear or anxiety
sometime in the past.
COG NI TI V E
The cognitive approach assumes
that a person’s thoughts are
responsible for their behavior. The
model deals with how information
is processed in the brain and the
impact of this on behavior.
 b.) It is the way you think
about a problem, rather
than the problem itself
The basic assumptions that causes mental
are;
disorders.

a.) Maladaptive behavior c.) Individuals can

is caused by faulty and overcome mental
irrational cognitions. disorders by learning to
use more appropriate
cognitions
 ME D I C A L /
BIOLO G I C A L
The medical model of
psychopathology believes that
disorders have an organic or
physical cause. The focus of this
approach on genetics,
neurotransmitters,
neurophysiology, neuroanatomy,
biochemistry, etc.
 C H O D Y N A M I C
PSY
The main assumptions include
Freud’s belief that abnormality
came from the psychological
causes rather than the physical
causes that unresolved conflicts
between the id, ego, and superego,
whichever is stronger, may
dominate the personality.
 WE A K E G O
ed p e o p le h a v e a st ro n g e g o
Well-adjust
that is a b le to c op e w it h th e d e m a n d s
of both th e id a n d th e su p ere g o b y
a ll ow in g e a c h to e x p re ss it se lf a t
appropri a te ti m e s. If, h o w e v e r, th e eg o
is w e a ke n e d , th e n e ith e r th e id o r th e
supere go , w h ich ev e r is st ro n g er, m a y
dominate the personality.
 UNCHECKED ID IMPULSE

es a re u n c h e cke d , th e y m a y
If Id impuls
be ex p ress ed in se lf-d e st ru c ti v e a n d
immoral behavior. This may lead to
disorders in childhood and
psychop a th ic (d a n g e rou sl y a b n o rm a l)
behavior in adulthood.
 TOO POWERFUL
S UP E RE GO
A supere g o th a t is to o p o w e rf u l, a n d
there fo re to o h a rs h a n d in fl e x ib le in it s
moral valu e s, w il l re st ri ct th e id to su ch
a n ex te n t th a t th e p e rs o n w il l b e
depriv e s o f ev e n so c ia ll y a c ce p te d
p le a su re s. A cc o rd in g to Fr e u d th is
would cr e a te n e u ro si s, w h ic h c o u ld b e
ex p ress e d in th e sy m p to m s o f a n x ie ty
dis ord e rs , su c h a s p h o b ia s a n d
obsessions.
IDEN T I F I CAT I O N
OF A B N O R M A L
BEHAVIOR
 DEVIATION FROM
STATISTICAL NORM

The word abnormal means ‘away from the

norm’. Many population facts are measured
such as height, weight and intelligence. Most
of the people fall within the middle range of
intelligence, but a few are abnormally stupid.
But according to this definition, a person who
is extremely intelligent should be classified as
abnormal.
 Example;
b.) Anxiety – A person
who is anxious all the
a.) Intelligence – It is time or has a high level
statistically abnormal for of anxiety and someone
a person to get a score who almost never feels
about 145 on an IQ test anxiety are all
or to get a score below considered to be
55, but only the lowest abnormal.
score is considered
abnormal.
DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL
NORMS

Every culture has certain standards for

acceptable behavior; behavior that
deviates from that standard is considered
to be abnormal behavior. But those
standards can change with time and vary
from one society to another.
MALADAPTIVE
BEHAVIOR
This third criterion is how the
behavior affects the well-being of the
individual and/or social group. A man who
attempts suicide or a paranoid individual
who tries to assassinate national leaders
are illustrations under this criterion.
 The two aspects of
maladaptive behavior b. Maladaptive to
are; Society – It refers to a
person’s obstruction or
a. Maladaptive to One’s disruption to social group
self – It refers to the functioning.
inability of a person to
reach goals or to adapt
the demands of life.
PERSONAL
DISTRESS
The fourth criterion considers
abnormality in terms of the
individual’s subjective feelings,
personal distress, rather than his
behavior. Most people commonly
diagnosed as ‘mentally ill’ feel
miserable, anxious, depressed and
may suffer from insomnia.
FAILURE TO FUNCTION
ADEQUATELY

Under this definition, a person is

considered abnormal if they are unable to
cope with the demands of everyday life.
They may be unable to perform the
behaviors necessary for day-to-day living
e.g. self-care, hold down a job, interact
meaningfully with others, make themselves
understood etc.
FAILURE TO FUNCTION
ADEQUATELY

The following characteristics that define failure

to function adequately:
a. Suffering,
b. Maladaptiveness (danger to self),
c. Vividness and unconventionality (stands out),
d. Unpredictably and loss of control,
e. Irrationality/incomprehensibility,
f. Causes observer discomfort, and
g. Violates moral/social standards
DEVIATION FROM IDEAL
MENTAL HEALTH

Under this definition, rather than defining

what is abnormal, we define what normal/ideal is
and anything that deviates from this is regarded
as abnormal. This requires us to decide on the
characteristics we consider necessary to mental
health.
DEVIATION FROM IDEAL
MENTAL HEALTH
The six criteria by which mental health could be
measured are as follows:
a. Positive view of the self,
b. Capability for growth and development,
c. Autonomy and independence,
d. accurate perception of reality,
e. positive friendships and relationships, and
f. environmental mastery (able to meet the
varying demands of day-to-day situations).
According to this approach, the more of these
criteria are satisfied, the healthier the individual is.
SY MP TO MS OF
ABNORMAL
BEHAVIOR
LONG PERIOD OF
DISCOMFORT
This could be anything as simple as
worrying about a calculus test or grieving the
death of a loved one. This distress is related to
a real, related, or threatened event and passes
with time. When such distressing feelings,
however, persist for an extend period of time
and seem to be unrelated to events surrounding
the person, they would be considered abnormal
and could suggest a psychological disorder.
 IMPAIRED
FUNCTIONING
Here, a distinction must be made
between simply a passing period of
inefficiency and prolonged inefficiency
which seems unexplainable. For
instance, a very brilliant person
consistently fails in his classes or
someone who constantly changes his
jobs for no apparent reason.
 BIZARRE
BEHAVIOR
Bizarre behavior that has no
rational basis seems to indicate that
the individual is confused. The
psychoses frequently result in
hallucinations (baseless sensory
perceptions) or delusions (beliefs
which are patently false yet held as
true by the individual).
DISRUPTIVE
BEHAVIOR
Disruptive behavior means
impulsive, apparently uncontrollable
behavior that disrupts the lives of
others or deprives them of their
human rights on a regular basis. This
type of behavior is characteristic of a
severe psychological disorder. An
example of this is the antisocial
personality disorder.
 THANK
Y OU
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