Terms in the Psychology Literature for Òabnormal behaviorÓ

 

Maladaptive behavior

 

Behavioral disorder

 

Changeworthy behavior

 

Problem behavior

 

Problems in living

 

Psychopathology

  

Brain disorder

 

Brain disease

 

Mental illness

 

Mental disorder (used in psychiatry)

 

 

Defining Abnormal Behavior

 

What behavior is considered abnormal versus normal, behavioral and mental health?

 

 

All terms for Òabnormal behaviorÓ are tautologies and not definitions

 

= explaining by naming

 

= circular reasoning

 

= error of etiological inference if treatment works

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Defining Abnormal Behavior

 

 

--No taxonomy of normal behavior

 

--No list of universally accepted normal versus abnormal behaviors

 

A subjective, value-laden taxonomy of abnormal behavior =

 

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV TR (2000) published by the

   American Psychiatric Association

 

DSM-IV TRÕs hegemony = operational definition of abnormal behaviors [mental disorders] by psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

Defining Abnormal Behavior

 

á   Statistical infrequency

 

 

á   Violation of norms

 

 

á   Unexpectedness

 

 

á   Personal distress

 

 

á   Disability/dysfunction

 

 

Adaptive  VS Maladaptive Behaviors Covered in Class

 

á   Fear VS anxiety disorders

 

á   Health concerns VS. somatoform disorders

 

á   Identity and Memory VS dissociative disorders

 

á   Eating VS eating disorders

 

á   Sadness, happiness, anger VS. mood disorders

 

 

 

 

 

Adaptive – Maladaptive

conÕd

 

á   Creative thoughts, feelings, and actions VS schizophrenia

 

 

á   Personality VS. personality disorders (controversial)

 

á   Gender VS gender identity disorder

 

á    Sexual performance VS. sexual functioning disorders

 

Adaptive – Maladaptive

conÕd

 

á   Attentiveness VS attention deficits and hyperactivity

 

á   Socialized as a child VS conduct disorder & autism

 

á   Intellectual abilities VS learning disabilities & mental retardation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early Views of Psychopathology

 

Primitive era:  Demonology

 

Greek/Roman Empires:

 

Somatogenesis

 

Psychogenesis

 

Dark Ages:  Demonology

 

Enlightenment – modern era:

 

Somatogenesis

 

Psychogenesis


     Paradigms for Abnormal Behavior

 

Paradigms  =

 

      conceptual frameworks that scientists use to study the world

 

 

á    Include assumptions about science & methods

 

á    Dictate what will/will not be studied

 

á    Can dictate the methods used by a scientist (introspection vs. experimentation)

 

 

 

Paradigms for Abnormal Behavior conÕd

 

Biological

 

Psychoanalytic

 

Humanistic/Existential

 

Behavioral; Cognitive; Cognitive-behavioral

 

Diathesis-stress