• University of California, Irvine

• PSYCH 120

Overview of Abnormal Psychology

• There is no one behavior that makes someone abnormal. However, there are some clear elements or indicators of abnormality. No

single indicator is sufficient in and of itself to define or determine abnormality. 1. Suffering if people suffer or experience psychological

pain, consider this as indicative of abnormality. 2. Maladaptiveness maladaptive behavior is often an indicator. 3. Statistical deviancy

away from the normal; statistically rare and undesirable. 4. Violation of the standards of society all cultures have rules. Fail to follow the

conventional social and moral rules of their cultural group. Much depends on the magnitude of the violation and on how commonly the

rule is violated by others. 5. Social discomfort when someone violates a social rule, those around him or her may experience a sense

of discomfort or unease. 6. Irrationality and unpredictability acts that make no sense and are unexpected. 7. Dangerousness someone

who is a danger to him- or herself or another person must be psychologically abnormal. In the United States, the accepted standard for

defining various types of mental disorders in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders (DSM). Should always be regarded as a work in progress and regular updates and modifications are to be expected.

Provides all the information necessary to diagnose mental disorders. As such, it provides clinicians with specific diagnostic criteria for

each disorder. This creates a common language so that a specific diagnosis means the same thing to one clinician as it does to

another. This also helps ensure diagnostic accuracy and consistency. Does not include information about treatment. Correlates with

another medical document known as the International Classification of Diseases (ICM).

• Classification systems provide us with nomenclature and enable us to structure information in a more helpful manner. Organizing

information within a classification system also allows us to study the different disorders that we classify and therefore to learn more

about not only what causes them but also how they might be best treated. Delineates which types of psychological difficulties warrant

insurance reimbursement and the extent of such reimbursement. Classification provides information in a shorthand form which leads to

loss of information. Stigma (disgrace) associated with having a psychiatric diagnosis. Stereotypes are automatic beliefs concerning

other people that are based on minimal information. Labeling it is important to keep in mind that diagnostic classification do no classify

people.

• Just as we must consider changing societal values and expectation in defining abnormality, so too must we consider differences

across cultures. Within a given culture, there exist many shared beliefs and behaviors that are widely accepted and that may