Psychology2016

546 CHAPTER 14

THINKING CRITICALLY

In today’s growing technological age, can you think of any new criteria that should be considered in

defining abnormal behavior or thinking?

The response entered here will be saved to your notes and may be

collected by your instructor if he/she requires it.

Submit

A WORKING DEFINITION OF ABNORMALITY

So how do psychologists decide what is abnormal?

To get a clear picture of abnormality, it is often necessary to take all of the factors just

discussed into account. Psychologists and other psychological professionals must consider

several different criteria when determining whether psychological functioning or behavior

is abnormal (at least two of these criteria must be met to form a diagnosis of abnormality):

1. Is the thinking or behavior unusual, such as experiencing severe panic when faced with
   a stranger or being severely depressed in the absence of any stressful life situations?


2. Does the thinking or behavior go against social norms? (And keep in mind that
   social norms change over time—e.g., homosexuality was once considered a psy-
   chological disorder rather than a variation in sexual orientation.)


3. Does the behavior or psychological function cause the person significant subjective
   discomfort?


4. Is the thought process or behavior maladaptive, or does it result in an inability to
   function?


5. Does the thought process or behavior cause the person to be dangerous to self or
   others, as in the case of someone who tries to commit suicide or who attacks other
   people without reason?
   Abnormal thinking or behavior that includes at least two of these five criteria is
   perhaps best classified by the term psychological disorder, which is defined as any
   pattern of behavior or psychological functioning that causes people significant distress,
   causes them to harm themselves or others, or harms their ability to function in daily life.
   Before moving on, it is important to clarify how the term abnormality is different from
   the term insanity. Only psychological professionals can diagnose disorders and determine the
   best course of treatment for someone who suffers from mental illness. Lawyers and judges
   are sometimes charged with determining how the law should address crimes committed
   under the influence of mental illness. Psychologists and psychiatrists determine whether
   certain thinking or behavior is abnormal, but they do not decide whether a certain person
   is insane. In the United States, insanity is not a psychological term; it is a legal term used to
   argue that a mentally ill person who has committed a crime should not be held responsible
   for his or her actions because that person was unable to understand the difference between
   right and wrong at the time of the offense. This argument is called the insanity defense.

Models of Abnormality

14.2 Identify models used to explain psychological disorders.

What causes psychological disorders?

Recognition of abnormal behavior and thinking depends on the “lens,” or perspective,

from which it is viewed. Different perspectives determine how the disordered behavior

psychological disorder
any pattern of behavior or thinking
that causes people significant distress,
causes them to harm others, or harms
their ability to function in daily life.