What is psychological abnormality?
Behaviour, speech, or thought that impairs the ability of someone to function in a way that is generally expected of them.
Define psychopathology.
Scientific study of psychological abnormalities and problems faced by people who suffer from these disorders.
What is a psychological disorder?
Specific manifestation of the impairment of functioning described by a set of criteria.
What is the difference between mental illness and psychopathology?
Mental illness implies a medical cause instead of psychological.
Why is there confusion about defining abnormality?
The concept of abnormality changes with time and differs across cultures.
What is a statistical concept in defining abnormality?
Behaviour is judged as abnormal if it occurs infrequently in the population.
Is personal distress always present in individuals with psychological disorders?
No, distress is not present in all people experiencing psychopathology.
What is personal dysfunction?
When behaviour interferes with appropriate functioning (maladaptive), it is said to be abnormal.
How does violation of norms relate to abnormality?
Subjective evaluation of what is and isn’t psychologically disordered behaviour.
What role do clinical psychologists play in diagnosing psychological disorders?
Trained in general psychology with additional training in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.
What is the DSM 5?
A reference used by mental health workers to diagnose patients.
Who was Thomas Szasz?
Suggested that the idea of mental disorders was invented by psychiatry to give more power to its practitioners.
What historical evidence indicates early beliefs about abnormality?
Stone age human remains show supernatural beliefs and trephination practices.
What did Hippocrates argue regarding mental disorders?
Rejected the belief that psychological problems were caused by gods and demons.
What was Plato’s view on people with mental disorders?
Thought they shouldn’t be held criminally responsible and should be cared for by relatives.
What theory did Morel introduce?
Degeneration theory, proposing that deviations from normal functioning are transmitted by hereditary processes.
What did Kraepelin contribute to the understanding of mental disorders?
Published a book attempting to classify mental disorders and recognized different disorders had different age onsets.
What is somatogenesis?
Psychopathology caused by biological factors.
What role did Pinel play in the treatment of mental illness?
Ordered removal of chains from inmates and encouraged kind treatment.
What is electroconvulsion therapy (ECT)?
A treatment found to be effective in patients with major depressive disorder.
Fill in the blank: The first neurotransmitter isolated in 1926 was identified by _______.
Otto Loewi
What was the focus of the mental health hygiene movement?
Did not end up improving conditions in asylums despite the increase in institutions.
True or False: The definition of abnormality is universally agreed upon.
False
What were some treatments used in asylums during the 18th century?
Electric shock, bleeding, isolation, and ice-baths.
