PSY 366 Abnormal Psychology Fall Exam Study Guide 2026 (Complete And Verified Study material) (14pages) LEARNEXAMS

● Discuss some of the difficulties of defining a person’s behavior as abnormal. - Over the years definitions of abnormality have been proposed but not one has won total acceptance. Which makes it hard for clinical scientists and practitioners to define psychological abnormality. ● Describe the different ways of defining abnormality from the perspectives of deviance, distress, dysfunction, and danger (I won’t ask a question that makes you choose between what is correct in text and what is in lecture). - Deviance: behaviors, thoughts and emotions that differ from a society’s idea (“norms”) about proper functioning. (i.e., statistically rare or unusual) - Dysfunction: Behavior is maladaptive, interferes with daily functioning. (e.g. vocational/academic, cognitive, emotional, social health, and ADLs.) - Distress: Behavior causes concern to the individual or those close to him/her - Dangerousness: Person poses a risk (to self or others) - For better understanding review case study from class ● Understand cultural relativism as related to the 3 D’s - Cultural Relativism: No universal standards; culture influences what is normal and what isn’t. ● Discuss what is meant by the “elusive nature of abnormality.” - Elusive Nature of abnormality: A society selects general criteria for defining abnormality and then uses those criteria to judge particular cases