Topic 2 Mind Matters

Normality

A pattern of thoughts, feelings, or behaviours that conforms to a usual, typical or expected standard.

Abnormality

Behaviour that is deviant, distressing or dysfunctional & interferes with the person’s ability to carry out their day to day life.

6 Main Approaches to Describe Normality

• Socio-cultural

• Functional

• Historical

• Situational

• Medical

• Statistical

Socio-cultural

• What a particular group of people view as acceptable/unacceptable behaviour. 

• Focuses on the social norms that are influenced by nationality, religion, ethnicity, and peer group

• E.g. Australians eating vegemite on toast

Functional

• How effectively someone functions, copes, and adapts to daily life demands

• If they are abnormal they would not be able to function due to distraction, confusion, or interaction problems

• E.g. Maintaining personal hygiene, maintaining relationships

Historical

• Behaviour based on changes in society & what is considered normal at that time

• E.g. Left-handedness was considered abnormal/evil, but now it is accepted.

Situational

• The location/place in which behaviour occurs may change whether or not it is normal

• E.g. being quiet in the library

Medical

• Physical health and physiological causes that can be diagnosed and treated

• E.g. ADHD

Statistical

• Behaviour distributed in a normal bell curve - if majority shows a behaviour, it is considered normal

• When behaviours fall outside of the normal range it is considered abnormal

• E.g. when a child starts walking

Pro-social Behaviour

• Helping behaviour that benefits other people and society in general

• Usually voluntary

• E.g. Charity, cooperation, friendship, bystander intervention, aiding & assisting

Why do people help others?

• Nature = humans help people to protect our species

• Nurture = learned behaviour, through socialisation and development

Factors influencing Pro-social behaviour

• Situation

• Social norms

• Personal characteristics (e.g. empathy)

Anti-social Behaviour

• Behaviour that is harmful to others and the community

• Can be hostile, instrumental, or a response to an immediate situations

Why do people engage in anti-social behaviour?

• Nature = humans instinctively behave to protect themselves

• Nurture = learned behaviour, through socialisation & development

Factors influencing anti-social behaviour

• Situation

• Deindividuation (when a person cannot be identified personally)

• Personal characteristics

Individualist Cultures

• Those that stress the needs of the individual over the needs of the group as a whole

• People are seen as independent and autonomous

Collectivist Cultures

Emphasise the needs and goals of the group as a whole over the needs and desires of each individual

Forensic Psychology

• Involves applying psychological knowledge & principles to legal issues

• They investigate many aspects of crime, e.g. the reliability of evidence/eyewitnesses, the role of memory, & decision-making.

• Look at crimes in relation to human nature & crimes as a process (thoughts, feelings, behaviours).

• Nature vs Nurture debate is central to this field of work

Nature (Nature vs Nurture)

= Genes & hereditary factors e.g. physical appearance, personality

• Difficult temperament: impulsivity, novelty seeking, and lack of empathy, aggression.

• Sociopath? Psychopath? Narcissist? (personality disorder diagnosis)

• Difficulty expressing emotions

• Addiction and addictive personality

• Mental illness

• Is it out of their control?

Nurture (Nature vs Nurture)

 = Environmental Variables e.g. childhood, upbringing & social relationships

• Childhood and upbringing

• Modelled behaviour and socialisation.

• What is right and wrong?

• Coercive behaviour and peers

• Exposure to child neglect, violence or abuse.

• Social skills

• This shapes how a child will view the world

• Ability to deal with stressors/coping

• Emotional regulation

Temperament (proto-psychology theory)

Four fundamental personality types:

- Strong Emotions

- Weak Emotions

- Unchangeable Temperaments

- Changeable Temperaments

Civil Sector

• Laws relating to personal matters rather than criminal matters (e.g. marriage, divorce, property)

• Forensic Psychologists work within this sector

Criminal Sector

• People would commit a crime

• Forensic Psychologists work within this sector

A forensic psychologist may be involved in (Considering the mental state of a defendant)...

• Deciding if because of their mental state or an intellectual ability the defendant can understand the court proceedings

• Predicting the likelihood of an offender reoffending in the future

• Deciding if the defendant would be responsive to treatment

• Determining if children have the ability to be witnesses in court cases

Skills of a forensic psychologist

• Collecting & reporting (written & oral) evidence of a psychological nature for use in legal proceedings

• Psychological assessment & report writing

• Psychological formulation and diagnosis

• Psychological intervention (psychotherapies, rehabilitation)

• Program evaluation

• Forensic interviewing

• Research

How to become a Forensic Psychologist

1. Undergraduate Degree (3-4 years)

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology

2. Postgraduate Study (1-2 years)

3. General Registration (2 years)

4. Forensic Psychology specialisation (2+ years)

Detecting Nonverbal Cues

• Any form of communication, information, or messages between people without using your words

• Can include hand signals, body language, and physical appearance

• Could get nervous, shy, or overwhelmed

Polygraph Tests

• Based on detecting automatic reactions 

• Not always considered reliable

• Results from these tests are not admissible (valid) in court proceedings

• Assesses 3 indicators of autonomic arousal (Heart rate/blood pressure, respiration, & skin conductivity)

How do lie detectors work?

• Consists of a pretest interview, designed to ensure that subjects understand the questions & include a subject’s concern about being deceptive

• The control questions control the effect of the generally threatening nature of relevant questions

Do they really work?

• There is no evidence that any pattern of physiological reactions is unique to deception

• An honest person can be anxious , and a dishonest person may not be anxious

Eyewitness Testimony

= An account given by people of an event they have witnessed

• E.g an eyewitness might be asked to give a description of the criminal

Psychopaths

• Due to a genetic predisposition

• Pretend to care

• Display cold-hearted behaviour

• Lack of empathy

• Shallow/fake relationships

• Maintain a normal life as a cover

• May love people in their own way

• May be diagnosed with ‘antisocial personality disorder

Sociopaths

• Antisocial behaviour because of environmental factors

• Make it clear they do not care how others feel

• Behave in hot-headed & impulsive ways

• Prone to fits of anger and rage

• Recognise what they are doing but rationalise their behaviour

• Hard to maintain a regular work and family life

• Can form emotional attachments, but it is difficult