Abnormal: Patterns of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that are deviant, distressful, and harmful dysfunctional 

• Deviant: disturbing to others.  Serious departure from social and cultural norms

• Distressful: It prevents a person from thinking clearly and making rational decisions.

• Dysfunctional: Maladaptive, it interferes with a persons ability to function in one or more important areas of life. 

Goals of Psychology 

- Describe behavior

- Explain why a behavior occurs

- Predict behavior in the future

- Control or modify behaviors

1 in 4 Americans suffers from a mental health disorder

DSM-V (DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS)

- The handbook used by medical and mental heath professionals for the diagnosis of mental illness. 

- Categorizes and describes over 300 specific psychological disorders. 

- Lists criteria and specific symptoms for each disorder

Classifying Disorders

The Medical Model (The Biological Approach)

-Concept that mental illnesses have physical/biological causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and in most cases, cured.

-Psychological disorders are similar to a physical illness.

Other Perspectives 

Humanist- Examine a person's feelings, self esteem, and self concept.  Behavior is the result of choices we make to find meaning in life.

Cognitive- Focuses on faulty, illogical, and negative thinking.  Ex: Unrealistic negative thoughts can lead to depression.

Behavioral- Stresses that abnormal behavior is learned  (reinforced or rewarded) through conditioning.  

Bio-Psycho-Social Model  (Nature, Mind, and Nurture)

Contemporary perspective that assumes biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors combine and interact to produce psychological disorders