Date post: | 09-Jun-2015 |
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CHAPTER 1Abnormal Psychology: An Overview
What is Abnormal?
Ele
men
ts o
f ab
norm
ality
in
clud
e:
Suffering
Maladaptiveness
Deviancy
Violation of the Standards of Society
Social Discomfort
Irrationality and Unpredictability
Dangerousness
What is Abnormal: key concepts
• Statistical deviance from the norm
• Impairment of functioning
• Distress
Advantages of classification• Provide nomenclature
• Permits sharing information
• Social and political implications• Classify disorders, not people
Disadvantages of classification• Stigma
• Public• Private/self-concept
• Stereotyping• Lose sight of individual differences
Culture and Abnormality• Cultural factors influence
• Presentation of disorders• Culture-specific disorders
• Example: ataque de nervios
Prevalence
Prevalence
Number of active cases in population during any given period of time
Typically expressed as percentages
Different types of prevalence estimates
Incidence
Incidence
Number of new cases in population over given period of time
Incidence figures are typically lower than prevalence figures
Research Approaches: Self-Report
Participants asked to provide information about themselves
Interviews and Questionnaires
May be inaccurate
Research Approaches: Observation
Collecting information without asking participants directly for it
Outward behavior can be observed directly
Biological variables can be observed via technologically advanced methods
Research Designs• Case study• Correlational Research• Experimental Design
Case Studies
Specific individual observed and described in detail
Subject to bias of author of case study
Low generalizability
Correlation• Relationship between two variables• Correlation coefficient
• Statistically significant?• Positive or negative?• How strong?
• Correlation does not mean causation• A→B• B→A• C→B
A
Experimental Method• Independent Variable
• Manipulated by the researcher• Typically an experimental group vs. control group
• Dependent Variable• The outcome of interest
• Random Assignment• Participants have equal chance of being in experimental group or
control• Supposed to reduce confounding variables
Single-case experiments: ABAB Design
Issues to consider
• Internal validity• How controlled?• Can we trust results of the study?
• External validity• Are the results relevant outside the study itself?
• Generalizability