The Name of the Class
Psychological Abnormality
The concept of mental abnormalities in behavior has always been a debate among psychologists and psychiatrists. Practical application of this concept in psychology and psychiatry comes down to personal experience gained in professional work. It is the main criterion for evaluating diagnostic data of personal properties as the mentally ill and mentally healthy people. Despite the fact that the performance of various personal properties by test standards may be lower than the test norms of certain personal qualities. Psychiatrists most rely on personal experience, based on which they determine psychological diagnoses of individuals to assess their mental normality and abnormality because “there any apparent way of modifying or replacing the traditional state of mind doctrine with a more appropriate alternative” (Dix, 1971: 333). Psychological abnormality characterized by the fact that the subject is in a continuous mode diffraction mental space indirectly dependent on external conditions. This includes such features: the loss of a sense of reality, paradoxical, mosaic, overcoming the identity (the emergence of another I), extravagant action and so on. “ There are various illnesses that are studied in the branch of abnormal psychology including but not limited to schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder” (Steele). Out in the border area between the conscious and the unconscious researchers associate with the primary non-integration processes (McNally, 1998: 972). It organizes the internal reality in the early stages of development and formation of object relations when the child's world is incoherent and kaleidoscopic.
Pure base on statistical approach involve quantitative measurements of the properties of the object, as well as calculation of mathematical averages. It is known that the complexity of psychic phenomena have to take into account more than one property, but several. Then the number of normal people drastically reduced to a minimum and the use of the average approach would lead to paradoxical conclusions. Psychological abnormality in a mathematical expression can be represented by the limit to which it seeks a particular point in life of a single individual.
Difficulties arise in determining the rules and approaches related to cultural relativism. It is actually a variation statistical-adaptive approach. “Using the theory of relativism one could conclude that normalcy and abnormality is defined as the relative parameter of cultural and societal behavior during a specific period of human evolution” (Stafford, 2013). According to this approach, the normality and abnormality are determined based on the correlation characteristics of the culture of certain social groups to which belongs to a particular individual. In connection with this approach, the concept of mental normality and abnormality is not regulated by a single measurement standards, because “there is no shared characteristic of all that we call abnormal” (Brain, 2001: 7). In psychiatry researchers define is a border area phenomena are between normal and pathological conditions. It also does not eliminate the existence of a problem specific definitions of mental normality and abnormality in humans. The concept of normality in this case remains hidden. That is, a person is healthy (normal) in so far as it avoids the extremes of neurosis or psychopathy (abnormality) to mental and behavioral level. How this man, having these tendencies to mental disorders, can adapt, adapt to the world around them. Quantitative changes of mental properties combine to create a qualitatively new state, manifested in a wide range. Personality traits in this case arise from all the preceding process of the formation of the psyche as a direct continuation of the (increment) mental constitution. The resulting maladjustment always reflect premorbid personality traits.
The biological approach to the phenomenon of abnormal behavior initiated the development of the modern paradigm, revealing new horizons in modern science and more deeply explain the reasons for its occurrence. The main focus is the modern theoretical biological model based on the achievements of genetics and neurological development concept. At the same time the main cause of abnormal behavior is considered to be a change of a gene that is activated and the excitement as well as the environmental impact in the development of the individual.
Behavioral paradigm is based on Pavlov’s theory about conditioned and unconditioned reflexes, according to which there are elementary forms of learning: habituation (habituation) and sensitization. Habituation involves a process of habituation to a particular stimulus is often repeated on an unusual stimulus, which in the case of formation of abnormal behavior can be stressful.
Psychodynamic approach in the interpretation of deviant behavior in children is based on Freud’s personality theory. Personality theory is based on the concepts of unconscious motivation and infantile sexuality (Davison, Hindman and Neale, 2000: 33). The rejected psychodynamic model adopted in psychopathology nosological entities, and health is considered in terms of individual and integration. However, disorder treated as "fixation" at a certain stage of psychosexual development, resulting becomes exaggerated, without regard to the real situation, use of psychological defense mechanisms, depending on individual circumstances. According to psychodynamic concepts, the basic patterns of social interaction are added before the completion of puberty, and obstacles in meeting the needs of the leading causes fixation of an adult in the early stages due to unconscious processes. The individual suffers when the family's social status or family traditions prevented to achieve self-actualization. This suffering is not only interfere with the individual to realize their potential, but also can cause mental disorder. In the event that the individual help realize that it blocks the implementation of the individual needs, it can achieve their full satisfaction.
The behavioral models abnormality is seen as a development of behavioral patterns with poor adaptability, established in the classical formation of conditioned reflexes, development of instrumental conditioned reflexes and modeling (Rose, 1998: 70). In this model, people are not seen as passive "victims" of circumstances, but they are self-critical thinking beings. However, the relationship between the person and his entourage regarded as a straight line: the body responds to the environment, which in turn rewards or punishes him, to identify possible symptoms of a reaction in the future. Model the behavior of a particular individual dictates the society in which it is located. From the point of view of psychology, there are several options for the origin of abnormal behavior, which in turn have a different view on the cause of occurrence. In biological models of abnormal behavior is seen as a consequence of anatomical problems in brain activity. The cognitive model emphasizes the role of cognitive problems, such as illogical thought processes and misconceptions about the world.
Eating disorders are a complex problem that combines a purely psychological and physiological factors. eating disorders in terms of the biological model, characterized by gross violations of eating and includes anorexia nervosa and bulimia. The main feature of anorexia nervosa is to reduce the total amount of food consumed, followed, life threatening weight loss. In the biological model, patients concerned about their weight and repeatedly trying to regulate his diet, artificial vomiting or laxatives. They are aware of the abnormality of their eating and often feel guilty and depressed after a binge. May also be isolated atypical anorexia nervosa, or when there are no more than one of the key features of anorexia, such as amenorrhea or significant weight loss, but otherwise is a typical clinical picture. Physiological disorders involve disturbances of the electrolyte balance, gastrointestinal disease and dental disease. In addition, this way of eating is unhealthy for the body and is an additional burden because the body is in continuous mode, without rest. This result leads to disease associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and increased risk of diabetes, arthritis and other diseases.
In the psychological model has a deviant attitude to his patient's weight and body shape. This relationship enhances anxiety and leads to a cycle of "binge-purge". Vomiting is considered as a compulsory behavior, helps to overcome feelings of guilt after eating. In addition to causes vomiting in bulimia nervosa, repeated vomiting may occur in dissociative disorders, hypochondriacal disorder, where it can be one of the physical symptoms.
The vast majority of patients showing signs of significant improvement as a result of treatment, but some relapse with a return to the cycle of "binge-purge". Most people with this disorder occasionally feel overwhelmed and depressed. Cases overeating come to them during the change of mood, especially when they are experiencing irritation, anger, sadness, anxiety, frustration, or those or other difficulties in life. It is often the haunting score-counting calories in foods and portions, at least - safety compulsions (eating in a strict sequence, only certain dishes).
Thus the sociology of deviant behavior appears not only as a genetically caused change of mentality, but also as a phenomenon generated by the current realities of a transformed society. Modern scientific approaches reveal the essence of this phenomenon from different angles, which also include private and socio-cultural beliefs of the individual. This may allow to form a complex of specific activities that contribute to its fullest social adaptation and integration into society. This causes that lead to abnormal behavior of individuals, are the result of the condition and level of development of society and social groups depend on the social system, statuses and roles, social structures, cultural traditions and structures that affect the way of life of the population and its behavior. Many psychologists are now inclined to believe that some people have a biological, psychological or socio-cultural predisposition to a particular form of abnormal behavior, which is then activated and supported by psychological stress (paradigm predisposition to stress as one of the explanations of abnormal behavior).
Bibliography
Brain, C. (2001). Advanced psychology: applications, issues and perspectives. Nelson Thornes.
Davison, G.C., Hindman, D. and Neale, J.M. (2000). Study Guide to Accompany Abnormal Psychology 8e. John Wiley and Sons.
Dix, G.E. (1971). Psychological abnormality as a factor in grading criminal liability: Diminished capacity, diminished responsibility, and the like. The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, 62(3), pp.313-334.
McNally, R.J. (1998). Experimental approaches to cognitive abnormality in posttraumatic stress disorder. Clinical psychology review, 18(8), pp.971-982.
Rose, N. (1998). Inventing our selves: Psychology, power, and personhood. Cambridge University Press.
Stafford, J. (2013). Psychological Studies: Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology. [online] Psychologicalstudies.blogspot.it. Available at: http://psychologicalstudies.blogspot.it/2013/05/historical-perspectives-of-abnormal.html [Accessed 22 Feb. 2016].
Steele, A. (2016). A Guide to Abnormal Psychology | MastersinPsychologyGuide.com. [online] Mastersinpsychologyguide.com. Available at: http://mastersinpsychologyguide.com/articles/a-guide-abnormal-psychology [Accessed 22 Feb. 2016].
