Essentials of Abnormal Psychology
Chapter One
INTRODUCTION TO ABNORMAL
PSYCHOLOGY AND THE DSM-IV-TR
Abnormal Psychology. Psychopathology. These are terms that continue to fascinate
psychologists and other helping professionals, especially those
outside of the field. In this chapter we will give a brief overview of abnormal
behavior and its treatment throughout history. Before we get to that,
we need to examine the various ways in which abnormal behavior is defined.
If you were to take a poll of most people outside of the helping professions
(e.g., psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists), they would probably
tell you that they know abnormal behavior when they see it. Let us look at an
example:
You live in a large urban area. One day you hear out of your apartment
window a man singing an aria. You look out the window and watch him walking
down the street, singing in an operatic tenor, for everyone to hear. The
man is well dressed in a work uniform, appears well kempt, and is not really
interacting with other people. The aria fades as he continues down the street.
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