Chapter 3

• Typical behavior is defined as an activity consistent with how an individual usually behaves, while atypical behavior is considered unusual or unnatural according to an individual's usual behavior

  
• Psychological criteria for categorizing behavior:

  • Behavior can change depending on the situation and circumstance
  • Psychological criteria are standards against which a judgment can be made about a person’s behavior and abilities
  • Psychological criteria help understand others' behaviors and categorize behavior as typical or atypical for that individual
• Cultural perspectives influence behavior:

  • Different cultures dictate what is considered normal behavior
  • Cultural perspectives determine what a person 'normally' does and what they wouldn't ever 'normally' do
• Social norms:

  • Unspoken expectations in society influence behavior
  • Customs like returning a favor when someone buys a round of beers are considered 'normal'
• Statistical rarity:

  • Behavior can be considered statistically rare based on its occurrence in a population
  • Statistical rarity is determined by the percentage of people exhibiting a particular behavior
• Personal distress:

  • Distress can be internalized and difficult to identify
  • Outward signs of distress include crying, anxiety, anger, etc.
• Maladaptive behavior:

  • Adapting to cope with life's challenges is essential
  • Maladaptive behavior involves choices that do not help in the long term
• Table evaluating criteria for categorizing behavior:

  • Lists strengths and limitations of using psychological criteria, personal distress, and maladaptive behavior to categorize behavior

  
• Understanding normality:

  • Normality refers to having thoughts, feelings, and behaviors considered common and acceptable
  • Abnormality is deviating from the norm in an undesirable way
• Neurotypical vs. Neurodiverse:

  • Neurotypical refers to non-autistic individuals
  • Neurodiverse is part of a continuum of normal brain functioning
• Adaptive vs. Maladaptive Behavior:

  • Adaptive behavior means adjusting to the environment effectively
  • Maladaptive behavior indicates an inability to adapt effectively
• Attachment is a strong reciprocal emotional bond between an infant and a primary caregiver

  
• Schaffer and Emerson's 1964 study on attachment:

  • Aim: identify stages of attachment / find a pattern in the development of an attachment between infants and parents
  • Participants: 60 babies from Glasgow
  • Procedure: analysed interactions between infants and carers
  • Findings: babies of parents/carers with 'sensitive responsiveness' were more likely to have formed an attachment
• Freud's superego is the moral component of the psyche, representing internalized societal values and standards
• Psychological criteria for categorizing behavior include attitudes, psychological criteria, and social norms

  
• Attitudes branch includes sub-branches for traditions, beliefs, customs; rules and etiquette; and cultural perspectives

  
• Psychological criteria branch includes sub-branches for statistical rarity, changes over time, and laws

  
• Social norms branch includes sub-branches for expectations, appropriateness of behavior, maladaptive behaviors, personal distress, visual emotional reactions, effectiveness of functioning, ability to adjust to the environment, and consistency of emotions

  
• Usefulness and limitations of psychological criteria to categorize behavior as typical or atypical include cultural perspectives, social norms, statistical rarity, personal distress, and maladaptive behavior

  
• Table evaluating criteria for categorizing behavior lists strengths and limitations of psychological criteria, personal distress, and maladaptive behavior

  
• LinkedIn is a business and employment-oriented service used for professional networking, job postings, and resume sharing
• Understanding normality and neurotypicality involves considering emotions, behaviors, and cognitions viewed as adaptive or maladaptive

  
• Approaches to understanding normality: socio-cultural, functional, historical, medical, statistical, and situational

  
• Neurodiversity describes variations in neurological development and functioning within and between groups of people
• Neurodivergent individuals may exhibit characteristics like thinking creatively, being detail-focused, honest, high energy, observant, and good at problem-solving
• Developmental disorders like ASD, ADHD, and Dyslexia involve variations in brain development and functioning
• Neurodivergent individuals may act similarly to neurotypical individuals but differ in brain structure and function
• Interventions for ASD management include educational therapy, behavioral therapy, speech therapy, medication, and psychotherapy
• ADHD is characterized by inattention or hyperactivity, affecting social, academic, or occupational functioning
• ADHD interventions include medication, counseling, behavioral strategies, decluttering, designating zones, using a planner, and working in small increments
• Dyslexia is a learning difficulty affecting reading, spelling, writing, and arithmetic
• Dyslexia interventions include learning via audio/video, assistive technology, word processors, occupational therapy, and technology for writing
• Mental health workers provide support for mental wellbeing and psychological development, assisting in providing mental health treatment
• Psychological criteria for categorizing behavior include:

  • Attitudes: traditions, beliefs, customs; rules and etiquette; cultural perspectives
  • Psychological criteria: statistical rarity, changes over time, laws
  • Social norms: expectations, appropriateness, maladaptive behaviors, personal distress, emotional reactions, effectiveness, adjustment to environment, consistency of emotions

  
• Cultural perspectives can influence thoughts and behaviors, e.g., eating snails is typical in France but atypical in Mexico

  
• Table evaluating criteria for categorizing behavior, listing strengths and limitations of psychological criteria, personal distress, and maladaptive behavior

  
• Approaches to understanding normality: socio-cultural, functional, historical, medical, statistical, situational

  
• Psychologists work to understand and assist clients in managing thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
• Psychiatrists diagnose, treat, prevent, and study mental, behavioral, and personality disorders; they can prescribe medication