Psychology of Exceptionality

• Myrdol, 1971: '"Where nature has created great and fundamental differences in abilities . . . these must not be allowed to determine the individual's chances in life but rather, society should intervene to restore the balance"'
• Psychology of exceptional children


  The study of human exceptionality is the study of being human
• Exceptional people live and function in many contexts, not just school
• Exceptional people should be viewed from different perspectives and not just by a single profession
• Perspectives to view exceptional people


  • Medical
  • Education
  • Behavioral and social sciences
  • Law
• Terms used to describe exceptional people


  • Pathological "disease"
  • Abnormal "mental Illness"
  • Deviant "violation of social norms"
  • Normal
• Terms used to describe exceptional people


  • Special
  • Exceptional
  • Disordered
  • Disabled
  • Normal
  • Handicapped
• Special


  People who have unusual, peculiar, unique and distinctive characteristics that differentiate them from a normal group
• Disordered


  Refers to an individual with a general malfunction of mental, physical or psychological process
• Disabled


  Describes the individual who has a loss of physical functioning (sight, hearing, legs, arms) or difficulties in learning and social adjustment that significantly interfere with normal growth and development
• Disability


  Refers to the inability of an individual to do something in a certain way; an incapacity to perform as other individuals due to impairments in sensory, physical, cognitive and other areas of functioning
• Handicapped


  Usually describes only those individuals who are deficient in or lack ability
• Handicap


  Refers to the problems that an individual with a disability encounters as he or she attempts to function or interact in his or her environment; this term is used when explaining the consequences or impact on the individual by his or her disability
• Exceptional child


  Someone who is bright, with unusual talent, atypical or deviant
• Exceptional


  Term to include both the gifted and talented children as well as children with disabilities
• Exceptional child


  Defined as the child who deviates from the average or normal child in mental characteristics, sensory abilities, neuromuscular or physical characteristics, social or emotional behavior, communication abilities, or multiple handicaps to such an extent that the child requires a modification of school practices or special educational services in order to develop to his maximum capacity
• Exceptional is a comprehensive term that describes any individual whose physical or behavioral performance deviates so substantially from the norm, either higher or lower, that additional educational and other services may be necessary to meet the individual needs
• Since exceptionality is being studied by various disciplines, it is studied from varying points of view, and some deviations may be important only to specific fields
• Interindividual differences


  One child is significantly different from another child, e.g. IQ, height, reading ability
• Intraindividual differences


  A comparison of the child's abilities and disabilities within himself, a major factor to be considered in planning a program - the discrepancies in growth
• Approaches to describe nature and extent of human differences


  • Developmental
  • Cultural
  • Individual
• Developmental approach


  Based on differences that occur in the course of human development, differences are a result of interaction between environment and biological factors
• Cultural approach


  Describes human differences according to established cultural standards, differences can be explained by examining the values of any given society
• Individual approach


  Self-imposed labels, may or may not be consistent with how others see us
• Normal can be very relative given a certain cultural context, there are those who exhibit differences that do not meet criteria of normalcy, should study type and extent of exceptionality or difference
• Definitions of abnormal behavior


  • Conceptual definitions
  • Practical definitions
  • Integrated definitions
  • DSM-IV definitions
• Conceptual definition of abnormal behavior


  Statistical deviation - abnormal defined as those behaviors that occur less frequently, deviations from ideal mental health - stress the importance of positive goals, multicultural perspectives - focus is on cultural practices and lifestyle
• Practical definition of abnormal behavior


  Discomfort - physical or psychological discomforts, deviance - bizarre or unusual behavior, dysfunction - inability or loss of efficiency in fulfilling duties and responsibilities
• Integrated definition of abnormal behavior


  Normality and abnormality are defined from 3 vantage points: society, that of the individual, and that of the mental health professional
• DSM-IV definition of abnormal behavior


  A clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and that is associated with present distress or disability or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability or an important loss of freedom