Abnormal psychology

Abnormal psychology.

focuses on unusual patterns of behaviaur, emotion, and thought, often in the context of mental illness or disorder. Abnormal psychologists are interested in both adaptive

behaviour - or adjusting one’s behaviour in socially accepted, healthy ways – and maladaptive behaviour - which results in dysfunctional or non-productive or even counter-productive outcomes. Generally speaking, this approach is often associated with a clinical context. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is the authoritative guide on disorders. Do you think our perception of what is abnormal Stays the same or changes? How might an identification of a disorder be a controversial issue? For more information, consult the

Canadian Mental Health Association.

Developmental

psychology.

seeks to explain how and why human beings change over the course of their the lifespans.

Often defined by stages of development, this approach uses the context of patterns of growth, both biological and psychological, and common situational experiences at certain ages or stages to help understand how thinking, feeling, and behaviour change throughout a person's life. The Canadian

Psychology Association invites students to contribute their ideas to the field of psychology.