 | Term | Definition |
| |
abnormal behavior |
Behavior that causes people to experience distress and prevents them from functioning in their daily lives (37) |
| |
medical perspective |
The perspective that suggests that when an individual displays symptoms of abnormal behavior, the root cause will be found in a physical examination of the individual, which may reveal a hormonal imbalance, a chemical deficiency, or a brain injury (37) |
| |
psychoanalytic perspective |
The perspective that suggests that abnormal behavior stems from childhood conflicts over opposing wishes regarding sex and aggression (37) |
| |
behavioral perspective |
The perspective that looks at the behavior itself as the problem (37) |
| |
cognitive perspective |
The perspective that suggests that people's thoughts and beliefs are a central component of abnormal behavior (37) |
| |
humanistic perspective |
The perspective that emphasizes the responsibility that people have for their own behavior, even when such behavior is abnormal (37) |
| |
sociocultural perspective |
The perspective that makes the assumption that people's behavior—both normal and abnormal—is shaped by the kind of family group, society, and culture in which they live (37) |
| |
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV-TR) |
A system devised by the American Psychiatric Association used by most professionals to diagnose and classify abnormal behavior (37) |
| |
anxiety disorder |
The occurrence of anxiety without obvious external cause, affecting daily functioning (38) |
| |
phobias |
Intense, irrational fears of specific objects or situations (38) |
| |
panic disorder |
Anxiety that reveals itself in the form of panic attacks that last from a few seconds to as long as several hours (38) |
| |
generalized anxiety disorder |
The experience of long-term, persistent anxiety and worry (38) |
| |
obsessive-compulsive disorder |
A disorder characterized by obsessions or compulsions (38) |
| |
obsession |
A persistant, unwanted thought or idea that keeps recurring (38) |
| |
compulsion |
An irresistible urge to repeatedly carry out some act that seems strange and unreasonable (38) |
| |
somatoform disorder |
Psychological difficulties that take on a physical (somatic) form, but for which there is no medical cause (38) |
| |
hypochondriasis |
A disorder in which people have a constant fear of illness and a preoccupation with their health (38) |
| |
conversion disorder |
A major somatoform disorder that involves an actual physical disturbance, such as the inability to use a sensory organ or the complete or partial inability to move an arm or leg (38) |
| |
dissociative disorder |
Psychological dysfunctions characterized by the separation of critical personality facets that are normally integrated, allowing stress avoidance by escape (38) |
| |
dissociative identity disorder (or multiple personality) |
A disorder in which a person displays characteristics oftwo or more distinct personalities (38) |
| |
dissociative amnesia |
A disorder in which a significant, selective memory loss occurs (38) |
| |
dissociative fugue |
A form of amnesia in which the individual leaves home and sometimes assumes a new identity (38) |
| |
mood disorder |
An emotional disturbance that is strong enough to intrude on everyday living (38) |
| |
major depression |
A severe form of depression that interferes with concentration, decision making, and sociability (38) |
| |
mania |
An extended state of intense, wild elation (38) |
| |
bipolar disorder |
A disorder in which a person alternates between periods of euphoric feelings of mania and periods of depression (38) |
| |
schizophrenia |
A class of disorders in which severe distortion of reality occurs (38) |
| |
personality disorder |
A mental disorder characterized by a set of inflexible, maladaptive personality traits that keep a person from functioning properly in society (38) |
| |
antisocial personality disorder |
A disorder in which individuals tend to display no regard for the moral and ethical rules of society or the rights of others (38) |
| |
borderline personality disorder |
A disorder in which individuals have difficulty in developing a secure sense of who they are (38) |
| |
narcissistic personality disorder |
A personality disturbance which is characterized by an exaggerated sense of self-importance (38) |
| |
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) |
A learning disability marked by inattention, impulsiveness, a low tolerance for frustration, and a great deal of inappropriate activity (38) |
| |
amok |
Most common in: Malaysia (39) |
| |
anorexia nervosa |
Most common in: United States (39) |
| |
brain fag |
Most common in: West Africa (39) |
| |
catatonic schizophrenia |
Most common in: India (39) |
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