Question

How do psychologists/psychiatrists know if a behavior is normal or abnormal? What methods do they use to diagnose such behaviors? Explain.

Answer 1

Abnormal behaviour is a challenging construct to define and has been a matter of debate for centuries. However, psychologists and psychiatrists often conceptualise abnormal behaviour in terms of whether or not it meets the four ‘D’s’ of diagnosis:

1. Deviance: The behaviour should differ markedly from expected patterns of behaviour in the population.
2. Dysfunction: The dysfunction caused by the behaviour must be significant enough to interfere in the individual’s life in some major way.
3. Distress: The behaviour leads to a subjective and intense experience of distress.
4. Danger: The behaviour can potentially pose a threat to the safety oneself and to others.