Part II: First, what is your own conceptual model of abnormality? That is, when you think about abnormality, what do you think causes it? Unconscious factors? Biology? Learning? The environment? Some combination? Explore these ideas and tell the class what you’re thinking.

This part of your post must also end with a “Question to the Class” – something related to the topic that you found thought-provoking and about which you’d like to know more and have further dialog.

Response #1

My name is Ciera, and Im 22 years old currently enlisted in the. U.S Army. I’ve been active for the past year and I joined to have access to the benefits to complete my degree. Im looking to complete my PhD in psychology, thats my primary goal, and to specialize in mental disorders diagnosing and treating patients to reach their most potential state of mind. I think being mentally healthy is just as important as being physically healthy and medically. I started my bachelors degree at University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, where I took a break from pursing my dream as a clinical psychologist to enlist in the U.S Army to have better financial resources provided for my education. My interest in this class is to learn the basics of psychopathology and the disorders associated with this subfield, learning how to understand individuals and why they do the things they do. Taking this course will help me learn more about abnormality and It can be beneficial in the future as a psychologist working with individuals with all kinds of mental disorders.

My own conceptual model of abnormality would be someone with a troubled or unusual childhood that affected them to be the way that they are in current life. The way that child was raised, and the people they was surrounded by all their lives could have major affect on their behavior when fully developed. For instance if they experience neglect or child abuse, or if they with abandoned and sent into foster care, or surrounded by bad influences, drugs, or experienced a trauma. However I do believe the possible causes of abnormality could be biological as well as learned, or from the environment. Someone could be born with abnormal genes, or exposed to certain environments that trigger psychological abnormalities. My question to the class is what do you think the world think and feel about someone with abnormal qualities? How are they seen as individuals to the those who are considered “normal”?

Response #2

I am Celia. I live in Salt Lake City, Utah with my husband, two kids, two huskies, cat, and our bun in the oven (Due April). I am working on my bachelor’s degree in psychology, almost done! This is a required course, but I am very excited to take it. I believe many of us become interested in psychology due to mental illness. From there, our interests evolve as we learn more. I have always been interested in psychology since high school. After being in the finance industry for 12 years, I finally took the steps to pursue my degree. I remember looking at my academic schedule when I first started thinking how I was going to accomplish it. Now, I am graduating in May and I look back on all of the things I have learned and will continue to learn. It has been the best decision I ever made for myself.

Abnormality is behavior that is out side of societal norm. I say societal because each culture will have their own set of guidelines according to their culture. What’s normal in one culture will be abnormal in another culture. In the lesson, it states mental function can be studied as categories or as a function, on a spectrum. Mental health and function can be hard to diagnose and treat due to the many different factors that can create the mental dysfunction. I believe both genetics and environment contribute to abnormalities. If a person experiences toxic stress and or trauma as a child associated with abuse and neglect, this can create abnormalities in their development. However, other children who may be raised in a similar environment may not suffer any abnormalities. What type of abnormalities can form in development due to toxic stress and trauma.

I am looking forward to this class and all that we will learn.

Celia

Response#3

Hello there, my name is Paige DeLuca and after taking a year break I am back in school! To be totally honest I am a little nervous and everything is updated so I am trying to get back into the swing of things. I little about me, I am married and we have two beautiful children who are five and one years old. I am a stay-at-home mom who is working towards my bachelor’s degree in psychology. I am currently taking this class and one other before I take my final class for the program. After graduation I intend to start working towards my master’s degree here online. For this class my first goal would be to fully understand the full meaning of what psychopathology is. My second goal would be to gain that knowledge and be able to apply it in my own life to better help understand other individuals. My final goal for this class honestly would be to have fun learning and do well!

When I think of abnormal psychology in a person, I immediately think of someone’s childhood. My belief is that genetics and the environment that we are raised in is a direct result of the person we become when we get older. This mental illness could come in the form of psychological, genetic, or social. Your predisposition of genetics will either increase or decrease your chances of having a mental illness depending on the surrounding environment. My question to the class would be, how do you feel that mental illness is handled in our country today?

-Paige