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Abnormal Psychology

Discussion Prompt: I’d like us to think about this- What isabnormal?

Consider the following situations. Is this behavior abnormal?Most people would consider at least some of the actions of thepeople involved to be abnormal. What do you think? Think about eachone. What questions would you need to be answered to determine ananswer (e.g., how old is this person?) Explain your reasoning foryour judgment. You will have to “dig” mentally to put some of thesereasons into words. Here are the situations:

1. Your uncle consumes a quart of whiskey per day; he hastrouble remembering the names of those around him.

2. Your grandmother believes that part of her body is missingand cries out about this missing part all day long. You show herthat the part she thinks is missing actually is not, but sherefuses to acknowledge this contradictory information.

3. Your neighbor has vague physical complaints and sees two orthree doctors weekly.

4. Your neighbor sweeps, washes, and scrubs his drivewaydaily.

5. Your cousin is pregnant and is dieting (800 calories per day)so that she will not get “too fat” with the pregnancy. She has hadthis type of behavioral response since she was 13 years old.

6. A woman’s husband dies within the past year. The widowappears to talk to herself in the yard, doesn’t wash herself ordress in clean clothes, and appears to have lost a lot ofweight.

7. A 10-year-old wants to have his entire body tattooed.

8. A 23-year-old female smokes marijuana every day is astraight-A student in college, has a successful job, and is in asolid long-term relationship.

9. A person experiences several unexpected panic attacks eachweek, but is otherwise happily married, functions well at work, andleads an active recreational lifestyle.

10. A 35-year-old happily married man enjoys wearing women’sclothes and underwear on the weekends when he and his wife go outon the town.