Psychopathology is the study of mental distress and disorders, as well as abnormal and maladaptive behavior. While this is the area that many people think of when they think of psychology, this is only a small area of study. The biggest question in this area of study is what is pathological, or abnormal, behavior that needs to be treated under clinical psychology.
EXAMPLE
If you saw somebody running down the street naked, you would probably classify this as abnormal. This would be an example of social nonconformity because most people don't behave that way.It's important to note a few points about this way of determining behavior:
EXAMPLE
During the early development of human beings, it was acceptable for them to run around naked. It was only later on in history that this became a faux pas.EXAMPLE
Within modern culture, there are times when it is considered acceptable to be naked in public, like on a nude beach.EXAMPLE
Certain kinds of nudity may not be acceptable in your respective culture, but within other cultures, it may be commonplace.It is important to keep these points in mind because behavior that is different doesn't necessarily mean it is bad or maladaptive.
The most important rule for determining whether something is psychopathological is to determine whether that behavior is maladaptive behavior. There are ways of thinking or acting that make it difficult for a person to adjust to the environment and new situations around them. Sometimes these people are not adaptable, and it makes day-to-day life very difficult for them.
It is important to note that as a result of this, often there can be negative effects or stigmas related to labeling people with certain kinds of mental disorders. Determining these diagnoses isn't something that is done lightly within psychology.
One scenario in which public nudity as a behavior could be maladaptive would be if someone is running through the streets naked. They could suffer physical harm if it incites someone to attack them, and they could suffer social problems as well that could impact their daily life.
It is not easy to determine what is abnormal or what constitutes a mental illness within psychology. Serious mistakes within the field of psychology have been made in the past.
EXAMPLE
In the DSM-III, the manual that outlines and defines mental illnesses for psychology, homosexuality was originally considered to be a mental illness. It wasn't until the 1970s that it was finally removed and considered not to be psychopathological.Insanity is a legal term, not a psychological or medical term. It determines whether a person is fit to stand trial and to be held responsible for their actions in relation to a crime.
When people use insanity as a defense, they are saying that they are not guilty of a crime because they weren't in a mental state where they were responsible for their actions. This is not a term that is generally relied on within psychology.
EXAMPLE
Temporary insanity refers to when a person is so angry at the sight of something that they are not responsible for their actions at that time.Source: This work is adapted from Sophia Author Erick Taggart.
