Factors for Abnormal Behavior. 
1. To what extent do biological, cognitive, and sociocultural factors influence abnormal behavior?
• Biological
• Genetic predisposition (e.g. depression, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa)
• Imbalance of neurotransmitters (anorexia nervosa and depression – serotonin, schizophrenia – depression
• Hormones (anorexia nervosa: cortisol, orexin)
• Cognitive
• Cognitive theorists believe that abnormality is caused by unrealistic, distorted or irrational understanding, perceptions and thoughts about oneself, others or the environment. Abnormal behavior is also caused by difficulty in controlling thought processes or using them to control actions
• A depressed mood can lead to depressed thoughts
• Depressed cognitions, cognitive distortions, and irrational beliefs produce disturbances in mood
• Sociocultural
• Members of society that break social and cultural norms are defined as abnormal
• Labeling people as abnormal establish clear norms of reality and appropriate behaviour (conformity)
• In order to keep their definition of reality, the family, general practitioners and psychiatrists conspire against the “insane” by imprisoning and degrading them as human beings
• Social identity theory: People who are not included in the in-group are defined as abnormal
• Abnormal behaviour violates moral or ideal standards or differs from commonly accepted beliefs or ways of thinking. It is a way to find a dispositional cause of disruptive behaviour instead of situational factors (fundamental attribution error). Instead of saying “evil”, “bad” or “crazy”, we say “anti-social personality disorder” or “schizophrenia”.
• What is abnormal in one culture (e.g. strange visions, speech and behaviour) might be regarded as special or sacred in another culture (e.g. shamanism)
• Supporting evidence
•Different countries have different tools for diagnosis (e.g. DSM IV-TR in United states, CCMD-3 in China)
•Homosexuality was considered to be abnormal until DSM-III (1980). It is still
• Biological
• Genetic predisposition (e.g. depression, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa)
• Imbalance of neurotransmitters (anorexia nervosa and depression – serotonin, schizophrenia – depression
• Hormones (anorexia nervosa: cortisol, orexin)
• Cognitive
• Cognitive theorists believe that abnormality is caused by unrealistic, distorted or irrational understanding, perceptions and thoughts about oneself, others or the environment. Abnormal behavior is also caused by difficulty in controlling thought processes or using them to control actions
• A depressed mood can lead to depressed thoughts
• Depressed cognitions, cognitive distortions, and irrational beliefs produce disturbances in mood
• Sociocultural
• Members of society that break social and cultural norms are defined as abnormal
• Labeling people as abnormal establish clear norms of reality and appropriate behaviour (conformity)
• In order to keep their definition of reality, the family, general practitioners and psychiatrists conspire against the “insane” by imprisoning and degrading them as human beings
• Social identity theory: People who are not included in the in-group are defined as abnormal
• Abnormal behaviour violates moral or ideal standards or differs from commonly accepted beliefs or ways of thinking. It is a way to find a dispositional cause of disruptive behaviour instead of situational factors (fundamental attribution error). Instead of saying “evil”, “bad” or “crazy”, we say “anti-social personality disorder” or “schizophrenia”.
• What is abnormal in one culture (e.g. strange visions, speech and behaviour) might be regarded as special or sacred in another culture (e.g. shamanism)
• Supporting evidence
•Different countries have different tools for diagnosis (e.g. DSM IV-TR in United states, CCMD-3 in China)
•Homosexuality was considered to be abnormal until DSM-III (1980). It is still