| Term | Definition |
| Typical behaviour | An activity that is consistent with how an individual usually behaves. |
| Atypical behaviour | An activity that is unusual or unnatural according to how an individual usually behaves. |
| Factors to determine typical and atypical behaviour | -Cultural perspectives
-Social norms
-Statistical reasoning
-Personal distress
-Maladaptive behaviour |
| Cultural perspectives | The influence of society and community on one’s thoughts and behaviour. |
| Social norms | Society’s unofficial rules and expectations regarding how individuals should act. |
| Statistical rarity | Something that lies outside the range of statistical normality and is also unusual enough to be considered significant. |
| Personal distress | A negative and self oriented emotional reaction. |
| Maladaptive behaviour | An action that impairs an individuals ability to meet the changing demands of their everyday life. |
| Normality/normal | The state of having thoughts, feelings and behaviours considered common and acceptable.
-‘normal’ in context
-should allow a person to function independently on a day-today basis as expected for their age
-should not be distressing or self-defeating |
| Abnormality/abnormal. | The state of deviating from the norm, usually in an undesirable way.
-not being able to function independently on a day-to-day basis, as expected for their age
-behaviour is personally distressing or self-defeating |
| Socio-cultural approach | People perceive things as normal according to a particular set of codes relating to the social and cultural context that they are a part of.
eg. in some cultures it would be normal to bury the deceased, whereas in other cultures this would be abnormal |
| The functional approach | People are considered normal if their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours allow them to cope with the demands of everyday life.
eg. a person being able to feed and clothe themselves so they could work would be considered normal |
| The historical approach | What people perceive as normal, changes throughout different historical periods.
eg. in the current time period it wouldn’t be normal to take a horse and a carriage to get your groceries but it would be normal in the 1800s |
| The situational approach | Normality is based on what is acceptable in different contexts.
eg. tackling someone at a workplace compared to a contact sports game may be considered abnormal |
| The statistical approach | Normality is based on how the majority of people think, feelings and and behave.
eg. it is normal to laugh when tickled because the majority of people do |
| The medical approach | Normality based on the biological factors of mental illness, which may be include genetic inheritance, linked physical ailments, infections and chemical abnormalities. |
| Neurotypicality/neurotypical | A term used to describe individuals who display expected neurological and cognitive functioning . |
| Neurodiversity/neurodiverse | Variations in neurological development and functioning such as those experienced by individuals with Autism or ADHD. |
| Neurotypical | Is a term used to describe expected development. It exists on a continuum with neurodiverse. |
| Adaptive | Being able to adjust to the environment appropriately and function effectively while meeting the changing demands of everyday life.
eg. being quiet in a library but cheering at a sports game |
| Maladaptive | Being unable to adjust to the environment appropriately and function effectively while meeting the changing demands of everyday life. |
| Adaptive development | Another way of considering what is ‘normal’ by considering what may be adaptive or maladaptive for an individual. |
| Neurodivergent | individuals who have a variation in neurological development and functioning |
| Autism | A neurodevelopment condition characterised by impaired social interactions, verbal and non-verbal communication difficulties, narrow interests, and repetitive behaviour. |
| Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) | A neurological condition characterised by persistent innatention or hyper activity that disrupts social, academic, or occupational functioning. |
| Dyslexia | A neurologically based learning difficulty manifested as severe challenges in reading, spelling and sometimes in arithmetic. |
| psychiatrist | a doctor who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of mental, behavioural and personality disorders. |
| psychologist | an individual who is professionally trained in one or more branches of psychology. |
| mental health workers | members of a mental health treatment team who assist in providing a wide range of services and care for patients with psychological or social problems. |
| mental health organisation | a company or group that works to address or advocate for mental health, such as through providing support or specialised services. |
| culturally responsive practices | Acting in a way that responds to the needs of diverse communities and demonstrating an openess to new ideas that may align with different cultural beliefs. |
| advantages of using cultural perspectives and social norms to categorise typical and atypical behaviour | -enables different cultural contexts to be taken into account
-acts as a baseline for what is typical in a given social context |
| limitations of using cultural perspectives and social norms to categorise typical and atypical behaviour | -cultural perspectives can allow for a collective evaluation of a behaviour rather than an individual evaluation
-in a multicultural society, different cultural norms can influence behaviours
-social norms are more situational |
| advantages of using statistical rarity to categorise typical and atypical behaviour | -provides an objective perspective, allowing for a more accurate way to categorise behaviours as typical or atypical |
| limitations of using statistical rarity to categorise typical and atypical behaviour | -not all statistical rarities are damaging or negative, making it a less helpful measure |
| advantages of using personal distress and maladaptive behaviour to categorise atypical and typical behaviour | -can be used when cultural, social, or statistical measures are not applicable or appropriate
-can be quite visible
-considers the consequences of behaviour |
| limitations of using personal distress and maladaptive behaviour to categorise atypical and typical behaviour | -some individuals may conceal personal distress, making it difficult to identify atypical behaviours
-what is considered maladaptive can be subjective |
| characteristics of a neurotypical individual | -good communication skills
-can focus for prolonged periods
-able to function independently on distracting environments without sensory overload
-able to adapt to changes in routine |
| characteristics of a neurodivergent individual | -easier to express themselves through creativity
-cant really focus for extended periods, but is very detail focused
-tends to observe what happens around them and, as a result, may get distracted
-difficulty in adapting to change especially if sudden |
| autism spectrum disorder (ASD) brain structure/function | -bigger brain volume as child; but, brain volumes becomes equal after adolescence
-thin temporal cortex- processing sounds and speech
-thick frontal cortext- complex social + cognitive processes
-small internal structures- amygdala- processing emotions |
| autism spectrum disorder (ASD) strengths | -great attention to detail
-great retention of facts
-high motivation & enthusiasm in activities of interest
-high accuracy in various tasks
-innovative approaches to problem-solving
-accurately follow instructions
-can offer unique insights |
| autism spectrum disorder (ASD) challenges | -unable to make or keep eye contact
-unable to read facial expressions&recognise ppls emotions
-stressed by minor changes to routine
-obsessive singular interests
-delayed language skills
-delayed movement skills
-delayed cognitive/learning skills |
| autism spectrum disorder (ASD) management | -educational&developmental therapy
-behavioural therapy
-speech, language, and occupational therapy
-medication (help mental health issues- anxiety medication
to calm worries/fears)
-psychotherapy (increase or build upon their strengths) |
| attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) brain structure/function | -hyperactivity&hypoactivity in brain parts: mess brains ability to meet cognitive needs of a task.
-small amygdala&hippocampus- emotional&motivation
-slow maturation-cerebral cortex- cognitive&attention
-fast maturation-motor cortex- restless,fidgeting |
| attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) strengths | -hyper-focusing on a particular task
of interest
-creative approaches to various tasks
-enthusiasm in what they do
-finding innovative ways to complete a task |
| attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) challenges | -time management
-Staying concentrated
-Staying on topic
-acting with rationality
-articulating feelings
-impulsivity |
| attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) management | - medication for focus
- therapy for daily challenges, time management, and planning
- behavioural strategies: declutter, set zones, use a planner, and work in small steps to stay organised and avoid overwhelmed |
| dyslexia brain structure/function | -less grey matter affects reading, speech, and spelling.
-weaker white matter slows reading.
-hypoactive brain regions hinder symbol-sound recognition.
-reduced neuroplasticity in the left hemisphere affects language and reading |
| dyslexia strengths | -strong memory
-puzzle-solving skills
-spatial awareness
-initiating conversation
-problem-solving
-big-picture thinking
-narrative reasoning (visualizing key ideas)
-3D thinking |
| dyslexia challenges | -difficulty with reading and writing
-slower learning
-trouble forming words (reversing sounds, confusing similar words)
-struggles with jokes and expressions
-low confidence in reading/writing tasks
-fear of falling behind |
| dyslexia management | -learning through audio/video recordings
-assistive tech for text-to-speech
-tech tools for writing (word processors, organizers)
-occupational therapy for workplace strategies |
| cross cultural perspectives | -mental disorders and distress vary across cultures
-help-seeking is influenced by social and cultural contexts
-culturally responsive practices:
—listening to communities
—acknowledging differences
—finding priorities
—targeting universal goals |
| cultural humility | -cultural humility means listening and learning from lived experiences
-moves beyond cultural sensitivity, addressing power imbalances
involves:
-lifelong self-reflection
-challenging power imbalances
-building community partnerships |
| cultural safety | it recognises power imbalances in mental health services, esp for diverse groups
practices include:
-avoiding cultural imposition
-encouraging communication and respect
-involving trusted family/friends
-acknowledging powerlessness and harm |
| differences and similarities between psychologist and psychiatrist | similarities:
-both can diagnose
-both work in similar areas
differences:
-only psychiatrist can prescribe medicine
-psychiatrist did medical degree while psychologist didn’t |
