Six Core Concepts in Abnormal Psychology

**What six core concepts continue to shape the field of abnormal psychology?  What is the purpose of these concepts?  What role do they play in abnormal psychology?**

There are six core concepts that continue to shape the field of abnormal psychology. The six core concepts are tools that aid us in the field of abnormal psychology by helping us to answer questions about behavior and the person performing the behavior.  These concepts help us to explore and answer questions such as how we decide who is abnormal, the kind of abnormality, causes, and treatments.  According to Hansell and Damour, the six core concepts are:

-         The importance of context in defining and understanding abnormality.

-          The continuum between normal and abnormal behavior.

-          Cultural and historical relativism in defining and classifying abnormality.

-          The advantages and limitations of diagnosis.

-          The principle of mutual causality.

-           The connection between time and body. (Hansell & Damour, 2008, p. 5)

These concepts help the psychologist to understand the differences between what is “normal” and “abnormal”. Without this, there would be no guide to help discover the abnormality of a behavior or person.

Hansell, J., & Damour, L. (2008). Abnormal Psychology (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.