Abnormal psychology is the scientific study of
abnormal behavior in order to describe, predict, explain, and change abnormal patterns of functioning. Abnormal
psychology in
clinical psychology studies the nature of
psychopathology, its causes, and its treatments. Of course, the definition of what constitutes 'abnormal' has varied across time and across cultures. Individuals also vary in what they regard as
normal or abnormal
behavior. In general, abnormal psychology can be described as an area of psychology that studies people who are consistently unable to adapt and function effectively in a variety of conditions. The four main contributing factors to how well an individual is able to adapt include their
genetic makeup, physical condition,
learning and
reasoning, and
socialization.
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