Orianda Rodriguez
July 01, 2025
PSY 215 Module One Milestone Template
Using this template, respond to the below prompts, which focus on deconstructing the stigma
associated with abnormal behavior. Support your position with a minimum of 3 to 5 sentences
per bullet, using credible sources. Complete this template by replacing the bracketed text with
the relevant information.
● Often, a person describes an abnormal behavior as weird—a term that can elicit a range
of emotional responses (e.g., fear, anger, guilt, curiosity, withdrawal, compassion).
Describe a common psychological reaction that a person might have after hearing this
description of the behavior of another person.
A person may feel anger, embarrassment, or want to run away after hearing themselves
described as weird. It may affect a person's sense of belonging, making them feel different from
others. It can trigger trauma depending on the person's past experiences, affecting the person's
behavior and future behaviors.
● Describe why witnessing an abnormal behavior may cause a person to experience
psychological discomfort.
Experiencing an abnormal behavior can cause distress because it results in anxiety, unease,
and overall discomfort. If you are exposed to a behavior that you feel is strange/deviant, it is
only human to become tense or feel threatened. According to the text, “a behavior is most likely
to be viewed as deviant when it violates the standards of society and is statistically unusual or
rare”(Hooley, 2024, p.5). Meaning that any behavior that may go against social norms can be
seen as abnormal. Those “abnormal” behaviors can create a great deal of negative emotions in
one's psyche because they create social discomfort.
● Describe the feelings a person may experience when witnessing a behavior that
deviates from the norm.
Depending on the individual, there are multiple ways a person may feel,
experiencing/witnessing a behavior that deviates from the norm. Some of the more obvious
ones would be shock, embarrassment, anger, and anxiety. It would vary depending on the
individual's personal beliefs about behavior. This is common with cultural behaviors and
customs. Someone who was born in the United States may view another country's
practices/customs as abnormal.
● Ironically, it is normal to perceive abnormal behavior as atypical, uncomfortable, or
strange. However, the labels that we use to describe abnormal behavior could contribute
to its stigma. In your own words, describe how abnormalities in the mind are not really
different from other physical or biological abnormalities.
Abnormalities in the mind are no different than those that are physical because they both affect
the person experiencing them long-term. Often, because mental health is not something you
can physically see, people downplay its severity. They both interfere with the person's personal
life and ability to complete daily tasks.
References:
Hooley, J. M., & Nock, M. K. (2024). Psychopathology (19th ed.). Pearson Education
(US). https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9780138054212
