abnormal psychology

American  

noun

1. the branch of psychology that deals with modes of behavior, mental phenomena, etc., that deviate markedly from the standards believed to characterize a well-adjusted personality.

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abnormal psychology British  

noun

1. the study of behaviour patterns that diverge widely from generally accepted norms, esp those of a pathological nature

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Etymology

Origin of abnormal psychology

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

If you want to understand his psychology, you need to start by taking a book on abnormal psychology off the shelf and reading it.

From Salon • Jul. 27, 2023

This semester includes an abnormal psychology class, and his training routine is executed alone, often with coach Rafael Arutunian watching on FaceTime … 3,000 miles away in southern California.

From The Guardian • Mar. 29, 2019

I started to think of these diagnoses as things that weren’t as cut and dry as I had learned about in abnormal psychology class as an undergraduate.

From The Verge • Feb. 11, 2019

The couple met in the fall semester of the bride’s final year of college, in 2012, in the abnormal psychology class both were taking.

From New York Times • Sep. 30, 2018

The notion of studying German or abnormal psychology flitted through my head.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath