Page 1 of 230
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY —
BASED ON HOOLEY, BUTCHER,
NOCK & MINEKA (17TH EDITION)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Section | Title | Page |
|---------|-------|------|
| | Table of Contents | 1 |
| | Question Bank | 2|
QUESTION BANK
CHAPTER 1: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY — OVERVIEW AND RESEARCH APPROACHES
Question 1
Topic: Defining Abnormality
Learning Objective: Identify the key criteria used to define abnormal behavior
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Difficulty: Easy
**Question:** Which of the following is NOT one of the primary criteria used to define
psychological abnormality?
A. Personal distress
B. Violation of social norms
C. Statistical rarity
D. Physical attractiveness
Correct answer: D. Physical attractiveness
Detailed rationale: The primary criteria for defining abnormality include personal distress
(suffering experienced by the individual), violation of social norms (behaviors that deviate from
cultural expectations), statistical rarity (behaviors that are infrequent in the population), and
disability/dysfunction (impairment in daily functioning). Physical attractiveness is not a criterion
for defining abnormality; it is a social judgment unrelated to psychopathology. The Correct
answer is D because it is the only option that does not represent an established criterion for
defining abnormal behavior.
Why the other options are incorrect:
- **A:** Personal distress is a valid criterion—many psychological disorders involve significant
emotional suffering.
- **B:** Violation of social norms is a valid criterion—behaviors that deviate markedly from
cultural expectations may be considered abnormal.
- **C:** Statistical rarity is a valid criterion—behaviors that are infrequent in the population
may be considered abnormal, though rarity alone is insufficient.
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Exam tip: Remember the acronym "D-D-S-N" (Distress, Dysfunction, Social norms violation,
Statistical rarity) to recall the four primary criteria for defining abnormality.
---
**Question 2**
**Topic:** Research Methods in Abnormal Psychology
**Learning Objective:** Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs
**Difficulty:** Moderate
**Question:** A researcher wants to determine whether a new cognitive-behavioral therapy
reduces symptoms of depression. Participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment
group or a waitlist control group. This study design is BEST described as:
A. Correlational
B. Experimental
C. Case study
D. Naturalistic observation
**Correct answer:** B. Experimental
**Detailed rationale:** This is an experimental design because the researcher manipulates an
independent variable (therapy vs. control) and randomly assigns participants to conditions.
Random assignment helps control for confounding variables and allows for causal inferences. In
abnormal psychology, experimental designs are powerful but often limited by ethical
constraints.
**Why the other options are incorrect:**
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- **A:** Correlational studies examine relationships between variables without manipulation;
they do not establish causation.
- **C:** Case studies involve in-depth examination of a single individual and cannot establish
causal relationships.
- **D:** Naturalistic observation involves observing behavior in natural settings without
intervention.
**Exam tip:** Look for "random assignment" as the key indicator of an experimental design.
Without random assignment, it is a quasi-experimental or correlational design.
---
**Question 3**
**Topic:** Research Ethics
**Learning Objective:** Apply ethical principles to research in abnormal psychology
**Difficulty:** Difficult
**Question:** A clinical researcher is conducting a study on the effectiveness of a new
antidepressant. During the study, a participant reports significant suicidal ideation. According to
ethical guidelines in abnormal psychology research, the researcher's FIRST obligation is to:
A. Continue the study to maintain scientific integrity
B. Inform the participant's family immediately
C. Ensure the participant's safety and provide appropriate referrals
D. Remove the participant from the study without explanation
**Correct answer:** C. Ensure the participant's safety and provide appropriate referrals
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY —
BASED ON HOOLEY, BUTCHER,
NOCK & MINEKA (17TH EDITION)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Section | Title | Page |
|---------|-------|------|
| | Table of Contents | 1 |
| | Question Bank | 2|
QUESTION BANK
CHAPTER 1: ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY — OVERVIEW AND RESEARCH APPROACHES
Question 1
Topic: Defining Abnormality
Learning Objective: Identify the key criteria used to define abnormal behavior
,Page 2 of 230
Difficulty: Easy
**Question:** Which of the following is NOT one of the primary criteria used to define
psychological abnormality?
A. Personal distress
B. Violation of social norms
C. Statistical rarity
D. Physical attractiveness
Correct answer: D. Physical attractiveness
Detailed rationale: The primary criteria for defining abnormality include personal distress
(suffering experienced by the individual), violation of social norms (behaviors that deviate from
cultural expectations), statistical rarity (behaviors that are infrequent in the population), and
disability/dysfunction (impairment in daily functioning). Physical attractiveness is not a criterion
for defining abnormality; it is a social judgment unrelated to psychopathology. The Correct
answer is D because it is the only option that does not represent an established criterion for
defining abnormal behavior.
Why the other options are incorrect:
- **A:** Personal distress is a valid criterion—many psychological disorders involve significant
emotional suffering.
- **B:** Violation of social norms is a valid criterion—behaviors that deviate markedly from
cultural expectations may be considered abnormal.
- **C:** Statistical rarity is a valid criterion—behaviors that are infrequent in the population
may be considered abnormal, though rarity alone is insufficient.
,Page 3 of 230
Exam tip: Remember the acronym "D-D-S-N" (Distress, Dysfunction, Social norms violation,
Statistical rarity) to recall the four primary criteria for defining abnormality.
---
**Question 2**
**Topic:** Research Methods in Abnormal Psychology
**Learning Objective:** Distinguish between correlational and experimental research designs
**Difficulty:** Moderate
**Question:** A researcher wants to determine whether a new cognitive-behavioral therapy
reduces symptoms of depression. Participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment
group or a waitlist control group. This study design is BEST described as:
A. Correlational
B. Experimental
C. Case study
D. Naturalistic observation
**Correct answer:** B. Experimental
**Detailed rationale:** This is an experimental design because the researcher manipulates an
independent variable (therapy vs. control) and randomly assigns participants to conditions.
Random assignment helps control for confounding variables and allows for causal inferences. In
abnormal psychology, experimental designs are powerful but often limited by ethical
constraints.
**Why the other options are incorrect:**
, Page 4 of 230
- **A:** Correlational studies examine relationships between variables without manipulation;
they do not establish causation.
- **C:** Case studies involve in-depth examination of a single individual and cannot establish
causal relationships.
- **D:** Naturalistic observation involves observing behavior in natural settings without
intervention.
**Exam tip:** Look for "random assignment" as the key indicator of an experimental design.
Without random assignment, it is a quasi-experimental or correlational design.
---
**Question 3**
**Topic:** Research Ethics
**Learning Objective:** Apply ethical principles to research in abnormal psychology
**Difficulty:** Difficult
**Question:** A clinical researcher is conducting a study on the effectiveness of a new
antidepressant. During the study, a participant reports significant suicidal ideation. According to
ethical guidelines in abnormal psychology research, the researcher's FIRST obligation is to:
A. Continue the study to maintain scientific integrity
B. Inform the participant's family immediately
C. Ensure the participant's safety and provide appropriate referrals
D. Remove the participant from the study without explanation
**Correct answer:** C. Ensure the participant's safety and provide appropriate referrals
