Abnormality Flashcards
Deviation from social norms
Deviation from social norms refers to deviant behaviour e.g. antisocial behaviour
-politness
-sexual behaviour
The DSM contains and scheme of ‘sexual and gender disorders’
Failure to Function
Not being able to cope e.g. not going to work, being late, not eating, not washing. You stop being able to function in daily life
e.g. Depression prevents some from getting out of bed.
Deviation from Ideal Mental Health
Jahoda (1958) points out physical illness is defined in part by the absence of signs of physical health. She applied this to mental health. 1 positive self attitude 2 resistance to stress 3 self actualisation 4 personal autonomy 5 accurate perception of reality 6 adaption to the environment
limitations of Deviaton from social norms
- The main difficulty with the concept of social norms, is that it varies as time change e.g. homosexuality was illegal in 1970
It is based on prevailing social attitudes
Szasz (1974) argues it is simply a way to keep non- conformists out of society
-It is based on context e.g. bikinis on a beach ore ok, but not in a shopping center. There is not a clear line in some cases between mental disorders and eccentricity e.g. being rude is deviant but not a sign you are mentally ill unless its pathological. this means devience alone is not a complete definition, because its flexible
- Norms are defined by cultures. this means a diagnosis will be different for the some person in two cultures. The DSM acknowledges this fact and includes a glossary that describes patterns of behaviours and syndrome that occur in certain areas (culture bound syndromes).
This means there are no universal standards/ rules for labelling behaviour as abnormal
Limitations in Failure to Function.
- Who does the judging? the individual who suffers may determine their behaviour is undesirablie. however in some cases this is impossible e.g. SZ
- Could be adaptive not maladaptive e.g. eating disorderd may get attention. Transvestitism is defined as a failure to function adequately.
- Culture - Af Ams x2 as likely to be diagnosed as Sz.
Limitations in Deviation from ideal mental health
- It is difficult to meet all of the criteria e.g. resistance to stress. How many need to be lacking before a person would be judged as abnormal.
- Giving mental health criteria likens it to a physical illness as they have symptoms (fever/pain). this means they have a physical cause, and although some problems do have a cause most do not. Therefore we cannot diagnose mental abnormality in the same way we do physical illness.
- Culture based- self actualisation is for individualist cultures.
Studies for definitions of abnormality
- Cohen
- Rosenham
Biological approach
- Brain Damage: physical structure and functioning. caused by accidents, drugs, alcohol, birth etc. e.g. enlarged ventricles and korsakoffs syndrome.
- Infection: in particular in utero illnesses. Brown liked early pregnancy in the first trimester to Sz. The virus remains dormant in the brain until puberty when hormones activate it.
- Biochemistry: neurotransmitters out of balance e.g. increased serotonin = anxiety and too much cortisol = depression
- Genes: genetic inheritence or disposition. e.g. 1st degree relatives have a 10% chance of passing on Sz.
Evaluate the biological approach
Mann PET scans
Gottesman
Drugs
compare to behavioural approach.
Biological therapies
DRUGS:
conventional drugs reduce the effects of dopamine, reducing the positive symptoms. they are antagonists, as they bind to dopamine receptors but do not stimulate them. chloropromazine
Atypical drugs act on dopamine and serotnin, reducing both positive and negative symptoms. they help by only temporarily occupying the D2 receptors and then repidly dissociate to allow normal transmissions. Clozapine
ECT
AN electric shocked is passed between two scalp electrodes to induces seizures. One is placed on the non dominant side of the brain and the other in the middle. The ptient receives a barbituate so that they are unconcious and a nerve blocking agent to paralyse them. Seizure last up to 1 minute and receive 3-15 treatments.
Evaluate biological therapies
Davis lowers relapse rates when compared to a placebo
Vaughn and Leff found they reduce relapse rates with high EE
Hill Tardive Dyskinesia 30% 75%
Ross and Read states it reduces motivation
Read ECT side effects
Sackheim 84% relapse after ECT within 6 months
Psychodynamic approach
mental disorders originate in the unresolved conflicts of childhood. they are not physical disorders, but psychological.
Conflicts between the id, ego and superego creates anxiety and the ego protects itself with defense mechanisms such as regression, sublmation.
In childhood the ego is not developed enough to deal with traumas and therefore they are repressed. this effects later life e.g. depression.
-Little Hans
Evaluate the psycholdynamic approach
- Abstract
- Sexism
- Lack of research evidence
behavioural approach
Abnormal behaviour are learnt through classical and operant conditioning. all behaviour is determined by external events. Abnormal behaviour is no different from normal behaviour in the way hat it i slearnt. Learning Theory is used to explain disorders for which the characteristics are behavioural e.g. anacrophobia avoidance (external) and fear (internal).
Learning environments may reinforce problematic behaviours e.g. children may take drugs if they think it will bring reward (social approval)
-Little Albert
-Minneka
Evaluate the behavioural approach
- evolution
- biological approach
- symptom not cause
