Defining Abnormality

Question 1

What are the 4 ways of defining abnormality

Answer 1

• deviation from social norms
• statistical infrequency
• failure to function adequately
• deviation from ideal mental health

Question 2

What is meant by statistical infrequency and what are it’s strengths and weaknesses

Answer 2

• being 2 standard deviations above or below average is abnormal and behaviour is statistically RARE

S = objective 
W = who decides on how rare something is

Question 3

What is meant by deviation from social norms and what are it’s strengths and weaknesses

Answer 3

Where behaviour is seen as abnormal if it deviates from what society consider acceptable and it disagrees with social norms

S= easy to see abnormal behaviour 
W= cultural relativism ( different cultures have different behaviours)

Question 4

What is meant by failure to function adequately and what are it’s strengths and weaknesses

Answer 4

When the way you are behaving is preventing you from acting independently you are not adequately functioning

S= takes into account others feelings 
W= subjective - based on opinion

Question 5

What is meant by deviation from ideal mental health and what are it’s strengths and weaknesses

Answer 5

Determining if the behaviour displayed is affecting mental health

S= only definition which defines normal
W= very subjective

Question 6

To what extent are the definitions of abnormality concidered ethnocentric

Answer 6

Different cultures there are different social norms and behaviours
Comes under deviation from social norms as it shows how some behaviours seen as abnormal and normal in different cultures

Question 7

Outline one historical view of mental health

Answer 7

Ancient Greece 800-700bc

Madness is a punishment of the gods, could be cured by balancing four humours