Definitions Flashcards
Abnormality
Difficult to define
- Roseham & Seligum 1995
Normality is the a sense of abnormality
The deviation from social norms
When someone doesn’t conform/ goes against social norms
Norms > unwritten rules for acceptable behaviour
Deviation of social norms
EVALUATION
+ distinguishes between normal/abnormal
+social dimension
- subjective view on norms
- changes over time
- individualism
- cultural differences.
Failure to function adequately
When individuals cannot cope with every day life
Discomfort, maladaptive behaviour, irrationality
Failure to function adequately
EVALUATION
+ matches suffered perceptions
+ observable behaviour
- normal abnormality
- cultural differences
- distress to others (not the sufferer)
- abnormality doesn’t always mean disjunction (HAROLD SHIPMAN > doctor killed 215 patients)
Deviation from the ideal mental health
Measured similarly to physical health
Looks for absence of wellbeing
MARIE JOHDA (1958) came up with a concept of ideal mental health.
- self actualism (motivated to achieve)
- autonomy
Accurate perception of reality.
Deviation from ideal mental health
EVALUATION
+ targets areas of dysfunction
+ holistic (considers whole person)
- over- demanding criteria (do not meet ideals)
- contextual effects
- cultural differences (some do not like autonomy)
The statistical infrequency definition
Behaviours that are statistically rare ahold be seen as abnormal
(Standard deviation)
Individuals who fall outside the ‘normal distribution’ are abnormal
Statistical infrequency
EVALUATION
+ objective
+ based on real data
- not all infrequent behaviours are abnormal (intelligence) vice versa ( stress)
- ## cultural factors (doesn’t represent others)
Phobias
Anxiety disorder
Natural response to potential harm
Usually originates in childhood
Phobias
Behavioural
Avoidant behaviour
Disruption of functioning (continuously turning off things etc)
Phobias
Emotional
Excessive fear
Anxiety (fear of exposure to stimuli).
Phobias
Cognitive
Recognition of exaggerated anxiety
Sub types
Simple > situational phobias
Social > generalised phobias
Phobias Agoraphobia > fear of leaving home
Explaining phobias
BEHAVIOURAL APPROACH
Little Albert study > WATSON 1920
The two process model
Classical conditioning (associating)
Operant conditioning (reinforcing)
