definitions of abnormality(1) Flashcards
what are the definitons of abnormality?
-statistical infrequency(SI)
-failure to function adequately(FFA)
-deviation from social norms(DSN)
-deviaiton from ideal mental health(DIMH)
things to consider with abnormality?
1.culture
-certain cultute have diff norms
-if behavior is culturally relative it cant be universal or common for all
2.context
-depend on situation or surroundings
3.time
-as history changes things become accpeted/ unaccepted e.g homosexuality, women rights
how are psychological disorders diagnosed?
-DSM-5 book with all disorders with symptoms asscoiated
-for doctors to decide what behaviours meet criteria
what was rosenhans experiment?
-see wether psychiatrists could tell difference between sane and insane
-field exp
-8 sane people claim they heard voices e.g ‘empty’ and ‘thud’
-said to have schizophrenia
-discharged with ‘schizophrenia in remission’
what does normal distribution look like?
-bell shape curve
-mean, mode, median in middle
-symmetrical
-dispersion either side is consistent
-most ppl near or on mean whilst gradually other decline away
what seen as abnormal on a graph?
-2SD points above or below mean
-usually approx 5% of population
abnormality and statistical infrequency?
-abnormal behaviour is statistically rare
-focus on number of people showing the bahviour rather than the accpetbality(DSN) or imapact it has on daily life(FFA) or overall happiness (DIMH)
-no judgement about quality of life or nature of mental disorders
strenghts of definitons of abnormality?
prt1
(benefit from label)
-benefit as being classed as abnormal
-someone with very low IQ can acess support or someone w high BDI can benefit from therapy
-HOWEVER those who can cope with their conditon may not benefit having a label
limitations prt1
(traits)
Doesn’t differentiate between desirable and undesirable traits.
Some rare traits (e.g., high IQ) are positive, while others may indicate a disorder.
what are social norms?
-rules that society has about behaviours,values and beliefs are acceptable
-every society sets up rules for behaviour based on a set of moral standards
-anyone who deviates is considered abnormal
what is unacceptable behaviour?
(explicit rules?)
-spoken/writtem and policed by laws e.g murder, robbery
-others unspoken/written e.g be polite
implicit rules?
-e.g not laughing at a funeral is a implicit social rule but causing disorder in public is both deviaiton from social norms and againist the law
Norms?
-vary overtime based on social attitudes
-behaviour that was normal in the past may be abnormal today vice versa.
what can deviate from social norms?
-appearance
-speech
-attitudes
-values
-behavior
what is DSN (deviation from social norms)?
-unwritten rules that society outlines expected standards and behavior
-person may think/behave in a way that violates expectations
-whats acceptable is the ‘norm’
-norms are culturally relative(very few behaviors are actually universally abnormal)
strengths (prt 2)
(protects society)
-distinguishes between desirable and non desirbale behaviour so considers effects of peoples behaviour on others so rules can be established
-so people can live in harmony
limitations (prt2)
(culturally differences)
-social norms vary within and accross cultures and its hard to know when its being broken
-hearing voices normal in some cultures but abnormal in UK
-‘agressivness and deceitful behaviour’ in context of family life is socially unacceptable than in context of co-operate deal making.
(individualism)
-those who dont conform to social norms may not be abnormal but individualistic or eccentric and not problematic.
(situational and developmental norms)
Context matters in defining norms.
Naturists break norms but aren’t seen as mentally ill.
Social expectations vary by setting (e.g., nudity on beaches).
Developmental and age norms influence behavior perception (e.g., nappies for toddlers vs. adults).
(ethnocentric bias in diagnosis)
Western social norms reflect the majority (white population).
Ethnic minorities deviating from these norms are overrepresented in mental illness statistics.
Cochrane (1977) found Black people diagnosed with schizophrenia more than White/Asian individuals.
Lower diagnosis rates in places like Jamaica, where Black people are the majority.
Suggests bias among British psychiatrists.
(subjective)
-social norms arent real
-based on societies opinions rather than majorities
-then used to control those seen as a threat to social order
-true definition of abnormality should be objective and free from subjective factors
(value of breaking social norms)
-sometimes beneficial
-e.g suffragettes did it which led to votes for women
-perhaps unfair for such situations as these to be seen as abnormal
-unfair labelling
-Nymphomania= this diagnosis was used to control women
-Drapetomania= control slaves and avoid debate
