Definitions of Abnormality Flashcards
Psychopathology is:
The scientific study of abnormal or maladaptive behaviors, and of mental, emotional, & behavioral disorders.
explain how Statistical infrequency can be used to define abnormality
abnormality is defined by a Behavior that does not occur frequently in a population. this is found through use of a frequency graph of behaviours. the extreme ends define what is classed as abnormal
Explain how deviation from social norms can be used to define abnormality
Norms are the expected standards of behaviour in a society according to the majority.
Sometimes these are written (explicit) and form laws that govern behaviour. Sometimes though, these norms of behaviour are unwritten (implicit) but generally accepted. therefore anyone who deviates from these set norms is classed as abnormal
explain how failure to function adequately can be used to define abnormality
people are judged on their ability to go about daily life. not functioning adequately is generally taken to mean that a person is unable to cope with everyday life. Their behaviour is seen as maladaptive (not good for survival), disrupting their ability to work and causing personal distress, as well as distress to others.
what charachteristics are associated with ideal mental healthas identified by Jahoda
ideal mental health includes positive attitudes to the self, resistance to stress and an accurate perception of reality
two criteria for ideal mental health are high self-esteem and a strong sense of identity. describe two other categories of ideal mental health
personal growth is a criterion that refers to the extent to which an individual achieves their full capabilities, essentially reaching self-actualisation.
another category is integration which refers to the ability to cope and deal with stressful situations. this overlaps with the criteria of failure to function adequately as both definitions highlight that being unable to cope with stressful situations is a sign of abnormality.
outline how the ideal mental health definition of abnormality is limited by an unrealistic criteria
a major criticism of the definition is that it is an unrealistic criteria. moreover, this means that we have to look at how many need to be lacking before a person is judged as abnormal. this approach is difficult to measure so it is not easily useable when it comes to defining abnormality
what are two limitations of the ideal mental health definition of abnormality
- unrealistic criteria
2. it equates physical health to mental health
outline how the ideal mental health definition of abnormality is limited by equating mental and physical health
a limitation of the approach is that it tries to apply the principles of physical health to mental health. physical illnesses generally have physical causes which makes them easier to detect and diagnose. this is different with mental illness as many cases do not have physical causes. therefore, it is unlikely that we can diagnose mental abnormality in the same way.
continue with evaluations-
-
weakness of Deviation from Social Norms
- changing social norms
(1) POINT: The Social norms definition can be questioned, as social norms change over time and therefore a behaviour that broke social norms and was considered abnormal in 1950 may not be viewed as abnormal today. EVIDENCE: Being an unmarried mother in the 1940’s and 1950’s would be breaking social norms and therefore this behaviour was classed as abnormal. Many of these women were sectioned as ‘moral imbeciles’ and society demanded that they “give up” their babies. EVALUATION: This is a limitation because as this example shows, it is not the individual who has changed but the classification of the behaviour by society. This brings into question the validity of using this definition alone to define abnormality.
weakness of failure to function
(1) POINT: Failing to function does not always indicate the presence of a psychological abnormality. EVIDENCE: For example, someone who loses their job will not be able to get up and go to work/earn money for their family etc This may cause them personal distress but it does not indicate an abnormality. EVALUATION: This is a limitation as environmental factors may cause a failure to function rather than any psychological abnormality and this, therefore, questions the validity of using this definition to identify an abnormality.
abnormalities dont always result in a failure to function
However, the presence of an abnormality doesn’t always result in a “failure to function.” EVIDENCE: An individual with depression may still be able to hold a job and run a family successfully. There are many examples of celebrities who have suffered from psychological disorders who have had successful careers and who would not be considered as “failing to function adequately” e.g., there are people who suffer from abnormalities such as depression, however, are able to carry out everyday tasks like going to work, looking after a family etc They do not necessarily display a failure to function. EVALUATION: This is a limitation because it shows that this definition is inadequate in truly identifying behaviours that may be considered abnormal.
