Definitions Of Abnormality

Question 1

Define statistical infrequency

Answer 1

Occurs when an individual has a less common characteristic, for example being more depressed or less intelligent than most of the population. This characteristic can be thought of as ‘abnormal’.

Question 2

Define deviation from social norms

Answer 2

Concerns behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a community or society and these norms are specific to the culture we live. For example, homosexuality continues to be viewed as abnormal in some cultures.

Question 3

AO3- real-life application

Answer 3

Strength of statistical definition is that is has a real-life application in the diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder. There is therefore a place for statistical infrequency in thinking about what are normal and abnormal behaviours and characteristics. All assessment of patients with mental disorders include some kind of measurenent of how severe their symptoms are as compared to statistical norms.

Question 4

AO3- unusual characteristics can be positive

Answer 4

IQ scores over 130 are just as unusual as those below 70 however we wouldn’t think of super-intelligence as an undesirable characteristic that needs treatment. Just because very few people display certain behaviours does make the behaviour statistically abnormal but does not mean it required treatment to return to normal.

Question 5

AO3- not everyone unusual benefits from a label

Answer 5

Problem with statistical infrequency is that, when someone is living a happy and fulfilled life there is no benefit to them being labelled as abnormal regardless of how unusual they are. If that person was ‘labelled’ as abnormal this might have a negative effect on the way others view them and the way they view themselves.

Question 6

AO3 cultural relativism

Answer 6

Prob with using deviation from social norms is that social norms vary tremendously from one generation to another. For example a person from one cultural group may label someone from another culture as behaving abnormally according to their standards rather than the standards of the person behaving that way. For example hearing voices is socially acceptable in some cultures but would be seen as a sign of mental Abnormality in the UK.