Definitions of abnormality Flashcards
Why do we need to be able to identify abnormal behaviours
In order to recognize and diagnose psychological disorders we must be able to identify behaviours that are abnormal
What are four ways of defining abnormality
Statistical frequency, Deviation from social norms, faliure to function adequately and deviation from ideal mental health
What is deviation from statistical norms
When we measure how frequently a behaviour occurs within a population, and behaviours which occur the most rarely (appear on the far left or right of a normal distribution curve) are defined as abnormal
What is a strength of devaition from statistical norms
It provides an objective clear cut off point for abnormal behaviours, which is useful when diagnosing conditions. For example, any individual whose IQ is two standard deviations below the mean is judged to have a mental disorder. However, these decisions are often made in conjunction with faliure to function adequately, suggesting this is a tool to be used alongside others
How is cultural bias an issue in abnormality as deviation from statistical norms
Behaviours which occur infrequently in one culture may be statistically frequent in another. For example, hearing voices is common experience in some cultures whilst in the west it’s a symptom of Sz. This means there is no universal measure for abnormal behaviour
What is an issue for measuring all infrequent behaviours as abnormal in abnormality being statistical deviation
Not all abnormal behaviour is undesirable, for example having an insane IQ is considered desirable, and in contrast, not all normal behaviours are desirable, such as depression, which is relatively common and would be considered normal behaviour under this anlysis. This means this method is unable to distinguish between desirable and indesirable behaviours
What are social norms
Social norms are norms created by a group of people and they exist within a society. These are acceptable behaviours defined by the group, and are adhered to by those socialised into that group
What is deviation from social norms as an explination for abnormality
It defines anyone who deviates from social norms and behaviours as abnormal.
What are implicit versus explicit rules
Explicit rules are often governed by the law whereas implicit rules are usually determined by social rejection
Why are many social norms created
They are funcitonal, such as politeness, which helps improve interpersonal relationships
Why is time an issue for defining abnormality as deviation from social norms
What is acceptable socially changes constantly, with behaviours currently acceptable being seen as abnormal in the past. Homosexuality was included under sexual and identity disordders in past DSM’s, whereas now it’s acceptable in most countries.
With social changes so frequent, what did Thomas Szasz claim the concept of mental illness was
He claimed mental illness was simply a way to exclude nonconformists from society
Who claimed that mental illness was simply a way to exclude nonconformists from society
Thomas Szasz
What is a strength of defining abnormality as deviation from social norms
It can differentiate between desirable and undesirable behaviours. This method takes into account the behaviours effect on other people, as ideally social rules are established in order to help people live together. Therefore in this definition abnormal behaviour will be behaviour which is harmful to others. This makes the definiton useful as undesirable behaviours will be more likely to alert others that the person may need help
Why is culture bias an issue for defining abnormality as deviation from social norms
The norms of a society are defined by their culture. Classification systems like the DSM are based almost entirely off of norms of the dominant western culture. When these criteria are applied to both different western subcultures as well as different cultures overall, it creates invalid classifications.
What is one posible way to deal with cultural bias when defining abnormality as deviation from social norms
One possible way to deal with culture bias is through cultural relativism, which is acknowldeged in the most recent 2013 DSM as it makes reference to cultural contexts in many areas of diagnosis
What is faliure to function adequately as a definition of abnormal behaviour
This is when abnormality is judged in terms of not being able to cope with everyday living, such as eating regularly, getting up or having a job.
What does failing to function adequately cause
Not functioning adequately causes distress and suffering for the individual, as well as for others around them.
Why is it important to include others when defining faliure to function adequately
It is important to mention others around the patient, as the patient themselves can sometimes not be distressed at all themselves, as they can lack awareness that anything is wrong, whilst those around them can be distressed by the behaviour
When is a judgement of faliure to function adequately inappropriate
There may be situations where a person is not coping with life in a ‘normal’ way, for example the person may be content in unwashed clothes and not having a job. If this doesn’t cause distress to them or others a judgement of abnormality is inappropriate
What assessment of faliure to function adequately is in the DSM
An assessment called WHODAS, which tests six areas: understanding and communication, getting around, self-care, getting along with others, life activities and participantion in society. Individuals rate each item on a scale of 1 to 5 and get an overall score out of 180, and thus is a quatitative measure of functioning
How is the judger and the judgee an issue for defining abnormality as faliure to function adequately
If a person is distressed by their own behaviour, they may wish to seek help. However, an individual may be content and/or be unaware they aren’t coping. It is others who are made uncomfortable by the behaviour and judge them as abnormal, therefore the judgement depends on who is making the decision and is therfore subjective
How might ‘abnormal’ behaviour in faliure to function adequately be adaptive
Some behaviours which could be labelled as ‘abnormal’ are adaptive as mental disorders like eating disorders or depression may lead to extra attention for the individual. This is rewarding and thus functional rather than dysfunctional while others still percieve it as such. This faliure to distinguish between functional and dysfunctional behaviours mean that this definintion is incomplete
What are the elements of defining abnormality as deviation from ideal mental health
-Self-attitudes
-Personal growth and self-actualisation
-Integration
-Autonomy
-Having an accurate perception of reality
-Mastery of environment
What are self-attitudes in deviation from ideal mental health
Having high self esteem and a strong sense of identity
What is personal growth and self-actualisation in deviation from ideal mental health
The extent to which an individual develops to their full abilities
What is integration in deviation from ideal mental health
Being able to cope with stressful situations
What is autonomy in deviation from ideal mental health
being independent and self-regulating
What is mastery of environment in deviation from ideal mental health
includes things like the ability to love, function at work and in interpersonal relationships, adjust to new situations and solve problems.
Who created the deviation from ideal mental health definition of abnormality
Marie Jahoda
What did Marie Jahoda point out about the way we define physical health versus mental health
To define physical illness we look at absence of signs of physical health, so we should do the same for mental health
What did Marie Jahoda do to define ideal mental health
She did a review of what others had writen about good mental health, identified six characteristics which enable an individual to feel happy and behave competently
What is the deviation from ideal mental health definition of abnormality
It proposes that absence of any of the six criteria identified by Marie Jahoda indicates abnormality and a potential mental disorder. There is overlap between this and faliure to function adequately
What is a criticism of the deviation from ideal mental health definition of abnormality
It is unrealisitc to expect people to fulfil all of Jahoda’s checkpoints, so according to these criteria most people would be considered abnormal. They are certainly ideal, but we also have to know how many people need to be lacking before a person can be judged as abnormal. Some criteria is also quite difficult to measure, such as personal growth or environmental mastery. This means the approach is not really usable
What is a strength of the deviation from ideal mental health definiton of abnormality
The defintion is extremely positive, focusing on the positive traits rather than negative ones. It focuses on what’s desirable rather than undesirable. Jahoda’s ideas were never really taken up by mental health professionals, but has had an impact in the ‘positive psychology’ movement. It has had an influence of humanistic approaches
