Definitions of abnormality. Flashcards
What is statistical infrequency?
Any usual behaviour can be seen as ‘normal’ and any behaviour different to this is ‘abnormal’
E.g., 1% of the population have schizophrenia, therefore schizophrenia can be defined as abnormal.
What is an example of statistical infrequency?
Intellectual disability disorder.
2% of the population score more than 70, are considered abnormal, they receive a diagnosis for intellectual disability disorder.
What is a strength of statistical infrequency?
Real world application.
- The definition can be applied to diagnose intellectual disability disorder.
- Can help diagnose depression with Becks depression inventory (30+ score = severe depression, 5% of respondents).
- Shows that the definition is useful in the diagnostic and assessment process.
What is another strength of statistical infrequency?
It has benefits.
- Some unusual people benefit from being classed as abnormal.
- E.g., people with a high depression score can benefit from therapy.
HOWEVER
- A person with a low IQ may not be distressed so therefore don’t need a diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder.
- This label may have a negative effect on the person (social stigmas).
What is a limitation of statistical infrequency?
Unusual characteristics can be positive.
- A high IQ is positive despite it being statistically unusual.
-Just because a persons behaviour is unusual that doesn’t mean it requires a diagnosis and treatment.
- This definition of abnormality therefore can’t be used alone to make a diagnosis.
What is deviation from social norms?
If a persons behaviour deviates from social norms (behaviour that is acceptable within society) in a society, they are considered abnormal.
What is an example of deviation from social norms?
Anti-social personality disorder.
According to DSM-5 ‘Failure to conform to lawful and culturally normative ethical behaviour’ is a symptom of this.
What is a strength of deviation from social norms?
Real World application.
- Is used in clinical practice.
- Helps diagnose anti-social personality disorder.
- Shows that deviation from social norms has value in psychiatry.
What is a limitation of deviation from social norms?
Cultural and situational relativism.
- Social norms vary across cultures and times.
- Social norms vary from a lot from one generation to another and from one culture to another.
- Can be problematic for people from one culture living within another culure group.
What is another limitation of deviation from social norms?
Human rights abuse.
- Too much reliance on deviation from social norms to understand abnormality can lead to abuse of human rights.
- E.g., the diagnoses of nymphomania (women’s sexual attraction to working class men), this diagnoses was an attempt to control women.
- Some modern categories of mental disorders are abuses of peoples rights to be different.
What is failure to function adequately?
By Rosenhan and Seligman.
- When a person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules (maintaining eye contact, respecting personal space, maintaining hygiene)
- Experiencing severe personal distress.
- A person’s behaviour becomes irritational/dangerous to them self and others.
What is a strength of failure to function adequately?
Evaluation represents a threshold for help.
- Represents a sensible threshold when people need professional help.
- According to mental health charity ‘MIND’ , 255 of people will experience a mental health problem in a year, when they fail to function adequately this is when they ask for help.
What is a limitation of failure to function adequately?
Discrimination and social norms.
- Can be difficult to distinguish when a person is failing to function, or just deviating from social norms.
- This means that people who make unusual choices may be at risk of being labelled as abnormal.
What is another limitation of failure to function adequately?
Failure to function can be normal.
- Some circumstances in which most of us fail to cope for a time e.g. bereavement.
- Difficult circumstances should not be a criteria to give someone a label.
- However, in such circumstances people may actually need help or therapy to cope with situations and to function adequately.
What is deviation from ideal mental health?
Focuses on what is ‘normal’ rather than what is abnormal.
To get a picture of what is normal Jahoda (1958) came up with a set of criteria that a person must meet. If a person deviates from this criteria then they would be considered to be abnormal.
