definitions of abnormality

Question 1

deviation from social norms

Answer 1

• if a persons thinking or behaviour violates the social norms of what is acceptable
• a social norm is an unwritten rule about what is acceptable within a society

Question 2

give a limitation of deviation from social norms
1/3

Answer 2

cultural relativism - social norms differ between cultures, what is considered normal in one culture may be abnormal in another. e.g. in approx 75 counties homosexuality is illegal so is abnormal, but in the rest of the world it is normal. therefore there’s no global standard for defining behaviour as normal (abnormality isn’t standardised)

Question 3

give a limitation of deviation from social norms
2/3

Answer 3

social norms change over time raising hindsight bias. e.g. in the uk homosexuality was regarded as a mental illness till 1973, but is now considered normal behaviour. so historically, reliance on this definition may have caused human rights violations. could be argued diagnoses on these grounds may have been given as a form of social control over minority groups

Question 4

give a limitation of deviation from social norms
3/3

Answer 4

how far someone deviates is mediated by context and severity. e.g. if someone breaks a social norm once this may not be deviant behaviour, but persistent repetition of the behaviour would suggest psychological disturbance. also, someone walking topless on a beach would be normal, but the same in an office would be abnormal. so this definition doesn’t give a full explanation in its own right as it is related to degree and context

Question 5

failure to function adequately

Answer 5

• when a person is unable to cope with the everyday demands of life and live independently
• their behaviour should cause personal distress and suffering, and may also cause distress or comfort to those around them

Question 6

give a strength of FFA
1/1

Answer 6

considers subjective personal experiences. it considers the persons thoughts and feelings, not making a judgement without taking the persons viewpoint into consideration. suggests the definition is useful for assessing psychopathological behaviour

Question 7

give a limitation of FFA
1/2

Answer 7

individual differences. e.g. one person with OCD may have excessive rituals that stop them functioning adequately, such as missing work. another person may have the same rituals but finds time to complete these and go to work on time. so despite the same symptoms these people would be diagnosed differently based on this definition, which questions the definitions validity

Question 8

give a limitation of FFA
2/2

Answer 8

confusion distinguishing between FFA and deviation from social norms, a behaviour that seems to be a FFA (like not being able to go to work) may also be a deviation from the social norm (choosing to live an alternative lifestyle). so its hard to determine if the behaviour is maladaptive. labelling people who make these choices as failing may reduce personal freedom

Question 9

statistical infrequency

Answer 9

• a behaviour is abnormal if its statistically uncommon
• e.g. the average IQ is 100, 65% of the population have an IQ between 85 and 115, 95% have an IQ between 70 and 130, 5% have an IQ above 130 or below 70 and these people are considered abnormal

Question 10

give a limitation of statistical infrequency
1/3

Answer 10

issue of misdiagnosis. certain behaviours are statistically common, 10% of the population will experience depression at some point making it ‘normal’. but certain behaviours like high IQ are statistically uncommon so are abnormal despite being desirable. this is a drawback of using this definition so maybe shouldn’t be used alone to diagnose

Question 11

give a limitation of statistical infrequency
2/3

Answer 11

labelling someone as abnormal can be unhelpful, especially with someone with a low IQ as they will be able to live happily without distress. this label may lead to poor self image or create discrimination. so labelling as statistically infrequent could cause more distress than the condition

Question 12

give a limitation of statistical infrequency
3/3

Answer 12

behaviours labelled abnormal may be desirable. having a high IQ is unusual but could be hugely celebrated. depression is seen as common but isn’t desirable. the definition needs to identify behaviours that are infrequent and undesirable to avoid this

Question 13

deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 13

• jahoda (1958) suggested abnormality should be defined by the absence of ideal characteristics, behaviours which deviate from ideal mental health
• if someone doesn’t show one of these criteria they would be classed as abnormal

Question 14

6 principles of ideal mental health

Answer 14

• strong positive view of yourself with strong sense of identity
• capable of personal growth and self actualisation
• independent of others and self regulating
• accurate view of reality
• able to integrate and resist stress
• able to master your environment

Question 15

give a strength of deviation from ideal mental health
1/1

Answer 15

takes a positive and holistic stance. the definition focuses on positive and desirable behaviours, and considers the whole person, accounting for many factors that can affect their health and well being. so the definition is comprehensive and covers a broad range of criteria

Question 16

give a limitation of deviation from ideal mental health
1/2

Answer 16

criteria is unrealistic. there’s times everyone will experience stress and negativity, but according to the definition these people would be defined as abnormal, irrespective of their circumstances. due to the criteria high standards, it must be questioned how many must be absent for diagnosis to occur

Question 17

give a limitation of deviation from ideal mental health
2/2

Answer 17

cultural relativism, some of the criteria could be considered western in origin. her emphasis on personal growth and development may be seen as self centred in countries that favour community over individualism. independence within collectivist cultures isn’t included, making the definition culture bound