Definitions of abnormality

Question 1

What is the first explanation of abnormality ?

Answer 1

• Deviation from social norms
• Behaviour that is different from how we expect people to behave
• Cultures have different norms, different across generations
• We make a collective decision as a society about what we see as normal

Question 2

What are the evaluative points for deviation from social norms ?

Answer 2

Strength: Real life application -
Useful in clinical practice to diagnose abnormal behaviour. Has value in psychiatry
Limitation: Culturally relative -
Norms are situational and culturally dependent, they vary across cultures. Someone from one culture may label someone from another culture as abnormal by using their own standards. This means it is quite difficult to judge

Question 3

What is the second definition of abnormality ?

Answer 3

• Statistical Infrequency
• This occurs when a individual has a less or more common characteristic than the rest of the population
• The further away from the characteristics of a normal person, the more that they are deemed abnormal

Question 4

What are the evaluative points of the statistical infrequency ?

Answer 4

Strengths: Useful in clinical practice
- Easy way to access abnormality and helps diagnose and decide the severity.
Limitation: Unusual characteristics can be positive
- Low IQ is deemed abnormal and negative but a high IQ isn’t seen as negative
Limitation: Negative impacts of labelling
- Can lead to social stigma but this may allow someone to then access social support

Question 5

What is the third definition of abnormality ?

Answer 5

Failure to function:
- abnormally defined by an inability to cope with everyday life
- engagement in behaviours which are dangerous, maladaptive
- Behaviours which can cause distress
Rosenhan and seligm: The more characteristics they show, the more likely they are to be considered abnormal:
-maladaptiveness
- unconventional behaviour
- unpredictability
- violation of moral standards

Question 6

What are the evaluative points of the failure to function definition ?

Answer 6

Strength: Provides a threshold for support
Treatment aimed at those who need it most
Strength: Elements of personalities
May encourage individuals to seek support

Limitations: Failure to function may not be abnormal
Most of us fail to cope for a time like in bereavement. May be unfair to label someone just because of the way that they react to circumstances
Limitation: Not all behaviour is due to failing to function
Some people may chose to do something abnormal like living off grid, no job, no address - this may lead to them being labelled for a lifestyle choice

Question 7

What is the 4th definition for abnormality ?

Answer 7

Deviation from ideal mental health
Jahoda - we define physical illness by looking at what is different to ideal physical health. This concept could be related to mental health
Jahoda looked at the 6 categories needed to be mentally healthy:
G - growth - being goal orientated
R - resistance to stress - being able to cope with stress on a daily basis
A - autonomy - having free will
P - perception of reality - accurate perception of reality
E - master of the environment - ability love, socialise, work
S - self attitudes - having high self-esteem

Question 8

What are the evaluative points of the deviation from mental health ?

Answer 8

Strength: Highly comprehensive - Jahoda’s concept of ideal mental health includes a range of criteria. It covers most of the bases. Which means that multiple medically trained professional’s can help assist in diagnosis.

Limitation: The different elements aren’t applicable across a range of cultures. Some of the criteria for ideal mental health are located in the US and Europe generally. In particular the concept of self-actualisation would be dismissed as self-indulgent in much of the world. This means that it is difficult to apply the concept of mental health from one culture to another.