Definitions Of abnormality Flashcards
Outline deviation from social norms
Each culture has certain standards for acceptable behaviour or norms. Those members of society who do not think and behave like everyone else break these norms and are defined as abnormal
Evaluation for deviation from social norms : social norms change overtime
Social norms vary and what can be considers normal one decade would be abnormal the next. E,g homosexuality was classified by the DSM as an illness in the 1900 and now gay marriage is legal in the Uk. Implying that social norms changed
Evaluation for deviation from social norms : real life application
E.g diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. However it is never a sole reason for defining abnormality. There ar other factors to consider like the distress of other people resulting from antisocial personality disorder
Evaluation of deviation from social norms: can lead to human rights abuse
Too much reliance on deviation from social norms to understand abnormality can also lead to systematic abuse of human rights, e.g deviations used to maintain control over minority ethnic groups and women
Outline failure to function adequately
Occurs when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day to day living. For example when they are unable to maintain basic standards of hygiene and nutrition
What signs did rosenham and selligman propose for failure to function adequately
- no longer confirms to standard interpersonal rules
- experiences severe personal distress
- behaviour becomes irrational and dangerous to themselves and other
evaluation: attempts to include the subjective experiences of the individual
it captures the experience of many of the people who need help. therefore a useful critetion for assesing abnormality.
this is also using idiographic approach as it looks at a unique experience of an individual
evaluation: can be hard to say when someone is failing to function.
if we treat certain behaviours as failures of adequate functioning we risk limiting personal freedom and discrimination
evaluation: some people function normally but are considered abnormal
john nash the nobel prize winner for maths that suffered from schizophrenia
outline deviation from ideal mental health
certain normal ideals of good mental health and anything that devaites from this is regarded as abnormal
what are jahodas six criteria by which mental health could be measured
- we are rational and can perceive ourselves accurately
- we self actualise (reach full potential)
- we can cope with stress
- realistic view of the world
- we have good self esteem and lack guilt
- we have no symptoms or distress
evaluation of deviation from ideal mental health: strength covers a broad range of criteria in mental health
jahodas factors make it good for assessing mental health. some of the ideal mental health are specific to western european and north american cultures
evaluation of deviation from ideal mental health: sets unrealistically high standards for mental health
the criterias may be unrealsitic as it can be much more complicated to self actualise and perceive ourselves accurately in this society. but allows us to gain treatment for good mental health
evaluation of deviation from ideal mental health : cultural bias
some of jahodas ideas are specific to western european and north american cultures. some traits are more typical for individualistic cultures
outline statistical infrequency
occurs when an individual has a less common charectaristic. majority of peoples scores will cluster around the average and that further we go above or below we deviate
