definitions of abnormality Flashcards
name the 4 definitions of abnormality
deviation from social norms
deviation from ideal mental health
failure to function adequately
statistical infrequency
deviation from social norms
a persons behaviour is abnormal if it violates social norms.
not conforming to majority behaviour.
what are social norms and give an example
unwritten rules about what is acceptable in a particular society. e.g. we don’t urinate in public
limitation of deviation from social norms: hindsight bias
social norms change over time so suffers from hindsight bias. e.g. homosexuality was once regarded as a mental illness in the UK resulting in institutionalised, but is now considered normal.
limitation of deviation from social norms: cultural relativism and ethnocentricity
social norms differ between cultures; what is considered normal in one culture may be abnormal in another. e.g. sulawesi tribe vs UK death practices.
-> could be ethnocentric as other cultures are judged by the standards of ones own culture, leading to bias.
deviation from social norms strength: RWA
practical application to diagnosing ASPD as a key symptom is failing to conform to culturally acceptable behaviour. this was developed from the definition so therefore has use in medical diagnoses.
failure to function adequately
a person is abnormal if they are unable to cope with the demands of everyday life e.g. going to work.
personal distress + distress to others observing their behaviour
ffa limitation
only includes people that cannot cope. some people may be abnormal, but able to function in society, such as psychopaths. for example, harold shipman was a doctor who was diagnosed with psychopathy who maintained a respectable image whilst killing many patients. definition may be problematic.
statistical infrequency
behaviour is abnormal if it is statistically uncommon and not seen very often in society.
look at the distribution of behaviour within society; standard deviations -> 3SD away from the mean are classed as abnormal.
limitation of statistical infrequency: unhelpful in some cases..
can actually be unhelpful to label someone as abnormal. e.g someone with a low IQ can live a fulfilling life, and such a label may contribute to a poor self image and can lead to discrimination.
limitation of statistic infrequency: sometimes abnormal = desirable
labelling some behaviours as abnormal can actually be highly desirable traits. e.g having a high IQ would be defined as abnormal as it is statistically infrequent, but this characteristic could be celebrated.
statistical infrequency strength: objectivity
unlike the other definitions, statistical infrequency is mathematical and objective due to use of statistics. not open to the bias of a psychologists subjective assessment so more accuracy in defining abnormality.
deviation from ideal mental health
an individual is abnormal if they don’t meet Jahoda’s criteria for ideal mental health.
limitation of ideal MH: unrealistic criteria
unrealistic criteria proposed by Jahoda. realistically, everyone will experience stress and negativity, for example when grieving the death of a loved one. furthermore, very few people actually reach self actualisation.
therefore it is demanding to meet all the requirements.
strength of ideal MH: holism
takes a positive, holistic approach to MH. the definition focuses on positive and desireable behaviours, and considers the whole person, taking into account many factors that can affect mental health. Allows people to see when they need help.
