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Psychology- Psychopathology P1 > Definitions of abnormality > Flashcards

Definitions of abnormality Flashcards

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1
Q

what is statistical infrequency?

A
  • someone is mentally abnormal if their condition is rare in the population
  • rarity is judged using objective stats
  • comparing the individuals behaviour to the rest of the population
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2
Q

what is a normal distribution curve?

A
  • populations average spread of characteristics
  • mean median and mode all at highest point= most common
  • at each end there are fewer ppl with those charcateristics
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3
Q

how to use a normal distribution curve to find abnormal behaviour?

A
  • compare individuals to the population and identify those at extreme ends
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4
Q

Evaluating statistical infrequency: strength, those being assessed have been evaluated objectively

A
  • individuals who are assessed as being abnormal have been evaluated objectively
  • better than subjective opinion of a clinician
  • deciding if a client is coping or not is a vague concept, 2 observers may disagree
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5
Q

Evaluating statistical infrequency: limitations, the psychological community decides the cutoff for what is statistically infrequent

A
  • get to decide what is rare enough to be statistically infrequent to be abnormal
  • this is a subjective decision with real implications
  • defining intellectual disability as 70 IQ and under
  • means those just above 70 dont get support
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6
Q

Evaluating statistical infrequency: limitations, theres a range of common psychopathologies

A
  • anxiety and depression= common psychopathologies
  • NHS found 17% of people surveyed met the criteria for common mental health disorders
  • definition isnt appropriate in considering societies high incidence of mental health disorders
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7
Q

Evaluating statistical infrequency: limitations, not all statistically infrequent traits are negative

A
  • this definition would include those who are on the other end of the scale
  • 130 IQ is just as statistically rare as 70 IQ
  • good definition of abnormality shouldnt include people with high intelligence
  • saying they have psychopathology and need additional support
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8
Q

what is the failure to function adequately?

A
  • abnormal if they cant cope in their daily lives
  • including their ability to interact with the world and meet their challenges
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9
Q

Rosenhan and Seligman’s features of failure to function adequately:

A
  • maladaptive behaviour
  • personal anguish
  • observer discomfort
  • irrationality
  • unconventionality
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10
Q

what is maladaptive behaviour?

A
  • individuals behave in ways that goes against their long-term interests
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11
Q

what is personal anguish?

A
  • the individual suffers from anxiety and distress
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12
Q

what is observer discomfort?

A
  • individuals behaviour causes distress to those around them
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13
Q

what is irrationality?

A
  • difficult to understand the motivation behind the individuals unexpected behaviour
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14
Q

what is unconventionality?

A
  • behaviour doesnt match what is commonly expected by society
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15
Q

Evaluating failure to function adequately: limitations, decision as to whether someone is coping is subjective

A
  • it is based off the clinicians opinion
  • their judgement may be biased
  • two observers my not agree if someone is managing
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16
Q

Evaluating failure to function adequately: limitations, only includes people who cant cope

A
  • psychopaths can function in society in ways that benefit them personally
  • lower empathy can lead to success in business and politics
  • they may feel no distress themselves
  • psychopathy gives negative implications for the people around them
17
Q

Evaluating failure to function adequately: limitations, not all maladaptive behaviour is an indication of mental illness

A
  • extreme sports, eating unhealthy and drinky alchy= risk individuals health so potentially maladaptive
  • most people would disagree that these behaviours= mental illness
18
Q

Evaluating failure to function adequately: strength, respects individual and their own experience

A
  • considering individuals situations is something statistical infrequency and deviation from social norms doesnt consider
  • this definition is based on what is normal to the rest of the population
19
Q

what is deviation from social norms?

A
  • people who deviate from social expectations may be seen as abnormal or deviant
20
Q

what is a social norm?

A
  • unwritten expectation of behaviour
  • can vary culture to culture
  • can change over time
  • what is acceptable in one context may not be in another
21
Q

Examples of abnormalities that vary between cultures based on deviation from social norms:

A
  • homosexuality
  • face and hair covering
  • food and how to eat it
  • modesty in clothing
  • public displays of emotion
22
Q

Evaluations of deviation from social norms: strength, doesnt impose a western view on non- western cultures

A
  • doesnt impose a western view on non- western cultures
  • diagnosing abnormality according to social norms isnt ethnocentric
  • respects cultural differences between societies
23
Q

Evaluations of deviation from social norms: limitation, inappropriate to define someone who moved to a new culture abnormal based no their new cultural norms

A
  • people from afro caribbean heritage who moved to the uk are 7x more likely to be diagnosed with SZ than someone from the uk or afro caribbeans who live in their nations
  • due to category failure
  • for afro caribbeans hallucinations and conversations w angels is part of religious experience in their culture
  • uk doctor more likely to diagnose
24
Q

what is category failure?

A
  • western definition of mental illness is applied to someone who isnt acting according to western cultural norms
25
Q

Evaluations of deviation from social norms: limitations, punish and repress people

A
  • can be seen as punishing people who are trying to express themselves
  • repress people who dont conform to cultural norms
26
Q

what is deviation from ideal mental health?

A
  • focus on how to improve and become a better person rather than disfunction or deficit
  • based off humanistic perspective
  • 6 features of ideal mental health
  • deviation from these= abnormality
27
Q

who came up with deviation from ideal mental health?

A
  • Jahoda
  • based off humanistic approach
28
Q

what are the 6 things that make up the ideal mental health?

A
  • environmental mastery
  • autonomy
  • resistance to stress
  • self- actualisation
  • positive attitude towards ones self
  • accurate perception of reality
29
Q

what is environmental mastery?

A
  • ability to adapt and thrive in new situations
30
Q

what is autonomy?

A
  • ability to act independently
  • trust in one’s own abilities
31
Q

what is resistance to stress?

A
  • internal strength to cope with the anxiety caused by daily life
32
Q

what is self- actualisation?

A
  • ability to reach ones full potential through personal growth
33
Q

what is positive attitude towards ones self?

A
  • high self esteem
  • high self respect
34
Q

what is an accurate perception of reality?

A
  • ability to see the world how it is without being distorted by personal biases
35
Q

Evaluating deviation from ideal mental health: limitations, based off humanistic psychology which may be culturally biased

A
  • based off humanistic psychology which has a western perspective on the ideal mental health
  • problematic when individualistic western culture is generalised to the universal
  • imposed etic
  • people may not value autonomy as cultural norms
  • collectivist societies people value supporting family and not focus on individual success
36
Q

Evaluating deviation from ideal mental health: strength, more constructive and holistic approach

A
  • considers multiple factors in diagnosis
  • suggests ideas for personal development
  • doesnt just state what is wrong but can tell you how to overcome it
  • respects individuals and their own experiences
36
Q

Evaluating deviation from ideal mental health: limitations, strictness in criteria for defining mental health

A
  • most people would be defined as abnormal according to DIMH
  • hard to achieve all criteria at once

Psychology- Psychopathology P1 (3 decks)

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