Definitions of Abnormality Flashcards
what is the 1st definition of abnormality (deviation from social norms)
this definition suggests that behaviour is abnormal when a person behaves in a way that is different from how we expect people to behave
- Behaviour would be classified as abnormal if it offended social norms/unwritten rules and expectations of society
To summarise: abnormality is based on what society deems to be right or wrong
what behaviour, for example, has become more normalised, but is still not universally ‘normal’
homosexuality
2 strengths of this definition (deviation from social norms)
- useful for clinicians because social norms within a given culture are easy to identify, meaning that identification of abnormality is likely to be valid and consistent amongst clinicians with the same norms
- helps to protect society so people don’t perform abnormal behaviours which could put others at risk
2 weaknesses of this definition (deviation from social norms)
- this definition may lead to an inaccurate diagnosis of mental illnesses because what is deemed as abnormal due to deviating from social norms, and what is deemed as mentally ill do not necessarily align
- social norms vary over time, this may create innacurate diagnosis’ if clinicians do not stay up to speed with constant changes in diagnostic criteria
what is the 2nd definition of abnormality (failure to function adequetly)
an individuals behaviour should be classified as abnormal if they struggle to cope with everyday life
- e.g. not being able to take care of yourself
what could be classified as functioning adequately
- brushing teeth/maintaining good hygiene
- eating 3 meals a day
- getting a good nights sleep
- having conversations
who devised the 7 criteria to establish whether someone is failing to function adequately?
Rosenham and Seligman (1989)
give the 7 features of the abnormal criteria list, and a brief description for each (VUDUMD is an abnormal word)
- violation of moral standards - behaviour which breaks laws or unwritten social rules
- unconventionality - behaviour which substantially differs from what you would expect in a situation
- observer discomfort - behaviour which makes others uncomfortable
- unpredictability - when behaviour is uncontrollable, unpredictable, and inappropriate
- personal distress - the patient suffers mentally, and this may also affect others
- maladaptive behaviour - abnormal behaviour which restricts an individuals from achieving their goals
- Irrationality - the abnormal behaviour can not be explained in a rational way
what is an objective measure to determine whether someone is functioning adequately?
the GAF scale (clinicians rate a patient’s level of social, occupational, and psychological functioning out of 100: 1 - severely impaired, 100 - extremely high functioning)
why is having criteria to assess abnormality a strength
It can be very useful for clinicians diagnosing patients because they can easily measure behaviour and determine its severity, and therefore the level of help required
what is the 3rd definition of abnormality (statistical infrequency)
this definition suggests that abnormal behaviour can be seen as a deviation from the statistical average
- abnormal behaviour is any behaviour which falls outside of the normal distribution beyond 2 standard deviations of the mean
what is a weakness of assessing abnormality as a ‘failure to function’
the presence of abnormal behaviour may not always result in a failure to function because many people with depression often appear to function normally to others, but may be suffering internally and not adequately at home, meaning the definition could be seen as insufficient and invalid to truly identify abnormal behaviours
2 strengths of defining abnormality as statistical infrequency
- it is reliable because clinicians can easily compare data with the normal distribution to see if the patient is abnormal - subjective interpretation is not an issue
- good applicability because it resulted in the Beck Depression Inventory so more patients could get the treatment they needed
2 weaknesses of defining abnormality as statistical infrequency
- the diagnosis may be invalid if the patient displays statistically rare behaviour which is desirable (e.g. a high IQ) which reduces its credibility and suggests that we shouldn’t base diagnosis’ purely on statistics
- It has a very subjective ‘cut-off’ point between normal and abnormal, which poses questions about the validity of the cut-off points
what did Marie Jahoda suggest caused abnormality
if a patient fails to meet her 6 prescribed criteria and therefore has an absence of ideal mental health
what were Jahoda (1958)’s 6 criteria for ideal mental health (RAPPAS)
- Resistance to stress - an individual should not feel under stress and should be in full control constantly
- Accurate perception of reality - individuals should view the world in a similar to way to others
- Positive attitude towards self - you need high self esteem for ideal mental health
- personal autonomy - not needing to rely on others
- adapting to your environment easily - a person can adapt and master a new situation and be at ease throughout this change
- self-actualisation and personal growth - being in a constant state of contentment that you are the best version of yourself
Strengths of Jahoda’s approach
- gives a positive approach to abnormality, and gives a direction on how to improve which may empower patients
- takes a holistic approach and considers the individual as a whole person rather than focusing on their individual factors, which will lead to more sustainable outcomes
weaknesses of Jahoda’s approach
- it is difficult to meet all criteria so therefore the definition lacks validity as some people may be deemed abnormal when they are not
- poses cultural issues and some people view this definition as ethnocentric because it is based on Western ideals with values of individualistic cultures, reducing its generalisability
