Definitions Of Abnormality Flashcards
What are the four definitions of abnormality?
- Statistical infrequency
- Deviation from social norms
- Failure to function adequately
- Deviation from ideal mental health
Define statistical infrequency.
Abnormality is defined as those behaviours that are extremely rare or uncommon. Behaviour found in very few people found to be abnormal. We can distinguish what is and isn’t common through Using a normal distribution curve.
Define deviation from social norms.
Abnormal behaviour is seen as a deviation from unstated rules about how one ‘ought’ to behave. Some rules about unacceptable behaviour are implicit whereas others are policed by laws.
Define failure to function adequately.
Abnormality is seen as lacking the ability to go about daily life resulting in distress to themselves or others.
Define deviation from ideal mental health.
Abnormality is defined in terms of an absence of criteria which indicates good mental health.
What does Jahoda suggest about defining abnormality
Marie Jahoda says that we define physical illness in part by looking at the absence of signs of physical health. She says we should define mental illness in this way too, by looking at the signs of ideal mental health
1 Strength, 2 limitations of Statistical infrequency
Real-life application:
Using statistics has proven to be a useful diagnostic and assessment tool.
For example, the diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder. A diagnosis of this requires an IQ of below 70 (bottom 2%). Additionally,
the Beck depression inventory (BDI) – a score of 30+ (top 5%) is widely interpreted as an indication of severe depression.
Some abnormal behaviours are desirable:
For example, very few people have an IQ over 150, yet this abnormality is one deemed as desirable. Some ‘normal’ behaviours are undesirable e.g. experiencing depression is relatively common.
Cut-off point is subjective:
If abnormality is defined in terms of statistical infrequency, we need to decide where to separate normality from abnormality. For example, one of the symptoms of depression is ‘difficulty sleeping’ – some people might think abnormal sleep is less than 6 hours a night, others might think the cut-off should be 5 hours
1 Strength 1 limitation of Deviation from social norms
Distinguishes between desirable and undesirable behaviours:
It takes into account the effect that behaviour has on others. Deviance is defined in terms of transgression of social rules, and social rules are established in order to help people live together. According to this definition, abnormal behaviour is behaviour that damages others and so offers a practical way of identifying undesirable and potentially damaging behaviour.
Cultural relativism:
Social norms vary from one culture to another. A person from one cultural group may label someone from another culture as behaving abnormally according to their standards.
For example, hearing voices is socially acceptable in some cultures, but is seen as a sign of mental abnormality in the UK. The DSM’s classification systems are almost entirely based on social norms of the West
1 limitation for failure to function adequately
Subjective judgements:
The individual may be quite content with the situation and are unaware that they are not coping – it is others who judge their behaviour as abnormal.
What are Jahoda’s six criteria for ideal mental health?
- Self attitudes (high self-esteem)
- Personal growth and self-actualisation (developing to full capabilities)
- Integration (coping with stressful situations)
- Autonomy (being independent and self regulating)
- Accurate perception of reality
- Environmental mastery (love, relationships, problem solving ect.)
1 Strength 2 Limitations of Deviation from ideal mental health
Positive approach:
Jahoda’s ideas are in accord with the ‘positive psychology’ movement as it offers an alternative perspective on mental disorder that
focuses on the ‘ideal’ rather than what is undesirable.
Unrealistic criteria:
Very few of us attain all Jahoda’s criterion for mental health and potentially no one is able to achieve all of them simultaneously. Therefore, according to this approach most of us are abnormal as we are likely to deviate from ‘good mental health’ at many points in life.
Cultural relativism:
Many of Jahoda’s mental health criteria are culture-bound.
For example, the goal of self-actualisation is relevant to members of individualist cultures but not collectivist cultures where people promote the needs of the group not themselves. If we apply Jahoda’s criteria to people from collectivist cultures, we will likely find a higher incidence of abnormality
