Defintions Of Abnormality Flashcards
What is the definition of deviation from social norms?
Thinking or behaviour that deviates or violates unwritten rules of what’s expected or acceptable behaviour in particular group
What are examples of influences on social norms needed to be taken into consideration when diagnosing someone as deviating from social norms?
Different cultures/subcultures have different social norms, e.g. Southern Europeans stand closer to strangers
Context & situation: at any one time, behaviour considered normal, whereas other time abnormal, e.g. wearing chicken suit for charity vs wearing it everyday
Age & gender: different people can behave in same way & for some will be normal, others abnormal, e.g. man wearing dress & high heels
What is the definition of failure to function adequately?
Person considered abnormal if unable to cope with demands of everyday life
Can’t do everyday things, e.g. self-care, holding down job, making themselves understood, etc.
Causes distress for individual or those close
What behaviours did Rosenhan & Seligman (1989) suggest indicate someone isn’t functioning adequately?
Suffering severe personal distress
Maladaptiveness (danger to self)
Unpredictability/loss of control
Causes observer discomfort to watch person’s behaviour
When person’s becomes irrational/dangerous to themselves or others
(SMUDI)
What behaviours did Jahoda (1958) suggest show ideal mental health?
Positive attitude towards self (good self-esteem)
Self-actualisation (state of contentment)
Autonomy (independence)
Resistance to stress
Environmental mastery (adapt to new situations)
Accurat perception of reality
(ASPARE)
What is the definition of statistical infrequency in terms of deviation from normality?
Person’s trait, thinking or behaviour classified as abnormal if rare/statistically unusual
What is an example of statistical infrequency in deviation of normality?
IQ:
Mean IQ is 100
95% of population within 2 standard deviations from 100 (70-130)
Anyone scoring outside of this scope considered abnormal
Evaluate deviation from social norms
Strength - considers effect behaviour has on others - unlike others - deviance defined in terms of transgression of social rules, which made to help people live together. According to this definition, abnormal behaviour damages others
Limitation - deviation from social norms varies through time - e.g. homosexuality - if we define abnormality in terms of deviation from social norms we open doors to definitions based on prevailing social morals & attitudes, thus, allowing mental health professionals to classify people as mentally ill who go against social attitudes
Limitation - doesn’t consider context - person at beach wearing nearly nothing is normal, but at family gathering it’s not - no clear line between abnormal deviation & harmless eccentricity. Social deviance on its own can’t offer complete definition of abnormality, as it’s inevitably related to both context & degree
Evaluate failure to function adequately
Strength - recognises subjective experience of patient - can view mental disorder from point of view of person experiencing it
Strength - relatively easy to judge - we can list behaviours, thus judge abnormality, e.g. when treatment required
Limitation - who judges? - patient may be facing personal distress, or could be content with situation. It’s others who are uncomfortable, thus it depends on who’s judging
Limitation - behaviour may be functional - depression may lead to extra needed attention - this attention is required, so functional for individual
Evaluate deviation from ideal mental health
Strength - positive approach - focuses on what is desirable rather than undesirable & gives goals for people to achieve
Limitation - unrealistic criteria - according to this framework, most of us are abnormal & criteria difficult to measure. Also how many do we lack to be deviating?
Limitation - suggests mental health same as physical - physical illnesses easy to detect & diagnose thanks to virus & bacteria. Manual disorders consequence of life experiences, thus, unlikely to diagnose mental disorders like physical
Evaluate statistical infrequency
Strength - is sometimes appropriate - intellectual ability defined in terms of normal distribution using concept of standard deviation to establish cut-off point for abnormality - any individual with IQ more than 2 standard deviations judged as having mental disorder
Limitation - some abnormal behaviour desirable - high IQ - also normal behaviours that are undesirable, thus, we’re unable to distinguish between desirable & undesirable behaviours
Limitation - cut-off point subjectively determined - symptom of depression is low sleep - what is abnormal? Some may say lower than 90% of population, some say 80%
