Normality Flashcards
What are the 6 types of normality according to Gro 1995?
Socio-cultural Functional Historical Situational Medical Statistical
What is socio-cultural normality?
Characteristic patterns of normal beliefs and behaviours. Social norms vary between societies and have changed over time. There is stigma associated with some norms e.g. smoking, sex before marriage
What is a cohort normality?
The norm for people who share similar life experiences.
What is cultural relativism?
The theory that beliefs, behaviours and morals exist in relation to the culture from which they originate, but it is not absolute.
Give some examples of ways in which cultures have changed.
Child rearing Diet and nutrition Reaction to adverse events Caring Consulting behaviour Living with chronic illness
What is functional normality?
The ability to function in roles that have developed around them. Context dependent. e.g. success in carer doesn’t mean success as a parent
What is historical normality?
The previous norms that have no changed e.g. Smoking habits, hysteria
What is situational normality?
Normal behaviours that are constructed according to the environment and context. e.g. being in a bikini is more acceptable in a sauna than walking down the street
What is medical normality?
An expected state, but the range of normal may vary.
An abnormality is required to establish a sick role.
It considers conditions, systems and processes as well as Pt beliefs, attributions Deviation of beliefs or attitudes from that expected will end in diagnosis of mental illness.
What is statistical normality?
Expression or hypicality of a central tendency (mean,mode,median). e.g. height, weight, sperm count
Expressed as normal distribution.
Lying within the 3rd SD may be considered abnormal.
What maintains norms?
Ritual and routine
Mores / Way of life / customs
Law
What results from the violation of a norm?
Involuntary admission into the sick role
What may be seen as a violation of norm?
Failure to fulfil role obligations
Responding to hallucinations / unaccepted behaviour in public
Violence or threat to another person
Why is deviation from norm sometimes viewed as positive?
Shows flexibility and progress with new patterns of thinking evolving.
What is conformity?
Yielding to group pressure that is either real or imaginary, to cause a change in behaviour. Causes people to adopt behaviours, attitudes and values of a group.
