Psychopathology - 01 Definitions of Abnormality Flashcards
What is a social norm?
A set of standards that every society develops for acceptable behaviour.
What are explicit rules?
To break these rules is to break the law e.g. murder, theft, speeding etc.
What are implicit rules?
The unspoken rules that are agreed as a matter of convention within a particular society e.g. speaking respectfully, queuing etc.
People who violate social norms are often regarded as what?
Deviant or abnormal
Why is deviation from social norms a useful way of identifying mental problems?
-learn what to expect from people
-If behaviour drastically deviates, we become concerned
-Can be vital for securing appropriate help
Limitation of deviation from social norms (eccentric or abnormal?)
-deviation from social norms does not always indicate psychological abnormality
-e.g. running naked across a football pitch may be regarded as abnormal but we would not assume the person is mentally disturbed
-so, hard to use to determine who needs psychological help
Limitation of deviation from social norms (can lead to human rights abuses)
-Drapetomania was a made up mental illness given to black slaves who ran away
-used to maintain control over ethnic minorities and led to abuse of human rights
Limitation of deviation from social norms (change with the times)
-beliefs about social normschange overtime
-lack of consensus between generations
-until 20th century unmarried mothers sent to mental institutions and babies taken away
Limitation of deviation from social norms (Cultural differences)
-e.g talking to an invisible person is considered normal in certain African cultures following the death of a loved one
-in our society it would be classified as abnormal
-means we can’t have one universal definition of abnormality
-limits the usefulness of the definition
What means that someone isn’t functioning properly?
-If they don’t meet the expectations about how people should live their lives and how they should contribute to the social group around them
-e.g. we expect people to feed and clean themselves properly go to work/school, maintain social relationships etc
What signs did Rosenhan + Seligman (1989) say could be used to determine when someone isn’t coping? (3 signs)
1)does not conform to interpersonal rules e.g. personal space
2)experiences severe distress
3)behaviour irrational/dangerous to themselves or others
What does the GAF scale stand for?
Global Assessment of Functioning
What does the GAF scale measure?
-how well individuals function in everyday life
-considers Rosenhan + Seligman’s sections and occupational functioning
-score 1-100 lower score = failure to function
What does 91-100 suggest on the GAF scale?
-superior function in a wide range of activities
-life problems never seem to get out of hand
-is sought out by others because of his/her many positive qualities
-no symptoms
What does 1-10 suggest on the GAF scale?
-persistent danger of severely hurting self or others
-recurrent violence OR persistent inability to maintain minimum personal hygiene OR serious suicidal act with clear expectation of death
Strength of failure to function adequately (measurable)
-allows the extent to be measured
-means that decision of if a behaviour is abnormal can be made in relatively objective way
-can decide who needs help
Strength of failure to function adequately (Behaviour is observable)
-can be seen by others around the individual because they may not get out of bed, or being able to keep a job
-means that problems can be picked up by others and others can intervene
Limitations of failure to function adequately (exceptions to the rule)
-some behave disfunctionally in response to stress, does not mean they are abnormal
-student experience anxiety before exam and neglect hygiene, sleep habits etc
-BUT not psychologically abnormal
Limitations of failure to function adequately (abnormality is not always accompanied by dysfunction)
-people with anti-social personality disorder (psychopaths) have been known to commit murder and still appear to lead a normal life
-such people must still be classified as abnormal
What does abnormality mean in statistical infrequency?
behaviour deviating from the average or is rare is seen as abnormal
How is statistical infrequency measured?
-uses a normal distribution curve
-the spread is measured by standard deviation
-2 or more SD from mean = abnormality
Example of statistical infrequency (IQ and intellectual disability disorder)
-average IQ is 100
-most people have IQ pf 85-115 (68%) = I SD above/below the mean
-2% score below 70 = statically unusual or abnormal and would be diagnosed with intellectual disability disorder
-IQ of over 130 would also been seen as abnormal/statistically rare with only 2% scoring this.
Limitations of statistical infrequency (unusual characteristics can be positive)
-for example IQ of over 130 is very rare but we would not think of it as undesirable or something that requires treatment
-this means that the definition should never be used alone to make diagnosis
Limitations of statistical infrequency (culturally relative)
-e.g. symptom of schizophrenia is claiming to hear voices however this is regarded as desirable and frequent in some cultures
- suggests that is is difficult to apply this definition to all cultures globally
Limitations of statistical infrequency (not everyone benefits from a label)
-when someone is living a happy and fulfilled life there is no benefit to them being labelled as abnormal
-if someone with a low IQ is not distressed, capable of working etc they would not benefit from a diagnosis or label
-for some being labelled as abnormal might have a negative effect on the way the view themself
Who put forward the notion of ideal mental health?
Jahoda (1958)
How is deviation from ideal mental health used?
First we define what is normal and anything that deviates from this is regarded as abnormal.
What were the 6 major criteria for optimal living that Jahoda identified?
1-positive attitudes towards the self
2-self-actualisation of one’s potential
3-resistance to stress
4-personal autonomy
5-accurate perception of reality
6-environmental mastery
Explain what positive attitudes towards the self is?
-Having a positive self-concept and sense of identity.
-Mentally healthy attitudes towards the self includes self-respect, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-acceptance.
Explain what self-actualisation of ones potential is?
-First developed by Maslow (1988)
-we all have potential and that we constantly strive to fulfil this potential
-Mental problems occur when we are prevented from fulfilling our potential
Explain what resistance to stress is?
Develop good coping strategies for dealing with stressful situations
Explain what personal autonomy is?
-dependant on their own resources
-ability to make own decisions on basis of what is right for ourselves, rather than to satisfy others
Explain what accurate perception of reality is?
Seeing oneself and the world in realistic terms, rather than through rose-tinted glasses or in an overly pessimistic manor
Explain what environmental mastery is?
Being competent in all areas of life and involves being flexible and being able to adapt and adjust to change
One limitation of ideal mental health as a definition (how many criteria?)
-Jahoda does not say how many of the 6 criteria we need to lack to be deemed abnormal
-makes it impossible to judge who is abnormal and not
-means it is useless in the real world
One limitation of ideal mental health as a definition (bar set too high)
-So few people actually meet all of the criteria so everyone is classified as abnormal
-especially for self-actualisation as in reality very few people achieve their full potential in life
-so it is too idealistic and cannot be used to accurately distinguish who is abnormal and not
One limitation of ideal mental health as a definition (stress can be useful)
-stress before and during exams can help to motivate people to revise and therefore perform better
-so resistance to stress is not an appropriate criteria for all situations as stress is not always negative
One limitation of ideal mental health as a definition (cultural issues)
-ideas specific to Western European and North American cultures
-emphasis on personal self-actualisation, self-indulgent in much of the world
-typical of individualistic cultures, in collective cultures, family/community come first
-limited generalisability, cannot be applied to collectivist societies
