psychopathology 1.1 Flashcards
Definitions of abnormality, including deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately, statistical infrequency and deviation from ideal mental health.
the four definitions of abnormality
deviation from social norms
failure to function adequately
statistical infrequency
deviation from ideal mental health
deviation from social norms
a definition of abnormality where a behaviour is seen as abnormal if it violates unwritten rules (social norms) about what is acceptable in a particular society
social norms
a set of unwritten rules to follow
they are specific to the culture we currently live in and are often different for different generations and cultures
e.g in the past homosexuality was deemed as abnormal and now it’s not, homophobia is a crime however in come cultures homosexuality is still abnormal
strengths of deviation from social norms
looks at individuals abnormal behaviour and seeks to protect society from it
definition has a clear indication of what is considered normal and abnormal as most of us understand and are aware of social norms in our own culture
allows for developmental norms e.g. may be normal for one year old to be carried everywhere but abnormal if it was a 50 year old
limitations of deviation from social norms
based on western societal norms and reflects the majority which is a white population - Cochrane (1977) found that black people were more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than white people however this wasn’t the same in countries with a majority black population e.g. Jamaica so there is a diagnostic bias
this definition doesn’t explain abnormality changing over time, homosexuality was not removed from the international classification of diseases until 1990
definition doesn’t make it clear how to deal with cultural differences in normal and abnormal behaviour e.g. walking barfoot in London compared to in a tribal community
doesn’t account for those who don’t conform to social norms but are not abnormal, such as those that are individualistic or eccentric in their behaviour
statistical infrequency
according to this definition, a behaviour is seen as abnormal if it is statistically uncommon, or not seen very often in society
uses statistics to determine the difference between normal and abnormal behaviour
when is a behaviour regarded as abnormal
if it is statistically uncommon i.e. not present often or regularly per society e.g. about 1 in 300 people worldwide have schizophrenia making it an abnormal condition
what type of curve is used to represent the proportions of a population who share a particular characteristic?
distribution curve
where does the mean fall in the distribution curve?
in the centre
where do outliers fall on the distribution curve?
at each end of the curve
strengths of statistical infrequency
uses an objective, standardised measure which means that it is reliable
distribution curves are based on real data and therefore should be unbiased
weaknesses of statistical infrequency
depression is regarded as abnormal behaviour, yet it is so prevalent (1 in 6 adults in the uk have depression) which measn that it isn’t statistically deviant, hence using this as a measure of abnormality is unrepresentative
having an IQ of 130 might be regarded as advantageous rather than as evidence of ‘abnormality’
failure to function adequately
states individuals are abnormal when they are unable to cope with everyday life and this is evident in their behaviour
e.g. distress leading to not being able to function
what did rosenhan and seligman suggest?
that certain elements jointly determine abnormality
features of personal dysfunction (5)
personal distress
maladaptive behaviour
observer distress
unpredictable behaviour
irrational behaviour
personal distress
behaviour causes personal distress to sufferer
maladaptive behaviour
actions that prevent people from adapting, adjusting, or participating in different aspects of life
observer distress
someone who displays discomfort causes distress to the observers
unpredictable behaviour
unexpected characteristics, loss of control
irrational behaviour
displayed behaviour doesn’t make sense to other people
strengths of failure to function adequately
observable behaviour, others can judge if individual appears to have abnormal behaviours
checklist, provides individuals with a practical checklist to check their behviour
personal perspective, allows individual to have their own perspective of the mental disorder by recognising the personal experience of those suffering
represents a threshold for help, provides a clear criteria for when individuals need professional help
limitations of failure to function adequately
discrimination, labels individuals who make individual life choices e.g. those who complete unusual spiritual activities it also discriminates against those cultures who make different life choices e.g. travellers
abnormality is normal, doesn’t consider when it is normal to behave abnormally, for example at the loss of loved one or taking exams
abnormality and dysfunction do not always go together, this definition doesn’t explain people with dangerous personality disorders such as psychopaths who appear normal, e.g. Harold Shipman who was a well respected doctor but murdered over 200 patients
deviation from ideal mental health
this definition assesses mental health in the same way physical health is assessed
once it is established how individuals should look when they are psychologically healthy (ideal mental health) then those who deviate from this can be identified
what did Marie Jahoda (1958) suggest?
there are 6 characteristics an individual should display if they have an idea of mental health
the 6 characteristics of ideal mental health
positive attitudes towards ones self
self actualisation
autonomy
integration
environmental mastery
accurate perception of reality
accurate perception of reality
having a realistic view of the world and not a distorted view e.g. if you were unsuccessful at a job interview you could see that it was because he other candidate was a better fit for the job
environmental mastery
having flexibility to adapt to the changing life circumstances e.g. in relationship being loving with partner at work and professional with boss
positive attitudes towards one’s self
high levels of self-esteem and a strong sense of identity
knowing where you fit in the world
self actualisation
personal growth and development
developing yourself and achieving the goals you se yourself in life
e.g. completing your exams to the best of your ability, buying a house or getting your dream job
autonomy
ability to be independent and self regulating
if you were left alone you would be able to work things out for yourself
integration
resisting stress and being able to cope in stressful situations
coping with tight deadlines, celebrations and moving house
strengths of deviation from ideal mental health
holistic- looks at whole person rather than focusing on singular behaviours
comprehensive- includes a range of reasons to why individuals may need help with their mental health
it also includes a range of criteria for distinguishing mental health from illness
limitations of deviation from ideal mental health
cultural specific- this definition is specific to western cultures, collectivist cultures would see autonomy as undesirable
changes over time- doesn’t account for changes over time, behaviours that were once seen as normal are abnormal and vice versa
e.g. seeing visions of god would have been seen as a strong religious commitment however now this would be likely to lead to a diagnosis of a personality disorder
subjective criteria- mental health is subjective and needs to be looked at in the context of the patient
often experienced professionals struggle to come up with an accurate diagnosis
