Psychopathology

Question 1

Definitions of abnormality

Answer 1

Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health
Statistical infrequency

Question 2

Deviation from social norms

Answer 2

Behaviour doesn’t fit within what is socially acceptable
STRENGTHS:
Flexibility: depending on situation and age
Clarity: living in a culture for a long time provides understanding
Helps society: ordered and predictable
LIMITATIONS:
Change overtime: dependent on time so hard to judge
Cultural differences: variation so not clear
Ethnic differences: lack of understanding from minority to majority

Question 3

Failure to function adequately

Answer 3

Individual is unable to cope with everyday life
Rosenhan and seligman - unpredictability, violation of moral, unconventionality, observer comfort standards, irrationality, personal distress and maladaptive behaviour
GAF - measured peoples functioning
STRENGTHS:
Consideration of feelings: people can get help
Measurable: GAF
Behaviour is observable: can be seen by others
LIMITATIONS:
Too much focus on individual: could be a problem for others
Doesn’t always stop functioning: may seem fine but not
Everyday life varies: across cultures

Question 4

Deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 4

Theoretical idea of mental health
Jahoda - positive attitude towards self, self actualisation, autonomy, resistance to stress, environmental mastery and accurate perception of reality
STRENGTHS:
Focused: individual can and intervention if behaviour isn’t “normal”
Positive: what’s helpful and desirable for individual
Achievement of goals: allows clear goals to be set
LIMITATION:
Feasibility: ideal mental health = impossible to achieve
Ethnocentrism: autonomy in cultures can’t be applied
Subjective: vague so difficult to measure and not always honest with ourselves

Question 5

Statistical infrequency

Answer 5

Mathematical method for defining abnormality
Central mean, 2.5% above or below are considered abnormal
STRENGTHS:
Intuitive: idea of abnormality is when something does not occur
Objective: clear what is abnormal
A useful overview: looks at whole picture of characteristics
LIMITATION:
Inflexible: only takes bottom 2.5% into account, art OCD affect 3% of population so would be considered normal
Can occur frequently: 2.5% suffer from depression at least once yet we would not accept depression

Question 6

Mowrer

Answer 6

Two Process Model

Explains how phobias are leant through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning