psychopathology Flashcards
what are the different definitions of abnormality?
1) statistical infrequency (SI)
2) deviation from social norms (DSN)
3) failure to function adequately
4) deviation from ideal mental health
define abnormality in terms of statistical infrequency.
- these are rare behaviours often considered to be ‘abnormal’ e.g. intelligence
- IQ is normally distributed (see physical drawing) and the average score is 100+ or - 15
- a normal IQ is between 85 to 115 and only 2% score below 70 signifying they are statistically abnormal and are diagnosed with intellectual disability disorder
what is a positive evaluation of statistical infrequency?
P- one strength is that statistical infrequency has real world application
E- an IQ of below 70 (bottom 2%) is used to diagnose intellectual disability disorder (IDD)
E- this creates consistency in the diagnosis of mental health disorders and allows psychologists to make accurate assessments and treatments of patients
what is a limitation of statistical infrequency?
P- a limitation is that unusual characteristics can also be a positive
E- if very people display a characteristic, then the behaviour is statistically infrequent but does not mean we would call them abnormal
- IQ scores above 130 are just as unusual as those below 70, but not regarded as undesirable or needing treatment
E- this means that although statistical infrequency can be part of defining abnormality it is not accurate enough to diagnose a mental health problem/abnormality
define deviation from social norms in terms of abnormality.
- this is when a person behaves in a way that is different from how they are expected to behave they may be defined as abnormal (a collective judgement as a society about what behaviour is ‘normal)
- there are relatively few behaviours that would be considered universally abnormal therefore definitions are related to cultural context e.g. homosexuality is viewed as abnormal in some cultures but not others and was considered abnormal in our society in the past
example: anti-social personality disorder (psychopathy) and is a failure to conform to ‘lawful and culturally normative ethical behaviour’ and they are abnormal because they deviate from social norms and standards e.g. lacking empathy
what is a positive evaluation of deviation from social norms?
P- one strength of deviation from social norms is it’s real-life application
E- deviation from social norms is useful in the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder as this requires failure to conform to ethical standards
E- this means that treatment opportunities can be developed and used to reduce symptoms as well as being useful in psychiatric diagnosis
what is a limitation of deviation from social norms?
P- one limitation is that the definition may be defined as ethnocentric
E- A person from one culture may label someone from another culture as abnormal using their standards rather than the persons standards e.g. hearing voices is socially acceptable in some cultures but would be seen as a sign of abnormality in the UK
E- this means it is difficult to judge deviation from social norms from one context to another
what is another limitation of deviation from social norms?
P- another limitation is that the definition fails to distinguish between deviance and psychological abnormality
E- for example, a drink-driver has broken a societal rule (and the law) but psychologists would not class them as psychologically abnormal
E- this means that according to the deviation from social norms definition is invalid
define failure to function adequately in terms of abnormality.
- this is the inability to cope with everyday life e.g. not being able to maintain basic standards of nutrition and hygiene, hold down a job or maintain relationships
example: intellectual disability disorder - having a low IQ is a statistical infrequency but diagnosis would not be made on this basis alone as there would have to be clear signs that the person was not able to cope with the demands of everyday living
what researchers came up with signs that portrayed failure to function adequately?
- Rosenhan and Seligman (1989) defined some signs for spotting FTFA:
- no longer conforms to interpersonal norms e.g. maintaining personal space
- they experience severe personal distress
- they behave in a way that is irrational or dangerous
what is a positive evaluation of failure to function adequately?
P- one strength is that it considers the patients perspective
E- By considering the subjective experience of the patient, we are arguably looking at the important aspect of someone’s mental health-their own experience
E- therefore, using failure to function arguably captures more important aspects of mental health than for example, statistical infrequency
what is a limitation of failure to function adequately?
P- one limitation is that the defintion can lead to discrimination / social control
E- it is hard to distinguish between failure to function and a conscious decision to deviate from social norms e.g. people may choose to live off-grid as part of an alternative lifestyle choice or taken part in high risk leisure activities
E- this means that people who make unusual choices can be labelled abnormal and their freedom of choice restricted
what is another limitation of failure to function?
P- another limitation is that failure to function can be normal
E- in some circumstances most of us cannot cope but on the other hand it is real and a person may just need professional help to adjust to it
E- this means it is hard to known when to base a judgement of abnormality on failure to function
define deviation from ideal mental health in terms of abnormality and who created a criteria for it?
- this is a different way to look at normality and abnormality and with this we can identify anyone who deviated from this ideal
- Jahoda (1985) identified the following criteria for ideal mental health ]:
1) we have no symptoms of distress
2) we are rational and perceive ourselves accurately
3) we self-actualise (reach our potential)
4) we can cope with stress
5) we have a realistic view of the world
6) we have good self-esteem and lack guilt
7) we are independent of other people
8) we can successfully work, love and enjoy our leisure
example: depression would be classes as abnormal by this defintion as it causes a person to have low self-esteem and hold a negative view of the world so the person may struggle with self-attitudes, self-actualisation and autonomy
what is a positive evaluation of deviation from ideal mental health?
P- one strength of the ideal mental health approach is being comprehensive
E- Jahoda’s criteria provides an extensive view of ideal mental health and it covers most of the reasons why we might need help with mental health
- this means that mental health can be discussed meaningfully with a range of professional
E- therefore, the range of factors discussed makes it a useful tool for discussing mental health problems
what is a limitation of deviation from ideal mental health?
P- one limitation is that the definition may be culture-bound
E- some criteria for ideal mental health are limited e.g. self-actualisation is not recognised in most of the world
E- this means that it is very difficult to apply the concept of ideal mental health from one culture to another
what is another limitation of deviation from ideal mental health?
P- another limitation is that it has very high standards of mental health
E- none of us achieve all of Jahoda’s criteria for mental health, and none of us maintain them for long, so these criteria’s could see us all as abnormal
E- therefore, it is of no benefit when deciding who may need treatment who does not want it
