Psychopathology

Question 1

What is deviation from social norms?

Answer 1

A persons thinking or behaviour violates the unwritten rules of society. Their behaviour may be incomprehensible to others or may threaten others

Question 2

What are the strengths of the definition ‘deviation from social norms’?

Answer 2

Developmental norms: it recognises that different behaviours are normal at different ages e.g. wearing a nappy age 2 vs. age 20
Situational norms: a behaviour in one situation may be normal, but the same behaviour in a different situation may be abnormal e.g. naked in public vs. naked in the shower
Helps people: the definition gives itself the right to intervene in abnormal peoples lives and help them

Question 3

What are some weaknesses of the definition ‘deviation from social norms’?

Answer 3

Cultural differences: The definition has an ethnocentric bias. Norms mostly reflect the norms of the white population, Cochrane (1977) found that black and asian people are more likely to be diagnosed as schizophrenic. Norms vary across cultures
Individualism: People may be eccentric and not be problematic, this should not be considered abnormal