Psychopathology : abnormality Flashcards
What are methods used to define someone as abnormal?
- Statistical infrequency
- Deviation from social norms
- Failure to function adequately
- Deviation from ideal mental health
Define statistical infrequency
The most ovbious way of defining something as abnormal is to consider how often we come across it.
- According to this definition ‘‘usual behaviour’’ can be considered normal. Whereas ‘‘unusual behaviour’’ can be considered abnormal
- Exanple : Schizophrenia only occurs in 1% of the population
Name an example use of statistical infrequency
The definition is especially useful when dealing with characteristics that can be reliably measured
* Any human characteristic the majority of scores will cluster around the average,
* The further we go above or below the average the less people get the that score - Normal distribution
* In terms of intelligence only 2% score below 70 or above 130. - Abnormality
Define deviation from the social norms
People who behave differently to the way we expect them to behave
* Groups of people choose to define behaviour that is abnormal based on the fact that it offends their sense ‘‘normal’’.
* We as a society make a collective judgement about what is right
How are social norms influenced?
Norms are specfic to culture
* There are relatively few behaviours that would be considered universally abnormal based on social norms : changes by culture and by generation
* For example, homosexuality was consdiered abnormal in our culture in the past. It also continues to be abnormal even illegal in countries.
* In 2019, Brunei introduced new laws that make sex between punishble by stoning to death
Give an example of deviation from social norms
Anti-social persoanlity disoder
* impulsive, agressive and irresponsible
* An absence of prosocial internal standards associated with failure to conform to lawful and culturally normative ethical behaviour
We are making the social judgement that psychopaths are abnormal because they do not conform to our moral standards and would be considered abnormal in a wide range of cultures
What is a strength of statistical infrequency?
Real world application
* Statistical Infrequency is used in clinical practice as part of formal diagnosis to assess the severity of symptoms.
* IQ testing for BDD
* BDI = 30+ indicates severe depression
Shows the value of statistical infrequency in diagnostic and assessment procedures
What is a weakness of statisical infrequency?
Unusual characteristics can be positive
* For every person with an IQ below 70 there is one with an IQ of above 130.
* We wouldn’t class them as abnormal
* Similarly we wouldn’t class someone at the bottom end of the depression scale as abnormal
Shows that being unusual or at one end of a particular spectrum, doesn’t necessarily make you abnormal
→The definition shouldn’t be used as the sole basis for defining abnormality
What is a strength of devation from social norms?
Real world application
* Definition is used in clinical practice, for example with the key defining chracteristics of APD, which are deviations from social norms
* In the diagnosis of schizotype personality disorder the term ‘strange’ is used to characterise peoples’ thinking, appearance and behaviour
→Definition has value in psychiatry
What is a weakness of deviation from social norms?
Human rights abuse
This definition can leave people vulnerable to unfair labelling and human rights abuse.
* Nymphomania → controlling women
* Drapetomania → controlling slaves
* However equally, we rely on the definitions to diagnose certain disorders like APD and SPD
Is this use of deviation from social norms as a definition justifiable?
Define failure to function adequately
A person may cross the line between normal and abnormal when they can no longer cope with the demands of everyday life
* Perhaps they are unable to to maintain basic levels of hygiene or nutrition
* Maintain a job or relationships
How can you determine whether someone is faling to function adequatley?
Rosenham and Seligman(1989) proposed some additional signs that can be used to determine whether someone is failing to function
* Not conforming to standard interpersonal rules
* Experiencing severe personal distress
* Irrational and/or dangerous to themselves or others
Intellectual disability would not be diagnosed based on stats alone- failure to function would also be taken into account
Define deviation from ideal mental health
Mari jahoda(1958) proposed this : once we we have an idea of what ‘psychologically healthy’ looks like, we can start to identify who deviates from this ideal.
Give examples of what looks ‘psychologically healthy’
- No symptoms of distress
- Rational and can percieve ourseveles accurately
- We can self-actualise
- We can cope with stress
- Realistic view of the world
- Good self-esteem and a lack of guilt
- Independant of others
- Succesfully work, love and enjoy our leisure
According to the definition, anyone who deviates from these ideals would be classes as abnormal
What is a stength of failure to function adequatley?
Represents a threshold for help
Failure to fucntion adequatley represents a sensible threshold for when somebody needs professional help.
* Research suggests that around 25% people experience mental health problems in any given year
* Most people tend to press on, even when symptoms get severe
* At the point when we cease to fucntion adequatley we tend to seek help, or are referred to for help by others.
This means that treatement and services can be targetted to those who need them most
