Psychopathology: Defining Abnormality

Question 1

What are the 3 explanations/definitions of abnormality

Answer 1

• deviation from social norms
• deviation from statistical norms
• failure to function adequately

Question 2

what is failure to function adequately

Answer 2

• can’t function adequately if you can’t cope with demands of life -> criteria:
  -> dysfunctional behaviour -> going against accepted standards of behaviour.
  -> observer discomfort -> behaviour making others uncomfortable.
  -> Unpredictable behaviour -> behaviour is impulsive/uncontrollable.
  -> Irrational behaviour -> behaviour is unreasonable and illogical.
• if you tick more than one of above criteria, behaviour considered abnormal.
  -> may be unfair, we may do stuff which fits these categories.

Question 3

What is deviation from social norms

Answer 3

• all societies have standards of behaviour and attitudes.
• one problem with this definition is that it can be used to justify the removal of ‘unwanted’ people -> e.g. a group opposing a political regime.
• another problem -> what is seen as acceptable/abnormal can change over time.
  -> e.g. DSM: homosexuality was classed as a disorder.

Question 4

explain deviation from statistical norms

Answer 4

• abnormality can also be seen as statistically rare behaviour -> can be expressed in terms of normal distribution.
• People who behave in an average way make up the middle of the bell-shaped curve.
• those who behave ‘abnormally’ make up the tail ends of the bell curve.
  -> behaviour is statistically infrequent.

Question 5

What are the problems with using deviation from stat norms as a definition of abnormality

Answer 5

• doesn’t consider the desirability of behaviour -> just frequency -> e.g. high IQ is rare but desirable.
• no distinction between rare, slightly odd behaviour and rare, psychologically abnormal behaviour.
• some behaviours seen as abnormal are quite common, e.g. mild depression.
  -> Hassett and White argue you can’t use statistical frequency because of this -> some disorders would not be classed as anything unusual.
• no definite cut-off point where normal behaviour becomes abnormal.

Question 6

What are Jahoda’s 6 conditions associated with ideal mental health and evaluate this

Answer 6

• positive self-attitude
• self-actualisation (realising potential, fulfilment)
• resistance to stress
• personal autonomy
• accurate perception of reality
• adoption to the environment

(-) hard to meet all the standards -> also subjective.
(-) a violent offender may have positive self-attitude etc
-> but society wouldn’t see them as in good mental health.

Question 7

Explain how the idea of ideal mental health/abnormality varies across time and cultures

Answer 7

• in some cultures -> considered abnormal for women to enjoy sex.
• Victorian times -> women who enjoyed sex were deemed abnormal.
  -> Freud coined the term ‘nymphomania’.

Question 8

what are the symptoms associated with mental illness (department of health)

Answer 8

• department of health -> there should be one or more of (not temporary) the following symptoms:
  -> impairment of intellectual functions, like memory and comprehension.
  -> alterations to mood that lead to delusional appraisals of past or future.
  -> delusional beliefs, such as of persecution or jealousy.
  -> disordered thinking -> unable to appraise the situation or communicate with others.