psychopathology-defining abnormality DFSN

Question 1

HAMBURGER, STRENGTH, INCLUDES DESIRABILITY

Answer 1

A strength is that this approach includes the issue of desirability of behaviour.
For example, being a genius is statistically abnormal. Also, narcisism was once viewed as a deviation form social norms BUT now taking selfies is seen as normal.
This means that social norms can be useful than other definitions like statistical norms

Question 2

DOUBLE WHOPPER, LIMITATION,VARIATIONS

Answer 2

A limitation with deviating from social norms approach is that social norms vary over time.
For example, homosexuality was considered a mental disorder in DSM-5. But, now homosexuality is deemed socially acceptable therefore deviation from social norms definition is based on prevailing morals and attitudes on what counts as abnormal/abnormal etc.
This is bad as too much reliance on this definition could lead to systemic abuse of human rights because of attitudes people have.

Question 3

HAMBURGER, LIMITATION, DEVIANCE RELATED TO CONTEXT

Answer 3

A limitation is that deviance is related to a behaviour’s context.
For example, wearing very little will be seen as normal at the beach however abnormal at a formal gathering.
However, sometimes there isn’t a clear line between abnormal deviation and eccentricity therefore individually, deviation from social norms can’t offer a complete definition of abnormality.

Question 4

DOUBLE WHOPPER, LIMITATION, VARY COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY

Answer 4

A limitation of using DFSN as a definition for abnormality is that they vary across communities.
This means that person from one cultural group may label someone from another culture as behaving abnormal according to their own ideas.
For example, hearing voices isn’t seen as abnormal in all cultures.
Therefore, shows this shows that it could be problematic to use social norms to define abnormal behaviour when diagnosing others (difficult). Therefore, abnormality is culturally relative.