Psychopathology - Definitions of abnormality: Deviation from social norms

Question 1

What are social norms?

Answer 1

Unwritten behavioural expectations that vary depending on culture, time and context

Question 2

What are social deviants?

Answer 2

Individuals who breaks the norms and are seen as abnormal

Question 3

What is cultural specificity?

Answer 3

The specific traditions, morals, concepts, insights, art, or dialect of a commune or society

Question 4

What are some examples of behaviours that show high cultural specificity?

Answer 4

• Tolerance to homosexuality
• Face/hair covering
• Queuing
• Chopsticks
• Public displays of affections

Question 5

What is an advantage of using deviation from social norms as a way of defining of abnormality?

Answer 5

-This way of defining abnormality respects cultural differences as they do not impose a set western definition of abnormality on non-westerners

Question 6

What is a weakness of using deviation from social norms as a way of defining of abnormality?

Answer 6

• People living outside of their culture of origin can be judged as abnormal even though they would not be in their original culture
• For example: People with an Afro-Caribbean heritage in the UK are 7x more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia (Fernando 1998)

Question 7

What is a weakness of using deviation from social norms as a way of defining of abnormality?

Answer 7

-Using deviation from social norms as a way of defining of abnormality can result in society punishing people who express their individuality in unconventional ways

Question 8

What is a disadvantage of using deviation from social norms as a way of defining abnormality?

Answer 8

-Social norms are subjective and they change over time, a true definition of abnormality should be consistent