Psychopathology- definitions of abnormality

Question 1

What are social norms

Answer 1

Implicit and explicit rules that a society has about what are acceptable behaviours, values and beliefs

Question 2

What are explicit rules

Answer 2

Those which if violates would mean breaking the law

Question 3

What are implicit rules

Answer 3

Those which are unspoken but mutually understood in a society

Question 4

How would one be considered abnormal under deviation from social norms

Answer 4

If and individual doesn’t adhere to social norms

Question 5

+ what is the role of context in deviation from social norms

Answer 5

We take the situation or context into account, out of context some behaviours may seem bizarre, but in some situations they would be acceptable

Question 6

+ what is developmental social norms in deviation from social norms

Answer 6

At a certain age, some behaviours may seem bizarre, but at other ages they would be acceptable

Question 7

• why is deviation from social norms subjective?

Answer 7

Some social norms are just opinions of what is and isn’t acceptable by a few elite members

Question 8

• why is the changing of norms with time an issue with deviation from social norms

Answer 8

What is considered acceptable now, may not have been acceptable in the past

Question 9

• why is the question of eccentricity an issue with deviation from social norms

Answer 9

Some people may not be unhealthy, but rather just a bit quirky

Question 10

• why is the question of criminality an issue in deviation from social norms

Answer 10

Those who break explicit norms may not be considered abnormal

Question 11

• why is cultural relativism an issue in deviation from social norms

Answer 11

What is socially acceptable in one culture, might be strange to another

Question 12

How is a person considered abnormal under failure to function adequately

Answer 12

If people are unable to cope with the demands of every day life

Question 13

Which definition is used by health professionals

Answer 13

Failure to function adequately

Question 14

What do doctors use to assess if someone is failing to function

Answer 14

The DSM-V which contains a GAF

Question 15

What is personal irrationality (failure to function)

Answer 15

Displaying behaviour that can’t be explained in a rational way

Question 16

What is observer discomfort (failure to function)

Answer 16

Displaying behaviour that causes discomfort to others

Question 17

What is unpredictability (failure to function)

Answer 17

Displaying unexpected behaviours characterised by loss of control

Question 18

+ why is the assessment of the degree of abnormality good in failure to function

Answer 18

It lets mental health professionals make an informed decision about what they may need for/ urgency of treatment

Question 19

Why is the providing of a checklist good for failure to function

Answer 19

Provides criteria to work from when making a diagnosis and assessing effects of treatment

Question 20

-Why are exceptions to the rule an issue in failure to function

Answer 20

Abnormality is not always accompanied by failure to function with many psychopathic individuals appearing normal and vice versa

Question 21

What does GAF fail to consider

Answer 21

Behaviour from individuals may be normal but not for others

Question 22

-why is distress an issue with failure to function

Answer 22

Distress to others may not be distressing the individual and treatment may be encouraged falsely to someone who doesn’t need it

Question 23

• why is the direction of causality an issue in failure to function

Answer 23

An inability to cope may be the cause of the mental disorder rather than events

Question 24

• why is cultural relativism an issue in failure to function

Answer 24

In individualistic cultures, a person would need to be holding life down on their own, however, collectivist cultures would depend on others

Question 25

How is someone considered abnormal under statistical infrequency

Answer 25

If the characteristic is statistically rare and falls outside of the normal distribution for the characteristic

Question 26

+ why is objectivity and important factor to why statistical infrequency is good

Answer 26

Once a cut off point about a behaviour becomes established, decisions about whether someone is or isn’t abnormal can be made

Question 27

• why is the desirability of some behaviours an issue with statistical infrequency

Answer 27

Some behaviours that fall out of the normal distribution may be desirable e.g iq

Question 28

• why is the frequency of some behaviours an issue with statistical infrequency

Answer 28

Some disorders such as depression and anxiety are common, yet they shouldn’t be considered abnormal

Question 29

What are jahodas 6 criteria

Answer 29

Positive attitude towards the self
Self actualisation
Resistance to stress
Personal autonomy
Accurate perception of reality
Adapting to and mastering the environment

Question 30

According to deviation from ideal mental health, how would someone be abnormal?

Answer 30

If an individual lacks the qualities of Jahodas criteria

Question 31

+ how is deviation from ideal mental health a positive way of assessing mental health

Answer 31

It focuses on desirable behaviour

Question 32

+ what does deviation from ideal mental health allow an individual to do

Answer 32

Set goals to achieve abnormality

Question 33

• why is the demands of the six criteria an issue

Answer 33

It is highly unlikely for individuals to meet the criteria at all times, and therefore everyone would be considered abnormal at some point, which would render the definition useless

Question 34

-what is an issue with self-actualisation

Answer 34

It cannot be measured or operationalised and therefore we will never know if someone ever actually reaches their full potential

Question 35

• what is an issue with resistance to stress

Answer 35

Stress can be good and can often make people work more efficiently in stressful situations

Question 36

• what is an issue with cultural relativism in jahodas criteria

Answer 36

They’re based off of western ideals and some cultures may not desire personal autonomy or self actualisation