psychopathology(paper 1) Flashcards
What is deviation from social norms?
Behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a community or society.
What is failure to function adequately?
When a person can no longer cope with the demands of everyday life.
e.g unable to maintain basic standards of nutrition; can’t hold down a job or relationship.
What is deviation from ideal mental health?
Occurs when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health.
What is statistical infrequency?
Behaviour is classified as abnormal if it is rare or statistically unusual.
What is a disadvantage of deviation from social norms?
Cultural relativism - Social norms are defined by our culture and these vary between cultures.
What is another disadvantage of deviation from social norms?
Deviation is related to the degree and context of behaviour - It is hard to make a judgement about at what point behaviour is seen as harmless rather than abnormal.
What is a further disadvantage of deviation from social norms?
Definitions of socially normal behaviour can change over time - behaviour that is normal in society may change and adapt slightly as we evolve.
What is a strength of failure to function adequately?
It takes into consideration how the person is feeling - it gauges how the person is feeling and managing their everyday life from their perspective.
What is another strength of failure to function adequately?
It is measurable - GAF scale allows for extent of failure to function to be measured.
What is a further strength of failure to function adequately?
Behaviour is observable - You are able to see the symptoms of conditions such as depression if they are not able to do everyday tasks.
What is a weakness of failure to function adequately?
Abnormality does not always stop the person from functioning - the person may have no behavioural signs suggesting distress but mentally they may have distorted thinking.
What is another weakness of failure to function adequately?
Everyday life varies - the ability to cope with everyday life depends on what is seen as normal, which varies across cultures.
What is a further weakness of failure to function adequately?
FFA might not be linked to abnormality but to other factors - such as someone having no job may be due to an economic factor rather than just being seen as depressed.
What is a strength of deviation from ideal mental health?
It is a comprehensive definition - It covers a broad range of criteria for mental health.
What is another strength of deviation from ideal mental health?
Achievement of goals - the idea of a set criteria allows for clear goals to be set and focused to achieve ideal mental health.
What is a limitation of deviation from ideal mental health?
Who can achieve all these criteria - It will be rare if someone is able to meet all categories.
