Statistical Infrequency Flashcards
What does statistically infrequent mean?
A behaviour that doesn’t occur very often in the population
What is intellectual disability disorder?
What IQ would mean someone has the disorder?
A disorder that effects intellectual development.
A person has an IQ below 70
Describe the shape of a normal distribution on a graph.
A symmetrical spread of data with a bell shaped curve.
Describe what statistical infrequency is.
A mathematical method for defining abnormality. If a behaviour is infrequent then it’s abnormal.
What are standard deviations and how do they allow us to measure infrequency?
Standard deviations measure how far scores fall away from either side of a mean. Two or more standard deviations usually suggest behaviour is abnormal.
What is the mean IQ?
100
Give the two IQ scores that make a person abnormal.
Below 70
Above 130
Explain the strength of the mathematical approach to this definition of abnormality using the examples of intellectual disability disorder and the beck depression inventory.
For example, for IDD and IQ below 70 would be considered abnormal because this represents approx 2.5% of the population.
Another example is the beck depression inventory which says a score of 30+ is considered abnormal.
This shows the value of the mathematical approach when classifying and diagnosing psychopathology.
Explain the limitation that statistical infrequency could lead to misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment if the behaviour isn’t rare using the example of depression.
For example, depression is very common, however, statistical infrequency would suggest that depression is normal. This causes us to assume that depression is a normal behaviour and doesn’t require intervention. This tells us that statistical infrequency isn’t an adequate method of assessing mental disorders. This leads to people not receiving the correct treatments leading to worsening symptoms.
Explain the limitation of statistical infrequency not accounting for cultural differences.
For example, in some cultures, they think that having auditory hallucinations is a sign of their ancestors trying to contact them. This means that statistical infrequency chat always be used to explain abnormality as in different cultures, these ‘symptoms’ are seen as normal.
