Statistical Infrequency Flashcards
What is statistical infrequency?
-Human behaviour is abnormal if it fall outside the range which is typical for most people
-Statistics are gathered to measure what normal behaviour looks like and then to see what qualifies as abnormal behaviour
What is regarded as statistically abnormal/rare?
-A normal distribution curve can be drawn to show what proportion of people share the characteristics of normal behaviour
-Any individuals who fall outside the normal distribution of behaviour (usually about 5% of gen pop) are perceived as being abnormal/rare?
What is an example of intellectual disability?
-The distribution of IQ scores can illustrate this, average scores are 100 and most people fall around the middle
-Those with very low or very high scores fall at the extremes
-These people are ‘abnormal’ meaning away from the norm
How does statistical infrequency affect diagnosing?
-Stat infrequency forms basis for diagnosing ‘mental retardation’
-DSM-4 defines mental retardation as an IQ of 70 and below and around 2/3% fall into this category
Mental illness and Stat infrequency
-In the UK these disorders effect this many people:
Depression = 2.6 in 100 (2.6%)
Anxiety = 4.7 in 100 (4.7%)
Anxiety Depression = 9.7 in 100(9.7%)
Phobias = 2.6 in 100 (2.6%)
OCD = 1.3 in 100 (1.3%)
Panic disorder = 1.2 in 100 (1.2%)
PTSD = 3.0 in 100 (3%)
ED’s = 1.6 in 100 (1.6%)
What is a strength of stat infrequency
Attempt at applying objective measures to mental illness
-Offers prospect of clear guidelines for identifying behaviours as normal and abnormal
-Introduces objectivity into process so mental health workers can view behaviours as either normal or not
Such diagnosis’s can only be ,Ade on conjunction with failing to function adequately which then shows the validity of this definition
What are 3 weaknesses?
Some abnormal behaviour is desirable
-Some ‘abnormal’ behaviours are actually quite desirable
-An IQ score of eg. 160 would be classed as abnormal and that comes with the notion of this trait being undesirable
-A high IQ is not undesirable
Thus, the idea of stat infrequency cannot distinguish between desirable and undesirable behaviour but just as normal and abnormal and refutes the validity of the definition as not all ‘undesirable’ behaviour is actually undesirable
Some mental illnesses are quite frequent in population
-In most countries there will be a high statistic for people who suffer anxiety and depression, eg the UK nearly 10% of population suffer from it
-This condition, according to the definition, is normal and wouldn’t be classified as a mental illness when it is
If we only focus on stat infrequency as an explanation, these disorders would go undiagnosed and untreated refuting its practicality
Labels can be damaging
-Some findings could lead to negative effects on individuals lives
-Someone who leads a normal, happy but unusual life won’t benefit from labels
-Equally someone with a low IQ can still lead a normal working life would neither benefit from a label
Labels can have damaging effects on individuals especially those who don’t see anything wrong with themselves refuting stat infrequency for its ethical implications
