Psychopathology
• Definitions of abnormality, including deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately,
statistical infrequency and deviation from ideal mental health.
• The cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression: Beck’s negative triad and Ellis’s ABC
model; cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), including challenging irrational thoughts.
• The behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias: the two-process model, including
classical and operant conditioning; systematic desensitisation, including relaxation and use of
hierarchy; flooding.
• The biological approach to explaining and treating OCD: genetic and neural explanations; drug
therapy
Deviation from social norms
• behaviour is abnormal if it is very different to the acceptable behaviour being produced by other
members of the same society/cultural group
• behaviour is unexpected by other group members
• behaviour offends in some way the other members of that society/cultural group.
• Add an example – dress/behaviours/hand shaking/eye contact etc.
AO3 - eccentric behaviours are not necessarily AO3 - social norms vary with time and with
abnormal. Susceptible to abuse. culture
Eccentric dress may be a healthy expression Homosexuality once deemed a mental illness
of personality rather than a mental health (1973) in the UK. In Greece in 2024 same sex
issue or abnormality. Uniqueness, quirks. marriage and adoption became legal – a gradual
shift occurring from psychological abnormality to
Susceptible to abuse – ‘myth of mental illness’ equality.
Szasz argued that many mental health issues (e.g.
hysteria and ADHD) are used as a form of social Hoarding became a disorder in 2013 – has only
control over minority groups through medication / recently been seen as abnormality. There are
exclusion from society. changes.
Cultural relavatism à no global standard for
defining behaviour as abnormal, not standardised
AO3 – degree and severity need to be considered AO3 – comparison with other definitions
The extent of the behaviour and severity are When you do comparisons consider the benefits of
important considerations. the others and what this one therefore misses.
Hallucinating once is normal, a part of processing. Such as –
Doing so regularly is likely a sign of psychosis.
Swearing alone may be a deviation from social This definitions fails to consider whether the person
norms – but when done compulsively, intensely or can function normally. If they are able to complete
an inappropriate times it can be an indicator of day to day tasks and are happy in their lives.
abnormality such as anxiety.
It also does not set goals for them to strive towards.
Some people may find a more personal and patient
focused approach more useful when defining
, abnormality as it gives people something to focus
on.
Failure to function adequately
• By using practical criteria of adequate functioning, mentally healthy people are judged as being
able to operate within certain acceptable limits.
• Abnormality judged as inability to deal with the demands of everyday life and living independently
in society – washing/eating/working/socialising
• Behaviour is maladaptive, irrational or dangerous
• behaviour causes personal distress and distress to others.
AO3 - not all abnormal behaviour is associated AO3 – patient focus – the definition
with distress/failure to cope eg psychopathy, recognises the patient’s perspective
additions
A considerable benefit of this definition is that it is
Some of the time people may be functioning, able patient focused. It can also be subjective, considers
to complete day to day tasks and not causes the personal viewpoint of the patient. More
distress, but still suffering from serious relevant to the patient. For example, people have
psychological abnormality. For example, many varying ideals of how much socialising is needed.
addictions are well hidden such as alcoholism or For some it may be daily conversations and contact
performance enhancement drugs. These may even with others, whilst for others it may be needed less
make a person better able to function! frequently but with close friends.
AO3 - judging person as distressed or distressing AO3 – Behaviours can be maladaptive but not a
relies on subjective assessment. Implications. sign of psychological abnormality
Behaviours can be maladaptive but not an
indicator of abnormality. Many behaviours,
e.g. smoking, drinking, risk taking are
maladaptive but not a sign of abnormality.
Statistical infrequency
• behaviour is abnormal if it is numerically rare
• the characteristics of the behaviour are less common/typical
• this definition focuses on the quantity of behaviour measured in standard deviations from the
mean rather than the quality.
AO3 - fails to account for behaviour that is AO3 - some disorders are not statistically rare;
statistically rare but desirable
Disorders such as depression are common:
High IQ is statistically uncommon and considered approximately 10% of the population will
abnormal despite it being desirable. experience depression, making this behaviour
‘normal’ but not desirable.
Only 5% of people have an IQ over 130
• Definitions of abnormality, including deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately,
statistical infrequency and deviation from ideal mental health.
• The cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression: Beck’s negative triad and Ellis’s ABC
model; cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), including challenging irrational thoughts.
• The behavioural approach to explaining and treating phobias: the two-process model, including
classical and operant conditioning; systematic desensitisation, including relaxation and use of
hierarchy; flooding.
• The biological approach to explaining and treating OCD: genetic and neural explanations; drug
therapy
Deviation from social norms
• behaviour is abnormal if it is very different to the acceptable behaviour being produced by other
members of the same society/cultural group
• behaviour is unexpected by other group members
• behaviour offends in some way the other members of that society/cultural group.
• Add an example – dress/behaviours/hand shaking/eye contact etc.
AO3 - eccentric behaviours are not necessarily AO3 - social norms vary with time and with
abnormal. Susceptible to abuse. culture
Eccentric dress may be a healthy expression Homosexuality once deemed a mental illness
of personality rather than a mental health (1973) in the UK. In Greece in 2024 same sex
issue or abnormality. Uniqueness, quirks. marriage and adoption became legal – a gradual
shift occurring from psychological abnormality to
Susceptible to abuse – ‘myth of mental illness’ equality.
Szasz argued that many mental health issues (e.g.
hysteria and ADHD) are used as a form of social Hoarding became a disorder in 2013 – has only
control over minority groups through medication / recently been seen as abnormality. There are
exclusion from society. changes.
Cultural relavatism à no global standard for
defining behaviour as abnormal, not standardised
AO3 – degree and severity need to be considered AO3 – comparison with other definitions
The extent of the behaviour and severity are When you do comparisons consider the benefits of
important considerations. the others and what this one therefore misses.
Hallucinating once is normal, a part of processing. Such as –
Doing so regularly is likely a sign of psychosis.
Swearing alone may be a deviation from social This definitions fails to consider whether the person
norms – but when done compulsively, intensely or can function normally. If they are able to complete
an inappropriate times it can be an indicator of day to day tasks and are happy in their lives.
abnormality such as anxiety.
It also does not set goals for them to strive towards.
Some people may find a more personal and patient
focused approach more useful when defining
, abnormality as it gives people something to focus
on.
Failure to function adequately
• By using practical criteria of adequate functioning, mentally healthy people are judged as being
able to operate within certain acceptable limits.
• Abnormality judged as inability to deal with the demands of everyday life and living independently
in society – washing/eating/working/socialising
• Behaviour is maladaptive, irrational or dangerous
• behaviour causes personal distress and distress to others.
AO3 - not all abnormal behaviour is associated AO3 – patient focus – the definition
with distress/failure to cope eg psychopathy, recognises the patient’s perspective
additions
A considerable benefit of this definition is that it is
Some of the time people may be functioning, able patient focused. It can also be subjective, considers
to complete day to day tasks and not causes the personal viewpoint of the patient. More
distress, but still suffering from serious relevant to the patient. For example, people have
psychological abnormality. For example, many varying ideals of how much socialising is needed.
addictions are well hidden such as alcoholism or For some it may be daily conversations and contact
performance enhancement drugs. These may even with others, whilst for others it may be needed less
make a person better able to function! frequently but with close friends.
AO3 - judging person as distressed or distressing AO3 – Behaviours can be maladaptive but not a
relies on subjective assessment. Implications. sign of psychological abnormality
Behaviours can be maladaptive but not an
indicator of abnormality. Many behaviours,
e.g. smoking, drinking, risk taking are
maladaptive but not a sign of abnormality.
Statistical infrequency
• behaviour is abnormal if it is numerically rare
• the characteristics of the behaviour are less common/typical
• this definition focuses on the quantity of behaviour measured in standard deviations from the
mean rather than the quality.
AO3 - fails to account for behaviour that is AO3 - some disorders are not statistically rare;
statistically rare but desirable
Disorders such as depression are common:
High IQ is statistically uncommon and considered approximately 10% of the population will
abnormal despite it being desirable. experience depression, making this behaviour
‘normal’ but not desirable.
Only 5% of people have an IQ over 130
