, 🔥
🔥 De nitions of abnormality
🔥
1) statistical infrequency =
de nition: occurs when an an individual has a less common characteristic - e.g more depressed or less intelligent than the whole population, higher or lower IQ than
whole population
• Shown on a distribution curve - behaviour that is rare is abnormal - so if an individuals behaviour/characterisitic is elevated above or below the normal
distribution (2 standard deviation points away from the mean) they would be classed as abnormal
2) deviation from social norms =
de nition: concerns behaviour that is di erent from the accepted standards of behaviour in a community or society - e.g sni ng someone’s bicycle seat
• Norms are created by society and can change depending on on where you live or when you live - social norms vary between cultures and time periods -
something seen as normal in one place may be seen as abnormal elsewhere - ie, homosexuality viewed as abnormal in some cultures but not in others and was
considered as abnormal in the past
• Example: antisocial personality disorder (APD) - people with APD act in ways that go against social and moral rules - e.g aggressive and impulsive and it
includes not following lawful or ethical behaviour - society labels this behaviour as abnormal because it breaks important norms
3) failure to function adequately =
de nition: occurs when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day to day living - e.g unable to maintain basic standards of nutrition and hygiene
Rosenhan and seligman (1989) - suggested that personal dysfunction has 7 features - the more a person has, the more they are to be classed to be abnormal
• personal distress - includes depression and anxiety disorders
• Maladaptive behaviour - behaviour stopping an individual achieving their goals
• Unpredictability - unexpected behaviours charcterisited by loss of control
• Irrationality - behaviour that cant be explained in a rational way
• observer discomfort - behaviour causing discomfort to others
• Violation of moral standards - behaviour violating society’s moral standards
• Unconventionality - unconventional behaviours, e.g cooking outside in winter
*clinicians assess how individuals cope with everyday life using the global assessment of functionsing scale (GAF) - this rates their functioning in the areas of social,
occupational and psychological
4) deviation from ideal mental health =
De nition: occurs when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health
Characteristics of ideal mental health - Jahoda:
• positive attitude towards self - high levels of self esteem and strong sense of identity
• Self actualisation - personal growth and development
• Autonomy - autonomy and the ability to act independently from others
• Resisting stress - being able to cope in stressful situations
• Accurate perception of reality - having a realistic view of the world and your place in it
• Environmental mastery - adapting and meeting demand of the environment and situations you are in, ability to adapt to your di erent environment and feel at
ease in them
+ statistical infrequency - method is objective - uses clear data to decide if
someone is abnormal as uses distribution curve - means decisions are fair and not — statistical infrequency - not all rare behaviours are bad - some rare things like high
based on personal opinions IQ are actually goods - means people could wrongly be seen as having a problem
when they don’t
+ deviation from social norms - it protects society - it helps stop behaviours that
might harm others - means people feel safer and more supported — statistical infrequency - not all abnormal behaviours are rare - e.g depression and
anxiety are quite common - means the de nition might miss real problems because
+ failure to function adequately - it can measure how abnormal someone is - it they happen a lot
uses a scale, like the GAF and people can move up or down it - means it helps
track changes and progress over time — deviation from social norms - it ignores cultural di erences - di erent cultures see
di erent behaviours in di erent ways, e.g hearing voices - means something abnormal
+ failure to function adequately - it looks at behaviour we can see - others can in one culture might be normal in another
check if someone is functioning properly - means it’s easier to notice when
someone might need help — deviation from social norms - norms change over time - what is seen as abnormal
today may not be abnormal in the future - means people may be unfairly judged based
+ deviation from ideal mental health - it looks at the whole person - it doesnt just on old rules
focus on one area of behaviour - means it gives a more complete picture of
someone’s mental health — failure to function adquately - sometimes distress is normal - people might feel
upset for normal reasons like grief - means they could be wrongly seen as having a
disorder
— deviation from ideal mental health - the criteria expect too much - most people cant
meet all the ideal goals all the time - means people may be seen as abnormal even if
they are actually doing ne
— deviation from ideal mental health - it doesnt t all cultures - di erent cultures have
di erent ideas of what good mental health is - e.g self actualisation is limited to only
some countries like Europe and US, others dont use it, Also, in Europe their are
di erent variations of independence, high in Germany and low in Italy - this means that
someone could be judged unfairly if the criteria dont match their culture and it can be
di cult to apply the concept of ideal mental health from one culture to another
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🔥 De nitions of abnormality
🔥
1) statistical infrequency =
de nition: occurs when an an individual has a less common characteristic - e.g more depressed or less intelligent than the whole population, higher or lower IQ than
whole population
• Shown on a distribution curve - behaviour that is rare is abnormal - so if an individuals behaviour/characterisitic is elevated above or below the normal
distribution (2 standard deviation points away from the mean) they would be classed as abnormal
2) deviation from social norms =
de nition: concerns behaviour that is di erent from the accepted standards of behaviour in a community or society - e.g sni ng someone’s bicycle seat
• Norms are created by society and can change depending on on where you live or when you live - social norms vary between cultures and time periods -
something seen as normal in one place may be seen as abnormal elsewhere - ie, homosexuality viewed as abnormal in some cultures but not in others and was
considered as abnormal in the past
• Example: antisocial personality disorder (APD) - people with APD act in ways that go against social and moral rules - e.g aggressive and impulsive and it
includes not following lawful or ethical behaviour - society labels this behaviour as abnormal because it breaks important norms
3) failure to function adequately =
de nition: occurs when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day to day living - e.g unable to maintain basic standards of nutrition and hygiene
Rosenhan and seligman (1989) - suggested that personal dysfunction has 7 features - the more a person has, the more they are to be classed to be abnormal
• personal distress - includes depression and anxiety disorders
• Maladaptive behaviour - behaviour stopping an individual achieving their goals
• Unpredictability - unexpected behaviours charcterisited by loss of control
• Irrationality - behaviour that cant be explained in a rational way
• observer discomfort - behaviour causing discomfort to others
• Violation of moral standards - behaviour violating society’s moral standards
• Unconventionality - unconventional behaviours, e.g cooking outside in winter
*clinicians assess how individuals cope with everyday life using the global assessment of functionsing scale (GAF) - this rates their functioning in the areas of social,
occupational and psychological
4) deviation from ideal mental health =
De nition: occurs when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health
Characteristics of ideal mental health - Jahoda:
• positive attitude towards self - high levels of self esteem and strong sense of identity
• Self actualisation - personal growth and development
• Autonomy - autonomy and the ability to act independently from others
• Resisting stress - being able to cope in stressful situations
• Accurate perception of reality - having a realistic view of the world and your place in it
• Environmental mastery - adapting and meeting demand of the environment and situations you are in, ability to adapt to your di erent environment and feel at
ease in them
+ statistical infrequency - method is objective - uses clear data to decide if
someone is abnormal as uses distribution curve - means decisions are fair and not — statistical infrequency - not all rare behaviours are bad - some rare things like high
based on personal opinions IQ are actually goods - means people could wrongly be seen as having a problem
when they don’t
+ deviation from social norms - it protects society - it helps stop behaviours that
might harm others - means people feel safer and more supported — statistical infrequency - not all abnormal behaviours are rare - e.g depression and
anxiety are quite common - means the de nition might miss real problems because
+ failure to function adequately - it can measure how abnormal someone is - it they happen a lot
uses a scale, like the GAF and people can move up or down it - means it helps
track changes and progress over time — deviation from social norms - it ignores cultural di erences - di erent cultures see
di erent behaviours in di erent ways, e.g hearing voices - means something abnormal
+ failure to function adequately - it looks at behaviour we can see - others can in one culture might be normal in another
check if someone is functioning properly - means it’s easier to notice when
someone might need help — deviation from social norms - norms change over time - what is seen as abnormal
today may not be abnormal in the future - means people may be unfairly judged based
+ deviation from ideal mental health - it looks at the whole person - it doesnt just on old rules
focus on one area of behaviour - means it gives a more complete picture of
someone’s mental health — failure to function adquately - sometimes distress is normal - people might feel
upset for normal reasons like grief - means they could be wrongly seen as having a
disorder
— deviation from ideal mental health - the criteria expect too much - most people cant
meet all the ideal goals all the time - means people may be seen as abnormal even if
they are actually doing ne
— deviation from ideal mental health - it doesnt t all cultures - di erent cultures have
di erent ideas of what good mental health is - e.g self actualisation is limited to only
some countries like Europe and US, others dont use it, Also, in Europe their are
di erent variations of independence, high in Germany and low in Italy - this means that
someone could be judged unfairly if the criteria dont match their culture and it can be
di cult to apply the concept of ideal mental health from one culture to another
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