Describe and evaluate definitions of abnormality
Statistical infrequency
-Mathematical method for defining abnormality and it works on the idea that abnormality should
be based on infrequency; if it occurs rarely then it is abnormal.
-The mathematical element of the definition is about the idea that human attributes fall into a
normal distribution within the population.This means that there is a mean, and the rest of the
population fall symmetrically above and below that mean. Standard deviation as a measure
informs us how far scores fall on either side away from the mean. The extreme ends define
what is abnormal.
-E.g. As the mean of IQ is 100, this definition states that the 5% of the population that fall more
than two standard deviations from the mean are abnormal. So, in the IQ example people who
score below 70 and above 130 are abnormal.
A03
1) Some may not be classified abnormal - A weakness of statistical infrequency to
determine abnormal behaviour is that there is a degree of inflexibility with this definition.
It states that scores in the top and bottom 2.5% of the population are abnormal, but we
know that there is some behaviour which is deemed abnormal by the diagnostic manuals
for mental illness that would not fit within that definition. For example 3% of the
population is thought to suffer from OCD but some of those individuals may not be seen
as abnormal because they are within 2 standard deviations of the mean. This means
that the definition and the current criteria for defining mental health issues are at odds
with each other.
2) Cultural differences - Another weakness of statistical infrequency to determine abnormal
behaviour is that there is no consideration of cultural differences at all as it argues that
the population of the world is contained within the normal distribution. There are
variances between cultures and the mathematical nature of this definition does not allow
for this. For e.g. a symptom of Sz is hearing voices however this is an experience that is
common in some cultures.This ultimately means that abnormality could be widespread in
one culture because of its comparison with the rest of the world. Therefore, it is culturally
relative i.e, it only relates to a particular culture.
Deviation from social norms
Statistical infrequency
-Mathematical method for defining abnormality and it works on the idea that abnormality should
be based on infrequency; if it occurs rarely then it is abnormal.
-The mathematical element of the definition is about the idea that human attributes fall into a
normal distribution within the population.This means that there is a mean, and the rest of the
population fall symmetrically above and below that mean. Standard deviation as a measure
informs us how far scores fall on either side away from the mean. The extreme ends define
what is abnormal.
-E.g. As the mean of IQ is 100, this definition states that the 5% of the population that fall more
than two standard deviations from the mean are abnormal. So, in the IQ example people who
score below 70 and above 130 are abnormal.
A03
1) Some may not be classified abnormal - A weakness of statistical infrequency to
determine abnormal behaviour is that there is a degree of inflexibility with this definition.
It states that scores in the top and bottom 2.5% of the population are abnormal, but we
know that there is some behaviour which is deemed abnormal by the diagnostic manuals
for mental illness that would not fit within that definition. For example 3% of the
population is thought to suffer from OCD but some of those individuals may not be seen
as abnormal because they are within 2 standard deviations of the mean. This means
that the definition and the current criteria for defining mental health issues are at odds
with each other.
2) Cultural differences - Another weakness of statistical infrequency to determine abnormal
behaviour is that there is no consideration of cultural differences at all as it argues that
the population of the world is contained within the normal distribution. There are
variances between cultures and the mathematical nature of this definition does not allow
for this. For e.g. a symptom of Sz is hearing voices however this is an experience that is
common in some cultures.This ultimately means that abnormality could be widespread in
one culture because of its comparison with the rest of the world. Therefore, it is culturally
relative i.e, it only relates to a particular culture.
Deviation from social norms
