PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Definitions of Abnormality
AO1
1. Statistical infrequency: any 3. Deviation from social norms:
relatively usual behaviour or deviation in this context refers to
characteristic is ‘normal’, and any behaviour that is considered anti-
behaviour that is different to this is social or undesirable. Some
abnormal. people who deviate from social
2. The people who fall within 2 norms are annoying, not abnormal
standard deviations are 4. This definition views abnormality
considered normal. People in the as the breaking of society’s
bottom/top 2% are ‘abnormal’ standards and norms, it can be
behaviour that deviates from or
violates society’s implicit or
explicit rules and moral standards
AO3
Positive abnormality: just because few Cultural relativism: social norms vary a
people display the behaviours does make lot from one culture (community) to
it statistically abnormal but doesn’t another. If a clinician is from a different
mean it requires treatment to return to background to their patient, then their
normal (e.g. very high IQ) – can’t be used normal behaviour may be interpreted as
alone to make a diagnosis abnormal
Real-life application: has been used to Gender/age/historical/context issues:
diagnose intellectual disability disorders, things that used to be abnormal may now
all assessments of patients with mental be seen as normal. Different ages and
disorders include some kind of genders have different expectations.
measurement of how severe their Some things could be normal in one
symptoms are compared to statistical context but not another – needs
norms subjective judgment, so not an objective
method
, Definitions of Abnormality (continued)
AO1
1. Failure to function adequately: 3. Deviation of ideal mental health:
abnormality is when someone is Jahoda said that we define
unable to cope with ordinary physical illness in part by looking
demands of everyday living. This at the absence of signs of physical
may be when someone is unable health, so she suggests we should
to maintain basic standards of do the same for mental health
nutrition and hygiene 4. Jahoda identified 6 categories that
2. Rosenhan and Seligman suggest suggest we are in good mental
the following characteristics: health if we meet:
Observer discomfort - Self-attitudes: high self-
Personal suffering esteem
Irrationality - Personal growth and self-
Unpredictability actualisation: achieving full
Maladaptiveness potential
- Integration: ability to cope with
stressful situations
- Autonomy: independence
- Accurate perception of reality
- Mastery of environment: ability
to love, solve and react
5. If any of these are missing, she
believes we are deviating from
ideal mental health
AO3
Cultural relativism: different cultures will Comprehensive definition: it covers a
have different ideas for FFA is – what one broad range of criteria for mental health
culture perceives as a failure to function, and covers most of the reasons for why
another might see as perfectly normal – someone would seek help or be referred
self-actualisation is less important in for help
collectivist cultures than individualist
ones
Helpful abnormalities: some abnormal Unrealistic: who can achieve all this
behaviour may be helpful and adaptive criteria, very high standards for mental
for the individual – it could be better for health that no one can ALWAYS keep up
them because it makes them more happy with
Definitions of Abnormality
AO1
1. Statistical infrequency: any 3. Deviation from social norms:
relatively usual behaviour or deviation in this context refers to
characteristic is ‘normal’, and any behaviour that is considered anti-
behaviour that is different to this is social or undesirable. Some
abnormal. people who deviate from social
2. The people who fall within 2 norms are annoying, not abnormal
standard deviations are 4. This definition views abnormality
considered normal. People in the as the breaking of society’s
bottom/top 2% are ‘abnormal’ standards and norms, it can be
behaviour that deviates from or
violates society’s implicit or
explicit rules and moral standards
AO3
Positive abnormality: just because few Cultural relativism: social norms vary a
people display the behaviours does make lot from one culture (community) to
it statistically abnormal but doesn’t another. If a clinician is from a different
mean it requires treatment to return to background to their patient, then their
normal (e.g. very high IQ) – can’t be used normal behaviour may be interpreted as
alone to make a diagnosis abnormal
Real-life application: has been used to Gender/age/historical/context issues:
diagnose intellectual disability disorders, things that used to be abnormal may now
all assessments of patients with mental be seen as normal. Different ages and
disorders include some kind of genders have different expectations.
measurement of how severe their Some things could be normal in one
symptoms are compared to statistical context but not another – needs
norms subjective judgment, so not an objective
method
, Definitions of Abnormality (continued)
AO1
1. Failure to function adequately: 3. Deviation of ideal mental health:
abnormality is when someone is Jahoda said that we define
unable to cope with ordinary physical illness in part by looking
demands of everyday living. This at the absence of signs of physical
may be when someone is unable health, so she suggests we should
to maintain basic standards of do the same for mental health
nutrition and hygiene 4. Jahoda identified 6 categories that
2. Rosenhan and Seligman suggest suggest we are in good mental
the following characteristics: health if we meet:
Observer discomfort - Self-attitudes: high self-
Personal suffering esteem
Irrationality - Personal growth and self-
Unpredictability actualisation: achieving full
Maladaptiveness potential
- Integration: ability to cope with
stressful situations
- Autonomy: independence
- Accurate perception of reality
- Mastery of environment: ability
to love, solve and react
5. If any of these are missing, she
believes we are deviating from
ideal mental health
AO3
Cultural relativism: different cultures will Comprehensive definition: it covers a
have different ideas for FFA is – what one broad range of criteria for mental health
culture perceives as a failure to function, and covers most of the reasons for why
another might see as perfectly normal – someone would seek help or be referred
self-actualisation is less important in for help
collectivist cultures than individualist
ones
Helpful abnormalities: some abnormal Unrealistic: who can achieve all this
behaviour may be helpful and adaptive criteria, very high standards for mental
for the individual – it could be better for health that no one can ALWAYS keep up
them because it makes them more happy with
