Psychopathology
, Definitions of abnormality
1. STATISTICAL INFREQUENT/DEVIATION
2. DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS
3. FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY
4. DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH
Statiical infreq/deviation
• how often a psychological phenom (e.g: beliefs/ behaviour) occurs in population
• Numerically uncommon - rare - abnormal
• It is a stat infreq/deviation
*mathmatic def - considers behaviour or human attributes which fall into norm distr curve
• def ab clear when considering smth that can be reliably measured on numerical scale +
norm distributed - e.g: IQ
• 95% IQ betw 70-130
• may say IQs lower than 70 or
higher than 130 is abnormal
• As stat infrequent
• extreme end of normal dist curve ( 2 SD from the mean
• Use curve to identify low IQ
• Defined as intellectual dis disorder ++ OCD
, Strengths Weaknesses
1. APPLIC TO REAL LIFE ABNORM 1 . MAY NOT ALWAYS MEAN ABNORMAL
• useful rl application in the • some infreq behaviour positive
diagnosis of intellectual disability • IQ scores over 130 - unusual
disorder • Wouldn't think super-intelligence is an
• (2% of people with an IQ below undesirable characteristic that req treatment
70) • Bc v few ppl display - stat abnormal
• All assessment of ps w mental
disorders include some form of • Does not mean req treatment in order to retur
m of how severe symptoms are to norm
in comp to statistical norms • Serious limitation of stat infreq
• TF, useful part of clinical • Means would never be used alone to make
assessment + diagnosis diagnosis
2. LABELLING
• someone living happy fulfilled life
• No benefit to them labelling as abnormal
• Regardless of how unusual
• E.G: may have low IQ but not be distressed +
able to work
• TF, do not need to be diagnosed as int
disabled
• Do not need treatment
• If labelled as abnormal - new impact on how
people view + treat them
• + how treat themselves
, Deviation from Social Norms
Any behaviour that violates a social norm
• social norms : implicit/explicit rules for behav established by a given society
EXPLICIT NORMS:
• set down in law
• E.g: stealing, murdering
IMPLICIT NORMS:
• generallly accepted rules of behaviour in a given society
• E.g: dress codes for diff genders + ages
• E.g: queue in shops
• if someone deviates from norms of their society - indication of psychological
abnormality
• Can be a v clear way of def abnormality:
• Bulimia - eats and then induces vomiting
• Deviation from social norms of eating behaviour - classified as psychological
disorder
1. CONTEXT OF BEHAVIOUR
• not always sign of abnormality
• Depends on why the persons acting like that
• (context)
• E.g: dressed like chicken bc thinks chicken
• VS charity race for RSPCA
• Wouldn't conc mentally abnormal
• Even though not a social norm
2. NOT SOLE EXPLANATION
• real life applic : anti-social personality dis
• Place for deviation from social norms in thinking what is norm or abnorm
• Other fs to consider: (e.g: distress to others resulting from anti-social personality
disorder)
• Like FFA definition
• DVSNs never sole reason for defining abnormality
, Definitions of abnormality
1. STATISTICAL INFREQUENT/DEVIATION
2. DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS
3. FAILURE TO FUNCTION ADEQUATELY
4. DEVIATION FROM IDEAL MENTAL HEALTH
Statiical infreq/deviation
• how often a psychological phenom (e.g: beliefs/ behaviour) occurs in population
• Numerically uncommon - rare - abnormal
• It is a stat infreq/deviation
*mathmatic def - considers behaviour or human attributes which fall into norm distr curve
• def ab clear when considering smth that can be reliably measured on numerical scale +
norm distributed - e.g: IQ
• 95% IQ betw 70-130
• may say IQs lower than 70 or
higher than 130 is abnormal
• As stat infrequent
• extreme end of normal dist curve ( 2 SD from the mean
• Use curve to identify low IQ
• Defined as intellectual dis disorder ++ OCD
, Strengths Weaknesses
1. APPLIC TO REAL LIFE ABNORM 1 . MAY NOT ALWAYS MEAN ABNORMAL
• useful rl application in the • some infreq behaviour positive
diagnosis of intellectual disability • IQ scores over 130 - unusual
disorder • Wouldn't think super-intelligence is an
• (2% of people with an IQ below undesirable characteristic that req treatment
70) • Bc v few ppl display - stat abnormal
• All assessment of ps w mental
disorders include some form of • Does not mean req treatment in order to retur
m of how severe symptoms are to norm
in comp to statistical norms • Serious limitation of stat infreq
• TF, useful part of clinical • Means would never be used alone to make
assessment + diagnosis diagnosis
2. LABELLING
• someone living happy fulfilled life
• No benefit to them labelling as abnormal
• Regardless of how unusual
• E.G: may have low IQ but not be distressed +
able to work
• TF, do not need to be diagnosed as int
disabled
• Do not need treatment
• If labelled as abnormal - new impact on how
people view + treat them
• + how treat themselves
, Deviation from Social Norms
Any behaviour that violates a social norm
• social norms : implicit/explicit rules for behav established by a given society
EXPLICIT NORMS:
• set down in law
• E.g: stealing, murdering
IMPLICIT NORMS:
• generallly accepted rules of behaviour in a given society
• E.g: dress codes for diff genders + ages
• E.g: queue in shops
• if someone deviates from norms of their society - indication of psychological
abnormality
• Can be a v clear way of def abnormality:
• Bulimia - eats and then induces vomiting
• Deviation from social norms of eating behaviour - classified as psychological
disorder
1. CONTEXT OF BEHAVIOUR
• not always sign of abnormality
• Depends on why the persons acting like that
• (context)
• E.g: dressed like chicken bc thinks chicken
• VS charity race for RSPCA
• Wouldn't conc mentally abnormal
• Even though not a social norm
2. NOT SOLE EXPLANATION
• real life applic : anti-social personality dis
• Place for deviation from social norms in thinking what is norm or abnorm
• Other fs to consider: (e.g: distress to others resulting from anti-social personality
disorder)
• Like FFA definition
• DVSNs never sole reason for defining abnormality
