Abnormality AO1

Question 1

Statistical Infrequency

Answer 1

Abnormality is defined as those behaviour that are extremely rare, i.e any behaviour that is found in very few people is regarded abnormal.

Eg it would be seen as abnormal is a women have their baby later 20 and earlier than 40

Question 2

Deviation from social norms

Answer 2

Abnormal behaviour is seen as deviation from unstated rules l about how ‘ought’ to behave. Anything that violates these rules are considered abnormal

Eg. Homosexuality was considered to be ‘abnormal’ and was regarded a mental disorder. it was also against the law in the UK (but not nowadays).

Question 3

Strength of Deviation from social norms
does distinguish between desirable and undesirable
AO3

Answer 3

Deviation from social norms does distinguish between desirable and undesirable behaviours which is not achieved with the statistical infrequency definition.

Question 4

Limitations of Deviation from social norms

Answer 4

Judgements on deviance are often related to the context of a behaviour. Eg. a person one a beach wearing a swim suit is regarded as normal, whereas the same outfit in a classroom or at a formal gathering would be regarded as abnormal and possibly an indication of a mental disorder

This means that social deviance on its own cannot offer a complete definition of abnormality as it is inevitably related to both context and degree

Question 5

Strengths of statistical infrequency

Answer 5

Sometimes it is appropriate - eg intellectual disability is defined as an IQ which is more then two SDs bellow the mean.

This suggests that statistical infrequency is only one of a number of tools

Question 6

A limitation of Statistical infrequency

Answer 6

There as many abnormal behaviours that are actually quite desirable. eg. someone with an IQ over 150 bus this is abnormality is desirable not undesirable.

Therefore, using statistical infrequency to define abnormality means that we are unable to distinguish between destínale and undesirable behaviours

Question 7

A limitation of both statisical infrequency and deviation from social norms definition is that they are culure bonde

Answer 7

E: Classification systems like DSM are based on western culutres

e: However, cultures differ in terms of statistical infrequency and social norms

L: This means that there are no universal standards or rules for labelling behaviours as abnormal

Question 8

Limitation of devaition to social norms is that deviance is related to behaviour’s context

Answer 8

E: For example, wearing few clothes on a beach is normal, but is abnormal at a formal gathering

E: However, sometimes there is not a clearlink between abnormal deviation and harmless eccentricity

L: This means that social deviance on its own cannot offer a complete definition of abnormality

Question 9

What AO3 are you using for Statisical infrequency?’

Answer 9

Strength
Sometimes it is appropriate

Limitation
it is culture bond
some of these characteristics may be seen as desirable
ut-off point are subjectively determined

Question 10

What AO3 are you using for devation to social norms?

Answer 10

Limitaton
related to behaviour’s context

strengths
does distinguish between desirable and undesirable
Norms change overtime

Question 11

Another limitation of the statsical infrequncy definitions is that cut-off point are subjectively determined

Answer 11

E; For example, people disagree on what contitues an abnormal lack of sleep

E: However, since this is a symptom of depression, it is important to know where the cutoff point lies for a diagnosis to be made.

L: This means that disagreements about cut-off points make it difficult to define abnormality in terms of statsical infrequency

Question 12

Failure to function adequatley

Answer 12

A peron. is faiing to function adequatley if they cannot cope with everyday life

If a behaviour is not personally distressing or distressing to others, a judgement of abnormality is inappropriate.

e.g SZ

DSM ‘s assessment = abnormality includes a quantative measure of functioning

Question 13

Deviation from ideal mental helth

Answer 13

Abnormality is defned as devinating from ideal positive mental health, defined of Jahod’s (1958) criteria of ideal mental health. Absense of critera for positive mental health indicates abnormalit and a potential mental disorder.

Question 14

Jahoda 6 characteristics of ideal mental health include:

Answer 14

• Personal growth and self-acutalisation = the extent to which an individual develops their full capability
• Self-attitudes = having high self-esteem and a strong sense of idenity
• Integreation = being able to cope in stressful situations
• Autonomy = being independant and self -regualting
• Having an accurate preception of reality
• Mastery of enviroment - including the ability to love, function at work and in interpersonal relationships.

Question 15

AO3

Question 16

One limitation of the faliure to function adeqautey definition is tht some apparently abnormal behaviours can be functional

Answer 16

E: For example, depression may lead to extra attention for the individual.

E: This attention is rewarding and therefore functional, even if generally regarded as abnormal.

L: This means the faliure to function adeqautley is an incomplete definition as it fails to distinguish between behaviours that are dysfunctional and that have some function for the individual

Question 17

One limitation of the ideal mental health defintion is that jahoda’s criteria is unrealistic.

Answer 17

E: Few people satifying all of the criteria all of the time

E: Therefore, everyone would be described as abnormal to a degree.

L: We need to ask how many of Jahoda’s criteria must be absent before some is judged as abnormal

Question 18

Another limitation of the failure to function adeqautley defintion is that someone needs to decide whether this is actually the case

Answer 18

E: Sometimes people experience personal distress and recognise that their behaviour is underisable.

E: However, sometimes people are content with their behavioir and it is others who are distrested by it.

L: This means that whether a behaviour is defined as abrnomal or not depends on whos making the judgement

Question 19

Another limtation of ideal mental health and failure to function adeqaulety is their defintions that of cultural relativism

Answer 19

E: For example, noth defintions are bsed on western cultures ideas and beliefs

E: Applying them to members of non-western culutres could be innappropriate

L: This means both deinftions are culture-bound in that they may apply only to individuals in western cultures

Question 20

What AO3 are you using for the faliure to function adeqautey

Answer 20

Limitation
The definition is tht some apparently abnormal behaviours can be functional
that someone needs to decide whether this is actually the case

Question 21

What AO3 are you using for devaition to ideal mental health

Answer 21

Limitations
jahoda’s criteria is unrealistic.
efintions that of cultural relativism