Definitions Of Abnormality

Question 1

What are the definitions of abnormality?

Answer 1

Statistical infrequency
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health

Question 2

What is statistical infrequency?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

What does statistical infrequency involve?

Answer 3

Mean, median and mode - descriptive statistics

They’re used to represent the typical value in any set of data.

Question 4

What’s a simple example of statistical infrequency?

Answer 4

It is not the norm to have your first baby when you are over 40 or under 20.

Question 5

What’s an example of statistical infrequency?

Answer 5

You can ask everyone in your class to say how fearful they are of dogs on a rating scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is no fear at and 10 is panic.

We would expect most people to give us a figure of 4,5,6 or 7 - their ratings would cluster around the middle.
There would be a few people either end of the scale.

The abnormal ratings are those at either end of the graph because they are not the ‘norm’.

Question 6

What is deviation from social norms?

Answer 6

Abnormal behaviour is seen as a deviation from unstated rules about how one ‘ought’ to behave.

Anything that violates these is considered abnormal.

Question 7

What does deviation from social norms involve?

Answer 7

In any society there are standards of acceptable behaviour that are set by the social group, and adhered to by those socialised into that group.

Anyone who behaves differently (deviates) from these socially created norms is classed as abnormal

Question 8

What’s an example of deviation from social norms?

Answer 8

In the past, homosexuality was classified as abnormal and regarded as a mental disorder.
It was also against the law in the UK.

This judgement was based on social deviation - it was a judgement made by society at that time.

Other forms of sexual behaviour continue to be classified as abnormal, such as paedophilia and voyeurism. The reason that such behaviours are judged as abnormal is because they deviate from social norms of what is acceptable.

Question 9

What is failure to function adequately?

Answer 9

People are judged on their ability to go about daily life.

If they can’t do this and are also experiencing distress (or others are distressed by their behaviour) then it is considered a sign of abnormality.

Question 10

What does functioning mean?

Answer 10

Refers to just going about day-to-day life, such as eating regularly, washing clothes, getting up to having some control over your life and so on.

Question 11

What’s a problem with failure to function adequately?

Answer 11

There may be situations where a person is not coping with everyday life in a ‘normal’ way - for example, a person may be content living in unwashed clothes and not having a regular job.

If this doesn’t cause distress to self to others than a judgment of abnormality is inappropriate.

Question 12

What’s an example of failure to function adequately?

Answer 12

The DSM includes an assessment of ability to function called WHODAS.

This considered six areas: understanding and communicating, getting around, self-care, getting along with people, life activities and participation in society.

Individuals rate each item on a scale of 1 to 5 and are given an overall score out of 180.
Therefore an assessment of abnormality using the DSM would include a quantitative measure of functioning.

Question 13

What is deviation from ideal mental health?

Answer 13

Abnormality is defined in terms of mental health, behaviours that are associated with competence and happiness.

Ideal mental health would include a positive attitude towards the self, resistance to stress and an accurate perception of reality.

Question 14

What does deviations from ideal mental health propose?

Answer 14

The absence of these criteria indicates abnormality, and potential mental disorder.

Question 15

What Jahoda do?

Answer 15

Conducted a review of what others has written about good mental health.
These characteristics that enable an individual to feel happy (free of distress) and behave competently.

Question 16

What categories did Jahoda identify?

Answer 16

Self attitudes - having high self-esteem and a strong sense of identity.

Personal growth and self-actualisation - the extent to which an individual develops their full capabilities.

Integration - such as being able to cope with stressful situations.

Autonomy - being independent and self-regulating

Having an accurate perception for reality.

Mastery of the environment - including the ability to love, function at work and in interpersonal relationships, adjust to new situations and solve problems.

Question 17

What are the evaluative points for statistical infrequency?

Answer 17

Some abnormal behaviours are desired

The cut off point is subjective

Question 18

What is meant by some abnormal behaviours are desired? (SI)

Answer 18

Not all abnormal behaviours would be considered undesirable.

For example, very few people have an IQ over 150, but for those who do, this abnormality would be considered desirable. Equally, some undesirable behaviours, such as depression, are relatively common.

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

Question 19

What is meant by the cut off point is subjective? (SI)

Answer 19

If abnormality is defined in terms of SI, we need to decide whether to separate normality from abnormality.

For example, one of the symptoms of depression is difficulty sleeping. Some people might think abnormal sleep is less than 6 hours a night on average, others might think the cut off should be 5 hours.

This means it is difficult to define abnormality is terms of statistical infrequency, which is a limitation of this definition.

Question 20

What are the evaluative points for deviation from social norms?

Answer 20

Social norms vary over time and are open to abuse

Deviance is related to context and degree

Question 21

What is meant by social norms vary over time and are open to abuse? (DSN)

Answer 21

In the past homosexuality was considered a mental disorder in DSM, whereas today it is acceptable in most countries.

Similarly, 50 years ago in Russia, anyone who disagreed with the state ran the risk of being regarded as insane and placed in a mental institution.

Therefore, if we define abnormality in terms of DSN, there is a real danger of creating definitions on prevailing social morals and attitudes.

Question 22

What is meant by deviance is related to context and degree? (DSN)

Answer 22

Another limitation is that judgements on deviance are often referred to the context of a behaviour.

For example, wearing next to nothing on a beach is regarded as normal, whereas the same outfit in the 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 can’t offer a complete definition of abnormality, because it is inevitably related to both context and degree.

Question 23

What are the evaluative points for failure to function adequately?

Answer 23

Recognises individuals subjective experience

The behaviour may be functional

Question 24

What is meant by recognises individuals subjective experience? (FFA)

Answer 24

A benefit of this definition is that we view the disorder from the point of view of the person experiencing it.

In addition, we can use the WHODAS criteria to measure the ability of the individual to function adequately (e.g. dress themselves, prepare meals) and so measure abnormality objectively.

This definition therefore has both sensitivity (considering subjective experience) and practically (using objective measures).

Question 25

What is meant by behaviour may be functional? (FFA)

Answer 25

A limitation is that some apparently dysfunctional behaviour can be beneficial for the individual.

For example, some mental disorders, such as eating disorders or depression, may lead to extra attention for the individual. Such attention is rewarding and thus quite functional rather than dysfunctional.

This failure to distinguish between functional and dysfunctional behaviours means that this definition is incomplete.

Question 26

What are the evaluative points for ideal mental health?

Answer 26

Unrealistic criteria

It’s a positive approach

Question 27

What is meant by unrealistic criteria? (IMH)

Answer 27

One of the major criticisms of this definition is that, according to ideal mental health criteria, most of us are abnormal.

Jahoda presented them as ideal criteria, but how many need to be lacking before a person would be judged as abnormal?
Furthermore, the criteria are quite difficult to measure, e.g. by assessing an individuals capacity for personal growth or environmental mastery.

This means that this approach may be an interesting concept but not really useable when it comes to identifying abnormality.

Question 28

What is meant by it’s a positive approach? (IMH)

Answer 28

This definition offers an alternative perspective on mental disorder that focuses on the positives rather than the negatives.

Even though Jahoda’s ideas were never really taken up by mental health professionals, the ideas have had some influence and are in accord with the positive psychology movement.

A strength of this approach, therefore, lies in its positive outlook and its influence on humanistic approaches.