Definitions Of Abnormality Flashcards
What is meant by deviation from social norms?
Social norms are unwritten rules and expectations - anyone who breaks these are social deviants.
What is meant by statistical infrequency?
This refers to abnormal behaviour which is very rare - how common a behaviour is can be measured statistically in comparison to the rest of the population.
For example, an individual who has an iq below or higher than the population is abnormal.
What is meant by failure to function adequately?
This refers to individuals who cannot face the challenges of daily life such as maintaining personal hygiene - these people have maladaptive behaviour as well as unpredictable actions.
What is meant by deviation from ideal mental health?
Jahoda proposed a criteria for good mental health: no distress, we are rational, we have a realistic view of the world, we can deal with stress etc. Deviation from this criteria indicates abnormality.
What is a limitation of deviation from social norms as a definition for abnormality?
Social norms vary and evolve over time.
Nymphomania - middle class women who were attracted to working class men.
nineteenth century - seen as completely going against the social norms in Britain and so was abnormal.
modern society - not seen as anomalous and is more acceptable and so is no longer classed as abnormal.
What is a limitation of failing to function adequately as a definition of abnormality?
People may appear to function well but still may be classed as abnormal.
Individuals with ADHD or tourette syndrome can still carry out everyday activities and function in any situation despite their disorder. However, they are still considered abnormal due to their disorder.
Therefore, failure to function adequately ignores other aspects of abnormal behaviour and so can wrongly define someone as normal.
What is a limitation of deviation from ideal mental health?
Jahoda’s criteria is culturally specific.
criteria based upon western culture.
means that criteria cannot be applied to other cultures as all cultures are different in the way they view things.
For example, in collectivist cultures, personal growth is not valued whereas in individualistic cultures, this is a concept which is desired.
What is a limitation of statistical infrequency as a definition of abnormality?
There are abnormal behaviours which are positive.
-definition makes out any abnormality to be negative however, some abnormal traits can be desirable.
For example, having a higher iq than the rest of the population is a good thing as it means an individual is more intelligent than those around them.
Additionally, there are also normal behaviours which are undesirable such as depression which is very common.
Therefore, using statistical infrequency to define abnormality means that we cannot distinguish between traits that are desirable and undesirable.
What is a strength of statistical infrequency as a definition for abnormality?
Real world application.
Statistical infrequency is largely used in clinical practice - it is part of formal diagnosis as well as testing the severity of a patient’s symptoms. For example, a diagnosis of intellectual disability requires an iq below 70. Additionally, statistical infrequency has been used in assessment tools such as the beck depression inventory - this shows that a score of 30 plus indicates severe depression.
Therefore, statistical infrequency is useful in diagnosis and assessment processes.
What is a strength of deviation from social norms as a definition of abnormality?
Real world application.
used in clinical practice for example, the main characteristic of antisocial personality disorder is failing to conform to culturally ethical behaviour - if a person violates the rights of others and is deceiving, these are signs of the disorder.
Social norms used in diagnosing other personality disorders where the term ‘strange’ is used to characterise the thinking, behaviour and appearance of an individual with a personality disorder.
What is a strength of failure to function adequately as a definition of abnormality?
Represents a threshold for help.
According to the mental health charity mind, 25 percent of people in the uk will experience a mental health problem in any given year.
However, many people continue with life with fairly severe symptoms and are unsure of when to take action. This definition makes people seek professional help when they can longer perform adequately.
Therefore, this definition and criterion means that treatment and services can be targeted at those who need them most.
What is a strength of deviation from ideal mental health as a definition of abnormality?
Is a comprehensive definition.
-criteria includes a range of different reasons why we might seek help with our mental health.
For example, if an individual cannot deal with stress they will know that they need help with this specific issue more than anything as it is what is destroying their mental health.
means that mental health can be discussed more meaningfully with a range of professionals who take different approaches.
Therefore, ideal mental health provides a checklist for us in which we can assess our own mental health as well as others.
