Definitions of abnormality Flashcards
(20 cards)
Statistical Infrequency
-Statistical infrequency suggests that someone is mentally abnormal if their mental condition is rare in a population
-How rarity of mental condition is judged using the normal distribution curve
-The normal distribution curve is used to show the average spread of specific characteristics in a population
-The most common behaviors will be at the highest point, so psychologists can identify those with abnormal behaviour by looking at the extreme ends of the curve
Advantage of using statistical infrequency to define abnormality (objectivtity)
-An individual that is assessed as mentally abnormal using statistical infrequency has been evaluated objectively
-This is better than some other methods of defining abnormality that have to rely on the subjective opinion of a psychologist
-This therefore removes the possibility of researcher bias
Disadvantage of using statistical infrequency to define abnormality (not all extremes are negative)
-However, a disadvantage of statistical infrequency is that not all statistically rare behaviours are negative; for example, using statistical infrequency, a person with an IQ of 130+ would be identified as having psychopathology and require additional support, which is inaccurate.
Disadvantage of using statistical infrequency to define abnormality (psychologists define cutoff point)
-Another disadvantage of using statistical infrequency to define abnormality is that psychologists define the cut off points for definitions of abnormality; this can have real-world implications
-For example, if the cutoff point for having a mental disability is under IQ 70, then mentally challenged individuals who have an IQ slightly over 70 cannot receive additional support
Failure to function adequately
-Failure to function adequately defines an individual as abnormal if they cannot cope with their daily lives, including their ability to interact with the world and complete daily everyday tasks
Features of failure to function
-Maladaptive behaviour - An individual behaves in a way that goes against their long-term goals
-Personal anguish- Individual suffers from anxiety and distress
-Observer discomfort- An individuals behaviour causes distress to those around them
-Irrationality/unpredictability- It is difficult to understand the motive of an individual’s behaviour and they exhibit unexpected behaviour
-Unconventionality- Individuals behaviour does not match the typical expectations of society
A disadvantage of failure to function definition of abnormality (subjectivity)
-A criticism of the failure to function definition of abnormality is that the decision about whether or not an individual is coping with every day life relies on the subjective opinion of a clinician rather than objective measures such as those used by the statistical infrequencies definitions of abnormality
-This judgement could be biased, meaning that two clinicians might have different opinions on whether someone is coping or not
A disadvantage of failure to function adequately (psychopaths)
-Another criticism of failure to function adequately is that it only includes people who are unable to cope; psychopaths can function adequately in ways that benefit them personally
-This does not affect them, but can have negative implications for people around them
Another criticism of failure to function adequately ( not all maladaptive behaviour indicates mental illness)
-Another criticism of failure to function as a definition of abnormality is that not all maladaptive behaviour indicates mental illness
-For example taking part in extreme sports, eating unhealthily, and drinking alcohol all risk an individual’s health, but most people would agree that these behaviours are not an indication of mental illness
An advantage of failure to function (respects individual and own personal experience)
-An advantage of the failure to function definition of abnormality is that it respects the individual and their own personal experience
-This is something that deviation from social norms and statistical infrequency cannot do as their definitions of abnormality are based on what is normal in the population
Deviation from social norms (start with definition of social norms)
-Social norms are unwritten expectations of behaviour that vary from culture to culture, different time periods and settings (e.g a behaviour may be acceptable in one context but unacceptable in another context)
-Individuals who deviate from these social norms may be considered social deviants or abnormal
Examples of norms that vary between cultures
-Acceptance of homoseuxaility
-Covering of hair and face
-Opinions on public displays of affection (PDA)
Advantage of deviation from social norms as a way to define abnormality
-An advantage of deviation of social norms as a way to define abnormality is that it does not impose western definitions of abnormality onto non western cultures
-This therefore increases the external validity of the theory
Disadvantage of deviation from social norms as a way to define abnormality
It is inappropriate to define an individual who has moved to a new culture as abnormal based on the new cultural norms
-For example, Individuals with Afro-Caribbean heritage living in the UK are 7 times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than those with British heritage living in the UK or those with Afro-Caribbean descent living in Afro-Caribbean nations
-This is due to category failure, imposing western definitions of mental illness onto people who are used to non western definitions of abnormality
Deviation from ideal mental health
-Jahoda’s deviation from ideal mental health takes a humanistic perspective to defining abnormality, focusing more on ways to improve rather than an individual’s dysfunction and deficit
-Jahoda identified six features of ideal mental health and argued that deviation from these features may indicate abnormality
Features of deviation from ideal mental health
-Environmental mastery- an ability to adapt and thrive in new situations
-Autonomy- The ability to act independently
-Resistance to stress- The ability to cause with the anxiety cause by everyday life
-Self actualisation- The ability to reach ones full potential through personal growth
-Positive attitude towards oneself- Characterised by high self confidence/ self esteem
-Accurate perception of reality- The ability to see the world without it being distorted by personal biases
Limitation of deviation from ideal mental health as a definition of abnormality (cultural bias)
-DIMH as a definition for abnormality may be culturally biased, as it imposes western definitions of abnormality, onto non western cultures
-For example, some cultures may not place as much value on autonomy (collectivist cultures)
Limitation of deviation from ideal mental health (strict criteria)
-Another limitation of the DIMH definitions of abnormality is the strictness of the criteria
-Most people are abnormal according to the DIMH as it is difficult to achieve all of the criteria require for ideal mental health at the same time
Advantage of deviation from ideal mental health as a definition of abnormality
-An advantage of deviation from ideal mental health is that it takes a more constructive and holistic approach to mental health
-DIMH takes into account the factors involved in diagnosis as well as providing suggestions for personal development
-Additionally, DIMH respects the individual and their own personal experiences, which DSM and statistical infrequency do not do, as they compare the abnormality with the behaviour of the rest of the population
