deviation from social norms

Question 1

define deviation from social norms

Answer 1

abnormal behavior which goes

against unwritten rules/expectations in a given society/culture.

Question 2

what does it mean by norms are specific to the culture we live in?

Answer 2

• there are relatively few behaviours that would be considered universally abnormal
• e.g. homosexuality is accepted in some countries and punished in some

Question 3

what is an antisocial personality disorder?

Answer 3

• is impulsive, aggressive and irresponsible
• DSM 5 = important symptoms is an absence of prosocial internal standards
• psychopaths are abnormal because they don’t conform to our moral standards

Question 4

Real-world application

what does deviation from social norms diagnose?

Answer 4

• used in clinical practices e.g. antisocial personality disorder
• play a part in the diagnosis of schizotypical personality disorder
• shows that the deviation from social norms criteria has to value in psychiatry

Question 5

cultural and situational relativism

Answer 5

• a person from one culture group may label someone from another group as abnormal using their standards
• e.g. hearing voices in one culture may be normal but abnormal in the UK
• difficult to judge deviation from social norms across different situations and culture

Question 6

limitations

Answer 6

changes with time; who decides on the

norm, role of context, culturally specific.