Distingushing Abnormality

Question 1

Name the 4 types of abnormality and list Jahodas criteria.

Hint:

• stats
• norms
• function
• mental health

Answer 1

Statistical infrequency
-statistically rare behaviour

Deviation from social norms
-behaviour that’s goes against standards set by society

Failure to function adequately
-cannot cope with demands of day to day life

Deviation from ideal mental health
-absence of 1 or more of jahodas criteria (positive attitude towards oneself, resistance to stress and personal autonomy)

Question 2

How is statistical infrequency effected by cultural relativism?

Answer 2

Abnormality may be more common in one culture than another eg hearing voices may be seen as god in one culture or schizophrenia in another

Question 3

How is deviation from social norms effected by cultural relativism?

Answer 3

What is seen as abnormal is bound by cultures eg classification based on social norms which are different in some cultures

Question 4

How is failure to function adequately effected by cultural relativism?

Answer 4

Ideas about how someone should live relative to cultures eg may get different diagnosis depending on what country you are in

Question 5

How is deviation from ideal mental health affected by cultural relativism?

Answer 5

Jahodas criteria is culture bound eg may lead to more abnormality in non-western cultures

Question 6

What is cultural relativism?

Answer 6

View behaviour cannot be judged properly unless viewed in context of culture it originates from