Psychopathology: Definitions of abnormality

Question 1

What is statistical infrequency/ deviation?

Answer 1

Infrequent/ rare behaviour is considered abnormal

Question 2

How many standard deviations away from the mean do you have to be to be considered abnormal

Answer 2

You have to be 2 standard deviations away from the mean

Question 3

Name and describe 1 strength of statistical infrequency

Answer 3

It is objective (not influenced by personal feeling or opinions): It has clear guidlines and cut-off points. Different mental health workers can all view the same kind of behaviour in the same way, therefore making it more accurate

Question 4

Name and describe 1 weakness of statistical infrequency

Answer 4

It could define someone as abnormal when they are not psychologically unwell: Some abnormal behaviour is desireable e.g. having a high level of intellegence. It could be viewed as limited as it views health, desireable behaiours as abnormal

Question 5

Name and describe a second weakness of statistical infrequency

Answer 5

It misses/ excludes a range of serious mental health disorders. For example depression isn’t classed as abnormal due to the large amounts of people who have it (10% of people in the UK had it in 2019). Therefore it should not be used on its own when being used as a diagnosis as it misses certain behaviours.

Question 6

Define deviation from social norms

Answer 6

Behaviour that is not considered to be socially acceptable is classed as abnormal.

Question 7

These sociatal expectations cna be 1 of 2 things whcih are?

Answer 7

Explicit or Implicit

Question 8

What is meant by explicit in terms of DSN?

Answer 8

These are written and sometimes form laws that govern behaviour

Question 9

What is meant by implicit in terms of DSN?

Answer 9

These are unwritten but generally accepted.

Question 10

Name and describe one strength of deviation from social norms

Answer 10

It is flexible: What is considered abnormal adapts to what societal norms are rather than a strict number like statistical infrequency. It could be argued to be more useful than the statistical infrquency definition

Question 11

Name and describe 1 weakness of deviation from social norms

Answer 11

It loses the objectivity that statistical infrequency benefits from: This is due to the subjective nature of having to decide exactly when someones behaviour is deviated from social norms enough to be considered abnormal. This makes this definition less accurate due to being open to opinion and interpretation

Question 12

Name a second waekness of deviation form social norms

Answer 12

Cultural bias: a person from one cultural group may label someone from another culture as behaving abnormally according to their standards, rather than the standards of the person behaving that way. This is known as ethnocentrism

Question 13

Define ethnocentrism

Answer 13

Where one culture is used as the standard by which other cultures are judged.

Question 14

Outlines fernando’s research to back up the weakness of the deviation from social nroms definition.

Answer 14

People from Afro-Carribbean heritage in the UK are 7 times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. If those people were tested in their own ciuntry by an Afro-Carribbean psychologist, then they may not hav been diagnose with schizophrenia due to hearing voices being seen as normal

Question 15

Define failure to function adequately.

Answer 15

Where a person is unable to cope with the demands of everyday life

Question 16

What are Rosenhan’s and Seligman’s 7 criteria to show whether someone is able to function adequately?

Answer 16

1) Pesronal distress 2) Maladaptive behaviour 3) Unpredictability 4) Irrationality 5) Observer discomfort 6) Violation of moral standards 7) Unconventionality

Question 17

What is personal distress?

Answer 17

When an individual is experiencing distress of discomfort

Question 18

What is maladaptive behaviour?

Answer 18

When a person engages it behaviour that makes life more difficult

Question 19

What is Irrationality?

Answer 19

When an individual is incomprihensible. When they cannot communicate in a reasonable manor.

Question 20

What us unpredictability?

Answer 20

When an individaul acts in a awy that is unpredictable.

Question 21

What is unconventionality?

Answer 21

Experiencing things that are different

Question 22

What is violation of moral standards?

Answer 22

Breaking ethical and moral standards.

Question 23

What is observer discomfort?

Answer 23

Acting in ways which make others feel discomfort

Question 24

Name and describe one strength of failure to function adequately

Answer 24

It takes into acount a person’s subjective experiences: It acknowledges something that other definitions such as statistical infrequency do not.

Question 25

Name and describe one weakness of failure to function adequately.

Answer 25

Many forms of a bnormality do not stop people from functioning in their everyday life. For example some criminals who commit crimes feel no distress or anxiety at all. Their behaviour is clearly abnormal but does not affect their ability to function. As a result, these types of behaviour would go undiagnosed according to this definition.

Question 26

What is deviation from ideal mental health?

Answer 26

Behaviour is abnormal when there is the lack of healthy (ideal) characteristics. It looks as what is ideal mental health, and then compares it to someone who doesn't have these ideal features.

Question 27

What are Jahoda's criteria to be considered in ideal mental health?

Answer 27

1)Accurate perception of reality 2) Self- actualisation 3) Positive attitude to oneself 4) Environmental mastery 5) Autonomy 6) Resisting stress

Question 28

What is a good acronym to remember Jahodas criteria to be considered having ideal mental health

Answer 28

A SPEAR (like a war weapon)

Question 29

What is accurate perception of reality?

Answer 29

To have an objective and realistic view of the world, including themselves

Question 30

What is self- actualisation

Answer 30

Fulfilling their potential, experiencing personal growth and becoming what you are capable of

Question 31

What is positive attitude towards oneself?

Answer 31

Having high self-esteem and a strong sense of identity

Question 32

What is environmental mastery?

Answer 32

Able to meet the varying demands of day-to-day situations

Question 33

What is autonomy?

Answer 33

Being independant, self-reliant, and able to make personal decisions.

Question 34

What is resisting stress?

Answer 34

Having effective coping strategies, and being able to cope with everyday anxiety, provoking situations

Question 35

Name and describe one limitation of deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 35

It has an unrealistically high standard: Most likely, knon of us meet all the criteria at once, nor maintain them for very long. Just because someone is not self actualising and showing personal growth, that does not mean they are suffering from a mental disorder.

Question 36

Name and describe a second weakness of deviation from ideal mental health

Answer 36

It is ethnocentic: The criteria used in this case is based on a westernised individualistic culture. Individualistic cultures such as the USA or the UK place the emphasis on the self and personal achievment. Whereas collectivist culture such as India, China, and Japan put the emphasis on the group identity and achievment, and what is best for the community.