Definitions of Abnormality - Flashcards

Topics included: Deviation from Social Norms; Failure to Function Adequately; Deviation from Ideal Mental Health; Statistical Infrequency

What is meant by social norms?

Social norms are a set of unwritten rules that people in a given society use in order to abide by what is deemed ‘normal’ behaviour.

True or False?

Social norms persist across time and culture.

False.

Social norms are dependent upon time and culture.

E.g., homosexuality was deemed abnormal in the UK until fairly recently.

True or False?
Deviation from social norms is a useful tool for assessing behaviour and diagnosing abnormality.

True.

Deviation from social norms is a useful tool for assessing behaviour and diagnosing abnormality.

E.g., socially deviant behaviour may be symptomatic of schizophrenia, and so a proper cause of treatment can be prescribed.

Some behaviours that appear socially deviant may simply be eccentricity, which means that this definition of abnormality does not account for:

a) gender differences

b) individual differences

c) IQ differences

b.

Some behaviours that appease socially deviant may simply be eccentricity, which means that this definition of abnormality does not account for individual differences.

True or False?

Social norms are in place to ensure that societies are harmonious and run smoothly.

True.

Social norms are in place to ensure that societies are harmonious and run smoothly.

The same behaviour may be viewed as normal in one culture and abnormal in another culture. This is known as:

a) ethnocentrism

b) androcentrism

c) culture-bound syndrome

c.

The same behaviour may be viewed as normal in one culture and abnormal in another culture. This is known as culture-bound syndrome.

Failure to function adequately refers to the point at which someone is unable to continue their daily _______ or ____ with everyday life.

Failure to function adequately refers to the point at which someone is unable to continue their daily routine or cope with everyday life.

Which one of the following is not one of the criteria identified by Rosenhan & Seligman for signalling failure to function adequately?

a) Severe personal distress

b) Behaving irrationally

c) Self-inflicted harm

d) Self-actualisation

d.

Self-actualisation is not one of the criteria identified by Rosenhan & Seligman signalling failure to function adequately.

Failure to function adequately is an overly subjective measure, which means that it may lack:

a) ethics

b) reliability

c) suitability

b.

Failure to function adequately is an overly subjective measure, which means it may lack reliability.

True or False?

Checklists such as those provided by Rosenhan & Seligman can be used to assess the degree of failure to function adequately.

True.

Checklists such as those provided by Rosenhan & Seligman can be used to assess the degree of failure to function adequately.

This increases the reliability and objectivity of the measure.

Failure to function adequately offers a definition of abnormality with clear guidelines for the ______________ and _________ of mental illnesses.

Failure to function adequately offers a definition of abnormality with clear guidelines for the classification and diagnosis of mental illnesses.

True or False?

Failure to function adequately accounts for individual differences.

False.

Failure to function adequately does not account for individual differences.

Some behaviours that appear to be failing to function adequately are personal choices, e.g., adopting eco-friendly hygiene routines (not using deodorants).

What is a key assumption of deviation from ideal mental health?

a) If someone is mentally well, they will possess all of the markers of ideal mental health

b) If someone is mentally well, they will possess some of the markers of ideal mental health

c) If someone is mentally well, they will never succumb to mental illness during their lifetime

a.

A key assumption of deviation from ideal mental health is that if someone is mentally well, they will possess all of the markers of ideal mental health.

Which one of the following is not a characteristic of Jahoda’s model of mental health?

a) Autonomy

b) Imagination

c) Resistance to stress

d) Environmental mastery

b.

Imagination is not a characteristic of Jahoda’s model of mental health.

A strength of deviation from ideal mental health is that it is a holistic measure of abnormality. What is meant by holistic?

Holistic means that a theory or approach takes into account all aspects and behaviours of a person as a whole.

Deviation from ideal mental health is prone to culture ____ as it emphasises the importance of the __________, which is not aligned with ____________ cultures.

Deviation from ideal mental health is prone to culture bias as it emphasises the importance of the individual, which is not aligned with collectivist cultures.

True or False?

Deviation from ideal mental health has no real world application.

False.

Deviation from ideal mental health is a positive measure of abnormality and has useful real world application.

E.g., its emphasis on the whole person and on positive mental health and wellbeing means that it can be used in a variety of therapeutic settings.

True or False?

Jahoda’s criteria of ideal mental health is almost impossible to live up to, as it requires each individual to reach the highest levels of positive mental wellbeing.

True.

Jahoda’s criteria of ideal mental health is almost impossible to live up to, as it requires each individual to reach the highest levels of positive mental wellbeing.

True or False?

Statistical infrequency assumes that a behaviour is abnormal if it is statistically uncommon/rare (not present often or regularly per society).

True.

Statistical infrequency assumes that a behaviour is abnormal if it is statistically uncommon/rare (not present often or regularly per society).

Behaviour can be measured as normal or abnormal according to where it is placed within a ______ distribution.

Behaviour can be measured as normal or abnormal according to where it is placed within a normal distribution.

A distribution curve can be used to represent the proportions of a population who share a:

a) post code

b) particular characteristic

c) love of dogs

b.

A distribution curve can be used to represent the proportions of a population who share a particular characteristic, e.g., IQ.

Which one of the following conditions is statistically infrequent?

a) Schizophrenia

b) Depression

c) OCD

a.

About 1 in 300 (0.33%) people worldwide have schizophrenia at any one time (point relevance), while about 1% will experience it at some point in their life (lifetime prevalence). This makes it an abnormal condition/illness.

Which of the following studies investigates a statistically infrequent condition?

a) Zimbardo’s prison study

b) Milgram’s obedience study

c) The case of HM

d) Ainsworth’s Strange Situation attachment study

c.

The case of HM investigates a statistically infrequent condition.

HM suffered extreme anterograde amnesia, which is highly unique and unusual.

Statistical infrequency uses a standardised measure, which means that the measure has good:

a) validity

b) accuracy

c) reliability

c.

Statistical infrequency uses a standardised measure, which means that the measure has good reliability.

Standardised measures are replicable, i.e., they can be applied repeatedly to analyse data sets.

One limitation of statistical infrequency is that it does not recognise __________ as abnormal behaviour.

One limitation of statistical infrequency is that it does not recognise depression as abnormal behaviour.

Depression is estimated to affect around 280 million people across the world at any given time, e.g., it is not statistically infrequent.

True or False?

Statistical infrequency as a measure of abnormality is easy to test and measure, which means it is a highly useful diagnostic tool.

True.

Statistical infrequency as a measure of abnormality is easy to test and measure, which means it is a highly useful diagnostic tool.

Someone with a statistically infrequent score would be given extra help or interventions to help them cope with their condition.

One statistically infrequent behaviour is having an IQ of 175, which is a limitation of this definition as it limits its:

a) ethical validity

b) usefulness

c) temporal validity

b.

One statistically infrequent behaviour is having an IQ of 175, which is a limitation of this definition of abnormality as it limits its usefulness.

It is unlikely that having a high IQ would be considered undesirable.

Statistical infrequency can be considered deterministic.

Define deterministic.

Deterministic views are that external forces control behaviour and free will is an illusion.

E.g., outcomes are determined already; a statistically infrequent behaviour means that someone is abnormal.