Cultural Relativism and Abnormal Behavior

Cultural relativism

Cultural relativism defines abnormal behavior as anything that deviates from cultural norms or standards. It suggests that there is no absolute standard of mental health or illness and that 'normal' and 'abnormal' are social constructions.

Examples of abnormal concepts

Examples include homosexuality, workaholism, and shamanistic visions, which may be considered normal or abnormal depending on the culture. Nazi Germany is presented as an example of a culture with problematic norms.

Advantages of cultural relativism

It acknowledges that culture plays a role in shaping our perceptions of what's normal or abnormal. It helps explain the existence of culture-bound syndromes, which only occur in specific cultures.

Disadvantages of cultural relativism

It cannot explain why some disorders occur in all cultures. It ignores scientific information about abnormality, such as genetic contributions. It doesn't permit cross-cultural comparisons.

Harmful dysfunction model

The harmful dysfunction model defines abnormal behavior as a failure of some designed brain function, a dysfunction, that is also considered harmful by cultural values. This means that both a scientific dysfunction and a cultural value judgement determine if something is considered a disorder.

Examples of disrupted brain functions

Fear regulation circuits, Threat detection circuits, Error detection circuits, Reality testing circuits, Emotional intensity regulation, Empathy circuits.

Role of culture in harmful dysfunction model

Culture informs us about what is considered harmful. Cultural values determine whether a dysfunction is considered a problem, but the dysfunction itself is based on scientific understanding of brain function.

Advantages of harmful dysfunction model

It allows for comparison and analysis across cultures. It is informed by biology, neuroscience, and medicine. It acknowledges the role of culture through the 'harmful' criterion.

Disadvantages of harmful dysfunction model

It acknowledges that there are some disorders, like narcissism, for which we can't identify a specific mechanism, and many identified mechanisms are only partially understood.

Significance of Boaz

Boaz is considered a founder of modern anthropology, who was struck by the idea of relativity and the cultural arrogance of Western societies.

Relativity in physics and cultural relativism

The idea of relativity, popularized by Einstein, suggests that there are no absolutes, and this idea influenced the development of cultural relativism in anthropology.

Donald Brown

Donald Brown is an anthropologist who studied the ethnographic record of many societies and found several hundred universal commonalities across all cultures.

Peter Singer's view on moral obligation

The notes do not provide a definition for Peter Singer's view on moral obligation.

Moral obligation

Peter Singer suggests that we have a moral obligation to expand our circle of concern to include all people, regardless of differences.

Steven Pinker's argument regarding violence

Steven Pinker argues that there has been a decline in violence over time and that we can compare our own culture now to our culture in the past or to other cultures in the present.

General trend regarding violence throughout history

Despite our tendency to focus on bad news, violence has been in decline over long human history, and we are currently living in the most peaceful era of our species on Earth.

Syndrome vs disease

A syndrome is a group of symptoms that occur together, while a disease is a specific condition with a known cause and a set of symptoms.

Supernaturalism

Belief that mental illness is caused by demons/spirits.

Naturalism

Understanding mental illness through the lens of medicine.

Asylum movement

17th and 18th century movement for more humane treatment of mentally ill.

Medical model

19th century use of medical interventions such as bleeding, spinning, blistering, water therapy, restraint chairs, emetics and terror.

Moral treatment

Alternative, compassionate approach to treatment, emphasizing nutrition, low stress, work, exercise and community.

Role of neurotransmitters in mental health

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the brain that help regulate mood, anxiety, and overall mental health. Disruptions in neurotransmitter levels or function can contribute to mental health disorders.

Biological/medical model influence in the 20th century

It led to the development of the first systematic classification of mental disorders (Emil Kraepelin), as well as, brain-damaging therapies like lobotomies and electroshock, as well as, the accidental discovery of psychiatric medications in the 1950s and 60s.

Basis of the psychoanalytic model of mental health

The psychoanalytic model emphasizes the unconscious, the importance of early experience, and trauma.

Behavioral model of mental health

The behavioral model focuses on the scientific study of observable behavior and the environment through the principles of conditioning and is now often integrated into cognitive behavioral therapy.

Description of anxiety

Anxiety is often described as a future-oriented threat (something bad might happen) while fear is a response to a present danger or threat. Anxiety disorders are often characterized by excessive worry and rumination.

"Fight-or-flight-or-freeze" response

The "fight-or-flight-or-freeze" response is a physiological reaction to a perceived threat that involves the sympathetic nervous system and the release of stress hormones. This system can be overactive in people with anxiety disorders.

Phobia

A phobia is an irrational fear of a specific object or situation. Theories include heritability, evolutionary preparedness, psychodynamic (symbolic), and classical conditioning.

Most effective treatment for phobias

Exposure therapy is considered the most effective treatment for phobias.