Definitions of Abnormality

What are the three definitions of abnormality?

• Statistical Infrequency

• Deviation from social norms

• Failure to function adequately

What is the definition of statistical infrequency?

Deviating from the statistical norm or average

Describe the normal distribution graph

• Many individual human characteristics can be measured and plotted on it

• Behaviours within 2 standard deviations of the mean are considered normal

• Behaviours at either end of the graph (2 SD above and below the mean)

• e.g. IQ, mood, weight

Evaluate statistical infrequency

Limitations:

• Does not recognise many known disorders e.g. schizophrenia, where behaviours and symptoms are noticeable but not measurable

• ‘Cut off’ point is subjective - sometimes symptoms of disorders e.g. depression are difficult to measure and assign a ‘statistical’ cut off point to show where help is needed e.g. sleeplessness, low mood

• Cultural relativism - characteristsics of behaviour are specific to each culture, defining abnormal characteristics and generalising across culture could cause an ethnocentric bias (by imposing an etic) - could misrepresent other cultures

What is the definition of deviation from social norms?

Society sets norms and values (both written and unwritten), anything that deviates from these norms is considered abnormal e.g. cannibalism, Antisocial Personality Disorder (psychopathy)

Evaluate deviation from social norms

Strengths:

• Usefulness - can be used in clinical practice e.g. to define characteristics of antisocial personality disorder, depression, anxiety etc.

Limitations:

• Deviance is related to context

• Cultural relativism

What is the definition of failure to function adequately?

• Unable to live a ‘normal’ day-to-day life

• does not possess a ‘normal’ range of physical abilities, emotions or behaviours

• Behaviours which disrupt a person’s ability to work and form/maintain relationships

• e.g. disabilities, OCD, ADHD, phobias etc.

What is Rosenhan and Seligman’s Checklist of Dysfunction?

1. Personal distress

2. Maladaptive behaviour - stops you achieving goals

3. Unpredictable behaviour - doesn’t suit circumstances

4. Irrational behaviour - unexplainable

5. Cause observer discomfort

6. Deviation from social norms and values

The more a person has, the more abnormal the person is viewed as

Evaluate failure to function adequately

Limitations:

• Abnormality isn’t always accompanied by dysfunction - psychopaths can lead seemingly ‘functional’ lives (family, friends, jobs, outward behaviours) e.g. Harold Simpson, Fred and Rose West

• Functional dysfunction e.g. attention seeking behaviours that gain wanted attention

• Cultural relativism

What is the definition of deviation from ideal mental health?

Anything which deviated from ‘normal’ mental health characteristics e.g. depression, hallucinations, anxiety

What is Jahoda’s Checklist of Ideal Mental Health?

1. No symptoms of distress

2. Rational and accurate perception of the self

3. Can self-actualise

4. Can cope with stress

5. Realistic view of the world

6. Good self-esteem

7. Independent of other people

8. Can successfully work, love and enjoy leisure

The more a person has, the more ‘normal’ they are perceived

Evaluate deviation from ideal mental health

Limitations:

• Over-demanding/unrealistic criteria - most people can’t meet the demands (if you can, are you abnormal?), plus the criteria is subjective to Jahoda

• Changes over time (temporal validity) e.g. seeing spirits = hallucinations now, but ‘godliness’ before, homosexuality 50 years ago was a mental illness

• Cultural relativism - independence is seen as abnormal in collectivist cultures so can’t be generalised to those cultures and mental health criteria can vary across culture