Devaiting from social and cultural norms in the field of mental health

devotion from cultural/social norms in field of mental health

DSCN is abnormal behaviour which violates implicit collective judgments about acceptable behaviour which can vary with context and across cultures for example laughing would be deemed as abnormal is the context of a funeral 

what are the evaluation points for deviation of cultural/ social norms

• real life application

• cultural relativism

• can lead to human rights abuses

real life application ?

DSCN can be used to help with the diagnosis of people with psychological disorders

diagnosing APD as deviating from culturally standard and ethical behaviour is apart of the definition of the behaviour

behaviour that fits the criteria would be regarded as psychologically abnormal.

Therefore DSCN can be applied in the real world through diagnosis

cultural relativism

Cultural relativism is a problem for the definition of DSCN as social norms vary across culture.

In a religious culture hearing voices would be seen as a sign of spirituality whether in other cultures it could be seen as schizophrenia.

Different cultures have different standpoints for what's abnormal and socially normal therefore creating an issue for the definition of DSCN because there is no universal judgment of acceptable behaviour

leading to human rights abuses

The DSCN definition can lead to human rights abuses as the person in power can abuse the decision to decide what is an abnormal behaviour.

in the us slaves in the 19th century who tried to run away were deemed to have drapetomania which needed to be cured by whipping.

The decided social norms are used for social control over minorities and persecution for ‘deviant’ behaviour which is ultimately and abuse of human rights