DEFINITIONS OF ABNORMALITY (1)

PSYCHOPATHOLOGY → the study of psychological disorders

ABNORMAL → deviation from the average/norm (any rare behaviour or ability is deemed to be abnormal; however, it is difficult to define what is abnormal as the norms are always changing)

~STATISTICAL INFREQUENCY~

  • Behaviours that are statistically rare should be seen as abnormal

  • Any anomaly (about 5% if the population) are perceived as being abnormal

  • Measured using numbers - how many times we observe a phenomenon

  • Relies on behaviours we regularly partake in

  • (e.g. IQ test - average IQ = 100, 2% have a score below 70 therefore receiving a diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder)

EVALUATION

+ REAL-WORLD APPLICATION

  • One strength of statistical infrequency is its usefulness.

  • Statistical infrequency is used in clinical practice, both as a means to assess and diagnose psychological disorders.

  • For example, the Beck Depression Inventory is used to assess depression. A score of 30+ indicates severe depression.

  • This shows that the value of the statistical infrequency criterion is useful in diagnostic and assessment processes.

- UNUSUAL CHARACTERISTICS CAN BE POSITIVE

  • One limitation of statistical infrequency is that infrequent characteristics can be positive as well as negative.

  • For every person with an IQ below 70, there is another with an IQ above 130. Yet we would not consider someone with a high IQ to be abnormal.

  • This example shows that being unusual or at one end of a psychological spectrum does not necessarily make someone abnormal.

  • This means that statistical infrequency is never sufficient as the sole base for defining abnormality.

~DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS~

  • Behaviour that varies from the norm is seen as abnormal

  • This draws a line between socially desirable and undesirable behaviours

  • However, there is no universal culture from which norms are produced

  • Cultures are also subject to change, and thus the deviation from the norms are only abnormal depending on culture and time

  • (e.g. a person with antisocial personality disorder is impulsive, aggressive and irresponsible)

EVALUATION

+ REAL-WORLD APPLICATION

  • One strength of deviation from social norms is its usefulness.

  • Deviation from social norms is used in clinical practice. For example, the key defining characteristic of antisocial personality disorder is the failure to conform to culturally acceptable behaviour.

  • These signs of the disorder are all deviations from social norms. Such norms also play a part in the diagnosis of of schizotypal personality disorder, where the term ‘strange’ is used to characterise the thinking, behaviour and appearance of people with the disorder.

  • This shows that the deviation from social norms criterion has value in psychiatry.

- CULTURAL AND SITUATION RELATIVISM

  • One limitation of deviation from social norms is the variability between social norms in different cultures.

  • A person from one cultural group may label someone from another group as abnormal using their standards rather than the person’s standards.

  • For example, the experience of hearing voices is the norm in some cultures (as messages from ancestors), but would be seen as abnormal in most parts of the UK.

  • This means that it is difficult to judge deviation from social norms across different cultures.