Definitions of abnormality

• What are the four definitions of psychological abnormality proposed by psychologists?

  Statistical infrequency, social norms, failure to function, ideal mental health
• How is abnormality defined in terms of statistical infrequency?


  Abnormality is defined by uncommon behavior
• What percentage of individuals have an IQ score below 70 according to the statistical infrequency definition?

  Less than 3%
• What diagnosis might individuals with an IQ score below 70 receive?

  Intellectual disability
• What are the four definitions of psychological abnormality?

  • Statistical infrequency
  • Deviation from social norms
  • Failure to function adequately
  • Deviation from ideal mental health
• What does the statistical infrequency definition imply about behavior?

  • Abnormal behavior is numerically uncommon
  • Less than 3% of individuals have an IQ below 70
  • Such individuals may be diagnosed with intellectual disability
• What are social norms?

  Standards of acceptable behavior in society
• What do social norms include?

  Both explicit and implicit rules
• What are explicit rules?

  Written rules, such as laws
• Give an example of an explicit rule.

  The law
• What are implicit rules?

  Unwritten rules, such as personal space
• Give an example of an implicit rule.

  Personal space
• What happens to those who do not adhere to social norms?

  They are classed as abnormal
• How does the definition of abnormality relate to social norms?

  Deviation from norms classifies individuals as abnormal
• What is the definition of abnormality according to the failure to function adequately model?

  Judged by failure to cope with daily demands
• How does failure to function adequately affect individuals?

  It causes suffering and distress to individuals
• What are some examples of failure to function adequately?

  Failure to maintain nutrition, hygiene, and jobs
• Who else is affected by an individual's failure to function adequately?

  Friends and family of the individual
• What scale do clinicians use to assess coping with everyday life?

  Global Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF)
• What does the Global Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF) measure?

  Levels of social, occupational, and psychological functioning
• If a person cannot maintain hygiene, what might this indicate according to the failure to function adequately model?

  They may be experiencing abnormality
• How does the failure to function adequately model relate to mental health?

  It highlights difficulties in daily living as indicators
• Who noted the deviation from ideal mental health?

  Jahoda
• What did Jahoda suggest we should look for in mental health?

  The absence of signs of ideal mental health
• What are the six criteria for ideal mental health identified by Jahoda?

  1. Positive self-attitude
  2. Self-actualisation
  3. Resistance to stress
  4. Autonomy
  5. Accurate perception of reality
  6. Environmental mastery
• What does positive self-attitude refer to?

  Having self-respect and a positive self-concept
• What is self-actualisation according to Jahoda?


  Experiencing personal growth and becoming capable
• What does resistance to stress involve?

  Having effective coping strategies for stress
• What does autonomy mean in the context of ideal mental health?

  Being independent and self-reliant
• What is meant by accurate perception of reality?

  Perceiving the world in a non-distorted fashion
• What does environmental mastery refer to?

  Being competent in all aspects of life
• According to Jahoda, what indicates abnormality in mental health?

  The absence of the six criteria for ideal mental health
• How does Jahoda's definition of mental health differ from physical health diagnosis?

  • Focus on absence of ideal mental health signs
  • Similar to diagnosing physical illness
• What is a weakness of statistical infrequency - cut off


  Weakness = statistical infrequency definition = does not make clear where cut-off is between statistically frequent + statistically infrequent behaviours.

  E.g to be defined as statistically infrequent, should behaviour be displayed by > 10% of population, or >5% of the population? The statistical infrequency definition does not make this clear, and is therefore incomplete.
• What is a weakness of statistical infrequency


  Weakness = Statistical infrequency definition been criticised, not all stat. infreq. behaviours indicate psych disorder.

  E.g very few people have an IQ of over 150, but having such a high IQ is desirable.

  This is a serious limitation of the concept of statistical infrequency, and means can never be used alone to diagnose psychological disorders. 
• What is a weakness of statistical infrequency


  Weakness = The stat. infreq. definition been criticised, not all abnormal behaviours are statistically infrequent.

  E.g about 10% of people will suffer from symptoms of depression at some point in their lives, = psych disorder that would not recognised using the concept of statistical infrequency. 

  This is another serious limitation of the concept of statistical infrequency.
• What is a weakness of deviation from social norms


  Weakness - norms vary from culture to culture

  E.g in UK dogs = held in high regard as pets. If someone killed and ate a dog, labelled as abnormal by most people, =  behaviour goes against the norms of British society. 

  However, dogs in China = food and are widely eaten. 

  This suggests judgments abt social deviance = related to culture, behaviours considered abnormal in one culture may not be seen as abnormal in another.
• What is a weakness of deviation from social norms

  Weakness = social norms change over time. 

  What is acceptable now may not have been acceptable in the past.

  E.g homosexuality was considered unacceptable + a criminal offense in UK til 1963. This suggests that this definition does not provide a consistent picture of abnormality. 
• What is weakness of failure to function adequately


  Weakness of failure to function adequately definition = NOT all ppl w psychological disorders have failure to function.

  E.g ppl w anxiety and depression often function well + appear perfectly normal lives most of the time.

  Suggests not all abnormal behaviour is recognised by the failure to function adequately definition.
• What is weakness of failure to function adequately


  Weakness = definitions of adequate functioning are related to cultural ideas of how one’s life should be lived.

  What might be seen as a failure to function in one culture could be viewed as functioning adequately in another.

  Suggests that failure to function adequately cannot offer a complete definition of abnormality because it is related to culture.