definitions of abnormality

• the four definitions of abnormality are:

  • statistical infrequency
  • deviation from social norms
  • deviation from ideal mental health
  • failure to function adequately
• someone is mentally abnormal, if their metal condition is very rare in the population, the rarity of the behaviour is judged objectively using statistics, comparing the individuals behaviour to the rest of the population
• the normal distribution curve shows a population’s average speed of specific charachteristics
• the mean, median and modal scores are all at the highest point, the most common behaviour
• at each end, there are fewer people with those behaviours
• if we want to find abnormal behaviour, we can compare individuals to the population and identify those at the extreme ends
• a good example is intelligence, measured by IQ. the average IQ is 100. someone with an IQ two standard deviations from the average on either side is abnormal
• one element of a diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder in the DSMS is having 70 IQ points or fewer
• just over 2% of the population is in this low intelligence bracket.
• a positive evaluation of using statistical infrequency to define abnormally is those individuals who are assessed as being abnormal have been evaluated objectively, this is better than other definitions that depend on the subjective opinion of a clinician
• a criticism of statistical infrequency is the psychological community decides the cut-off point for what is statistically rare enough to be defined as abnormal, this is a subjective decision with real implications
• a criticism of statistical infrequency is not all statistically rare traits are negative: this definition also includes those people at the higher end of intelligence. IQ’s of 130 are just as statistically rare as IQ’s of 70
• another criticism is the range of common psychopathologies, such as depression and anxiety. the NHS found that 17% of people surveyed met the criteria for a common mental health disorder
• the individual is defined as abnormal if they cannot cope in their daily lives, including their ability to interact with the world and meet their challenges
• rosenhan and seligman’s features of failure to function:

  maladaptive behaviour: individuals behave in ways that go against their long term interests

  personal anguish: the individual suffered from anxiety and distress

  observer discomfort: the individual’s behaviour causes distress to those around them

  irrationality: it is difficult to understand the motivation behind the individuals/ unpredictability: unexpected behaviour

  unconventionally: behaviour does not match what is typically expected by society
• a criticism of the failure to function definition of abnormality is that the decision about whether someone is coping is subjective and based on the clinician’s opinion. this judgement may be biased, meaning that two observer might not agree on whether someone is managing
• another criticism is FFA only includes people who cannot cope; psychopaths can often function in society in ways that benefit them personally. having lower empathy can lead to success in business and politic
• another criticism is that not all maladaptive behaviour indicates mental illness. taking part in extreme sports, eating unhealthy foods and drinking alcohol all risk the individual’s health, so they are arguably maladaptive
• one positive aspect of the failure to function definition of abnormality is that it respects the individual and their own personal experience, which is something that other definitions, such as statistical infrequency and deviation from social norms, cannot do
• a social norm is an unwritten expectation of behaviour that can vary from culture to culture and change over time
• additionally, what is acceptable in one context may not be acceptable in another, and people who deviate from these societal expectations may be seen as abnormal or social deviants
• examples of norms that vary between cultures include acceptance of homosexuality, face and hair covering, acceptable food and how to eat it, level of modesty in clothing and public displays of emotion
• a positive evaluation of defining abnormality according to social norms is it does not impose a western view of abnormality on other non-western cultures. for this reason it is argued diagnosing abnormality according to social norms is not ethnocentric
• a criticism is it can be inappropriate to define people who move to a new culture as abnormal according to the new cultural norms. people from an afro-caribbean background living in the uk are seven times more likely yo be diagnosed with schizophrenia than people living in the uk or people from afro caribbean nations living in afro caribbean nations - afro caribbean cultures speaking to and hallucinations with angels is considered a typical religious experience
• another criticism of using social norms is that it can be seen as punishing people who are trying to express their individuality and repressing people who do not conform to the repressive norms of their culture. for example, the WHO declassified homosexuality as a mental illness in 1992 and transgender health issues in 2019, these recent changes may have followed social norms/social acceptance
• marie jahoda’s definition comes from the humanistic perspective, focusing on ways to improve and become a better person rather than dysfunction or deficit
• jahoda identified six features of ideal mental health and argues deviation from these features indicate abnormality
• jahoda’s features:

  environmental mastery: the ability to adapt and thrive in new situations

  autonomy: the ability to act independently and trust in one’s own abilities

  resistance to stress: the internal strength to cope with anxiety caused by daily life

  self actualisation: the ability to reach one’s potential through personal growth

  positive attitude towards oneself: characterised by high self esteem and self respect

  accurate perception of reality: the ability to see the world as it is without being distorted by personal biases
• one limitation of this definition comes from its basis in humanistic psychology, which may be culturally biased, reflecting a western perspective on mental health. it is seen as problematic when a perspective from one culture, in this case an individualistic western culture, is assumed to automatically apply/generalise to all people as universal. this problem is termed an imposed etic
• in many cultures people may not place a high value on autonomy as it is not a part of their cultural normal and personal freedom is not seen as a necessary or positive aspect of life, instead in collectivist societies, many people value playing a role in supporting a family or group, not focusing on individual success
• another criticism of DMIH is the strictness of the criteria defining mental health, most people would be defined as abnormal, according to DMIH, as it is difficult to achieve all of the criteria for ideal mental health at any one time
• a positive evaluation of this definition is a more constructive and holistic approach to mental health than other definitions. DIMH considers multiple factors in diagnosis and provides suggestions for personal development and DIMH does not simply state what is wrong but also suggests how problems can be overcome