Definitions of Abnormality

• What is psychopathology?

  The study of psychological disorders
• What are the four definitions of abnormality?

  • Statistical Infrequency
  • Deviation from social norms
  • Failure to function adequately
  • Deviation from ideal mental health
• Definition of statistical infrequency


  Occurs when an individual has a characteristics which is less common
• How is statistical infrequency used to define abnormality?

  Statistical explanation abnormality based on infrequency if it occurs rarely then is seen as abnormal
• What type of graph can statistical infrequency be seen on?

  Normal distribution
• What shape is a normal distribution?

  Bell shaped curve
• Where do the mean, median and mode fall in a normal distribution?

  All in the middle with 50% either side
• In a normal distribution what happens as you get further away from the mid point?

  Fewer people fall under the section of the bell curve
• What are the scores around the midpoint of a normal distribution?


  Consistent
• How can dispersion of scores around the midpoint on a normal distribution be expressed?


  Standard deviation
• What does a normal distribution show about statistical infrequency?

  Majority fall in the middle
• What percentage have an average score in a normal distribution?

  68%
• What is an example for statistical infrequency?


  IQ
• In IQ what IQ do the majority (68%) have?

  85-115
• In IQ what percentage of people have an IQ of less than 70?

  2%
• What does the 2% make people with IQ of less than 70?

  Statistically infrequent
• What are people with an IQ of less than 70 often diagnosed with?

  Intellectual disability disorder
• Strength of statistical infrequency?

  Real world application
• Why is "real world application" a strength of statistical infrequency?

  Clinical practice utilizes assessment tools like the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for formal diagnosis and symptom severity. A score of 30+ indicates severe depression, demonstrating the value of statistical infrequency criterion in diagnosing and assessing clinical disorders.
• Limitation of statistical infrequency

  Infrequent characteristics can be positive
• Why is "infrequent characteristics can be positive" a limitation of statistical infrequency?

  • For every person with an IQ below 70 there is another person with an IQ above 130 yet we wouldn't class someone as abnormal with a high IQ
  • Similarly, someone with an extremely low score on the Beck depression inventory wouldn't be seen as abnormal
  • Means that although statistical infrequency can form part of the assessment and diagnosis procedures it is not sufficient for defining abnormality
• Definition of deviation from social norms


  Concerns behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a community or society
• How is deviation from social norms used to define abnormality?


  Groups of people choose to define behaviour as abnormal on the basis that it offends their sense of what is 'acceptable' or the norm
• How do norms change depending on culture?

  differ from one generation to another and are different in every culture
• What does norms differing depending on culture mean?

  There are relatively few behaviours that would be considered universally abnormal on the basis that they breach social norms
• What is an example for deviation from social norms?

  Antisocial personality disorder
• What are people with anti-social personality disorder like?

  Impulsive, aggressive and irresponsible
• What does the DSM-5 say about antisocial personality disorder?

  Absence of prosocial standards associated with failure to conform to lawful and culturally normative ethical behaviour
• What does the DSM-5 mean when it talks about antisocial personality disorder?

  We are making a judgement that psychopaths are abnormal because they don't conform to society's moral standards
• Strength of deviation from social norms

  Usefulness
• Why is "Usefulness" a strength of deviation from social norms?

  • Used in clinical practice for diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder and schizotypal personality disorder where the term strange is used to characterise the thinking, behaviour and appearance of people with the disorder
  • Shows the deviation from social norms criterion has value in psychiatry
• Limitation of deviation from social norms

  Variability in cultures and situations
• Why is "Variability in cultures and situations" a limitation of deviation from social norms?

  • A person from one cultural group may label someone from another group as abnormal using their standards rather than the other person's standards Hearing voices is seen as a privilege and celebrated in some cultures but would be a sign of abnormality in the UK
  • Makes it difficult to judge deviation from social norms across different situations and cultures
• What is failure to function adequately?

  Where they can no longer cope with the demands of everyday life
• When might it be decided that an individual is failing to function adequately?

  Can't maintain basic nutrition and hygiene Can't hold down jobs or relationships
• Who proposed ideas for failure to function adequality?

  Rosenhan and Seligman
• What did Rosenhan and Seligman propose?

  Additional signs that can be used to determine when someone is not coping
• What were Rosenhan and Seligman's additional signs?

  • No longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules e.g. maintaining eye contact and respecting personal space
  • Experiences severe personal distress
  • Behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves or others
• Example for failure to function adequality

  Intellectual disability disorder
• Why is intellectual disability disorder an example of failure to function adequality?

  A diagnosis would not be made only on the basis of low IQ but also if an individual is failing to function adequality