Statistical infrequency

    Cards (5)

    • Statistical infrequency - Occurs when an individual has a less common characteristic
    • Statistical infrequency:
      • Statistics are about numbers
      • Any relatively usual behaviour or characteristic can be thought of as 'normal', and any behaviour that is unusual is 'abnormal'
    • Example: IQ and intellectual disability disorder
      The normal distribution - The average score of IQ
      • Average IQ is set at 100, in normal distribution, most people have a score in the range of 85 - 115
      • Only 2% have a score below 70 - these are very unusual or 'abnormal' and are liable to receive a diagnosis for intellectual disability disorder
    • Strength of Statistical infrequency: USEFULNESS
      • Used in clinical practice - part of formal diagnosis and way to assess severity of an individual's symptoms
      • Example: Diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder (IQ below 70)
      • Link: Useful in diagnostic processes
    • Weakness of statistical infrequency: Not all infrequent behaviours are abnormal
      • They can be positive as well as negative
      • Example: For every person with an IQ below 70, there is a person with an IQ above 130. Yet we would not think of someone as abnormal for having a high IQ
      • Link: It is never sufficient as the sole basis of defining abnormality