Definitions of abnormality

• What are 4 definitions of abnormality?

  1. statistic infrequency
  2. deviation from social norms
  3. failure to function adequately
  4. deviation from ideal mental health
• What is the definition of statistical infrequency? 


  assumes that behaviour that is rare is abnormal - the less frequent a behaviour the more rare and therefore abnormal it is

  it is a mathematical approach which aims to quantify what is and isn’t abnormal
• What is an example of statistical infrequency?

  a good example can be seen in people who deviate from the average IQ score of 100

  • people who are more than 3 standard deviations below the average IQ will be seen as abnormal
  • this can be seen in people who have intellectual disability disorder who tend to have an IQ of 70 or less
  • people who have more than 3 standard deviations above the average will also be considered abnormal
• What is one advantage of statistical infrequency?

  Uses objective standard deviations to measure abnormality
• How does statistical infrequency reduce misinterpretations?

  It is based on objective standards, not opinions
• How can statistical infrequency be used in child development?

  To measure expected development through IQ tests
• Why is it useful to measure children's intellect using IQ tests?

  It helps identify developmental issues early on
• What is another disadvantage of statistical infrequency?

  some rare behaviours are desirable

  there are behaviour that are statistically low, such as a high IQ of 130, that are desirable yet still infrequent

  shows that not all abnormal behaviours are problematic
• What is a disadvantage of statistical infrequency?

  not all abnormal behaviours are infrequent

  • depression is an abnormal disorder but is seen to be frequent in people
  • this is a limitation as it shows the definition lacks validity
  • and cannot be used to identify all disorders
• What is deviation from social norms? 


  social norms - expected behaviour from society known as implicit rules

  deviation - breaking away from social norms and acting in a way that’s not in line with expected behaviour
• What is an advantage of deviation from social norms?

  can help to keep society under control

  • by having expected norms of behaviour it helps people know what they should and should not do
  • this is useful as it prevents chaos and dysfunction in society
• What is a disadvantage of deviation from social norms?

  heavily influenced by time

  • depending on the era at which the behaviour was presented will influence if we see it as abnormal
  • e.g homosexuality legalised in the 70s
  • this is a limitation as it shows that as time changes, so does our definition of abnormality
• What is a disadvantage of deviation from social norms?

  depends on context

  • the context in which a behaviour is shown can affect if it’s abnormal or not
  • e.g singing on the bus is abnormal but singing in the shower is not
  • this is a limitation as it is not the behaviour itself that’s abnormal, but the context
• What were Jahodas criteria for ideal mental health?

  1. positive attitude towards self
  2. self esteem
  3. personal autonomy
  4. resistance to stress
  5. environmental mastery
  6. accurate perception of reality
• What is a disadvantage of deviation from ideal mental health?

  not universal and based on western perspective

  • personal autonomy may not be seen as ideal or the norm in other cultures
  • a limitation as if cultural differences are not accounted for, can result in misjudgement
• What is an advantage of deviation from ideal mental health?

  focuses on positive behaviour

  • focuses on desirable behaviour rather than maladaptive and negative behaviour
  • this is useful as it can be motivational and help people identify what they need to have ideal mental health
• What is failure to function adequately?

  the individual cannot cope or function with everyday life

  e.g maintain work or personal hygiene
• What did Rosenhan identify as failure to function

  1. unpredictably
  2. maladaptiveness
  3. irrationality
  4. personal distress
  5. observer discomfort
• What are disadvantages of failure to function adequately?

  some aspects are subjective

  • e.g observe discomfort as people have different tolerance for behaviour
  • this is a limitation as there are individual differences that need to be considered
• What is an advantage of failure to function adequately?

  it is a practical checklist

  • clear checklist which allows behaviour to be assessed on levels of abnormality
  • this is useful as it allows a straightforward diagnosis according to features of personal dysfunction