Abnormalities

• Failure to function adequately is defined as no longer being able to cope with the demands of everyday life. (unable to maintain basic standard of nutrition and hygiene)
• (FFA): Rosenhan and Seligman looked at signs associated with FFA:

  • No longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules (eye contact)
  • Experience severe personal distress
  • Behaviour becomes irrational/dangerous to self and others
• Deviation from social norm is defined as when a person behaves in a way that is different to how we expect people to behave. 'acceptable' (some cultures see homosexuality as abnormal)
• Statistical infrequency is defined as usual behaviour and unusual behaviour that can be reliably measured (intelligence):

  • uses a normal distribution curve to show if a behaviour is below average, average or above average
  • Diagnosed as abnormal if the mental condition is rare in a population
• Deviation from ideal mental health: once we have a pic of how we should be psychologically healthy then we can begin to identify who deviates from this ideal.
• (DIMH): Jahoda suggests we have a good mental health if we meet the following:

  • No symptoms or distress
  • Cope with stress
  • independent of other ppl
  • Rational/perceive ourselves accurately
  • Realistic view of the world
  • Successfully work, love and enjoy leisure
  • self-actualise
  • Good self-esteem/lack guilt
• S of FFA: Sensible threshold for when people need professional help/treatment services can be targeted to people who need them the most

  W of FFA: Easy to label non-standard lifestyle choices as abnormal (choosing to live off grid)
• S of DSN: used in clinical practice - defining characteristics of certain disorders (schizophrenia personality disorder - 'strange' characterizes thinking, behaviour and appearance)

  W of DSN: Variability between social norms in different cultures
• S of SI: used in clinical practice - way to asses severity of individual symptoms - usefulness

  W of SI: Being unusual at one end of psychology spectrum (high IQ) doesn't mean we are abnormal.
• S of DIMH: Highly comprehensive - Jahoda's criteria covers most of the reasons why we may seek help with mental health

  W of DIMH: Very few achieve all of Jahoda's criteria - disheartening to see impossible set of standards to live up to