abnormality

• Definitions of abnormality:

  • Deviation from Social Norms (DSN)
  • Failure to Function Adequately (FFA)
  • Statistical Infrequency (SI)
  • Deviation from Ideal Mental Health (DIMH)
• Deviation from Social Norms (DSN):

  • Abnormality defined as behavior that goes against unwritten rules and norms in a society
  • Concerned with behavior that is antisocial or undesirable
  • Example: Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD)
• Evaluation of the Deviation from Social Norms Definition:

  • Supports general ideas of abnormality
  • Social norms change over time
  • Cultural relativity
• Failure to Function Adequately (FFA):

  • Abnormal when behavior suggests inability to cope with everyday life
  • Focuses on individual suffering
  • Example: Severe depression
• Evaluation of the Failure to Function Adequately Definition:

  • Real life application
  • Subjective judgement-who decides what is adequate
  • Abnormality not always associated with failing to function adequately
• Statistical Infrequency:

  • Abnormal behavior is rare or uncommon
  • Individuals who fall outside the 'normal distribution', usually 5% of the population are perceived as abnormal.
  • Example: Schizophrenia
• Evaluation of the Statistical Infrequency Definition:

  • Objective and sometimes appropriate
  • Focuses on frequency of behavior, not its desirability
  • Behaviors that are statistically infrequent in one culture may be statistically more frequent in another
• Deviation from Ideal Mental Health (DIMH):

  • Starts from what is normal/mentally healthy and works backwards
  • Jahoda's criteria for normal mental health
  • Example: Anorexia nervosa- distorted perception of own body size, -ve self-concept, low self-esteem.
• Jahoda's 6 criteria for ideal mental health:

  • Coping with stressful situations and anxiety
  • Personal autonomy: being independent, self-reliant, and able to make personal decisions
  • Accurate perception of reality: perceiving the world in a non-distorted fashion
  • Environmental mastery: being competent in all aspects of life and able to meet the demands of any situation, having the flexibility to adapt to changing life circumstances
  • Absence of these criteria indicates vulnerability to a psychological disorder
• Evaluation of the Deviation from Ideal Mental Health Definition:

  • +ve approach to viewing abnormality
  • Sets an unrealistically high standard for mental health- who can achieve these criteria
  • Cultural relativism
• Characteristics of abnormal behaviour related to FFA (Rosenham and Seligman

  • Suffering
  • Maladaptiveness
  • Irrational
  • Observer discomfort
  • Vividness
  • Violation of moral codes
  • Unpredictability