def of ab - AO3

• One strength for failure to function adequately is

  • Represents a sensible threshold for when people need professional help
  • Treatment and services can be given to those who need it most
• One limitation of failure to function adequately is

  • Discrimination and social control
  • Easy to label non-standard life choices as abnormal so in practice it can be hard to say whether someone is failing to function or simply deviating from social norms
  • Unusual life choices labelled as abnormal, restricts freedom of choice
• Failure to function adequately may not be abnormal like during bereavement where someone is reacting to difficult circumstances
• What is one strength of statistical infrequency?

  Real-world application
• How is statistical infrequency applied to in the real world?

  Clinical practice - it is useful in diagnosis and assessment. It has practical value in identifying and assessing mental disorders.
• Give an example of statistical infrequency being used as an assessment tool

  A diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder requires an IQ of below 70 (bottom 2%)
• What is a limitation of statistical infrequency?

  Statistical infrequency alone is not a sufficient definition of abnormality
• Why is statistical infrequency alone not a sufficient definition of abnormality?

  Unusual characteristics can be positive as well as negative
• Give an example to explain how statistical infrequency isn't sufficient to define abnormality

  • For every person with an IQ below 70 there is another with an IQ above 130. Yet we would not think of someone as abnormal for having a high IQ
  • Being unusual or at one end of a psychological spectrum does not necessarily make someone abnormal
• An extra evaluation to consider about statistical infrequency is

  • Some unusual people benefit from being classed as abnormal - can then access support services
  • Not all statistically unusual people benefit from labels - social stigma attached
• Evals of statistical infrequency

  • Real-world application: has value in clinical practice, useful for diagnosis and assessment
  • Limited explanation: definition is not sufficient, suggests unusual characteristics are negative
  • Being classed as abnormal through this definition can lead to better access to support but also social stigma/negative judgement
• What is a strength of deviation from social norms in clinical practice?

  It is useful for diagnosing mental disorders like antisocial and schizotypal personality disorder, where behaviour deviates from accepted social norms —showing its practical value in psychiatry.
• Which key defining characteristic of antisocial personality disorder show deviations from social norms (failure to conform to culturally acceptable ethical behaviour)

  • recklessness
  • aggression
  • violating the rights of others
  • deceitfulness
• What is a key limitation of deviation from social norms across cultures and situations?

  Social norms vary between cultures and contexts. Behaviour seen as abnormal in one culture (e.g., hearing voices) may be normal in another, making this definition culturally biased and difficult to apply universally.
• What is a key strength of Jahoda’s ideal mental health criteria?

  It provides a comprehensive checklist covering a wide range of mental health indicators. This allows meaningful discussion across different mental health professionals with varying approaches.
• Give an example of how Jahoda's criteria of ideal mental health can be discussed meaningfully with a range of professionals who might take different theoretical views

  A medically-trained psychiatrist might focus on symptoms whereas a humanistic counsellor might be more interested in self-actualisation.
• What is a major limitation of Jahoda’s ideal mental health criteria across cultures?

  Concepts like self-actualisation and independence reflect Western (especially individualistic) values and may not be relevant or valued in collectivist cultures, making the definition culturally biased.
• How is ideal mental health criterion not equally applicable across a range of cultures?

  • What defines success in our working, social and love-lives is very different in different cultures
  • This means that it is difficult to apply the concept of ideal mental health from one culture to another
• Why might the ideal mental health criteria be unrealistic?

  Very few people meet all the criteria all the time, which could lead to most people being seen as abnormal. However, it may still be useful as a goal to work towards in improving mental health.