abnormality

• statistical infrequency


  any behavior that is infrequent in the population and falls outside of statistical norms

  (an IQ >145 = 1/1000 people)
• deviation from social norms


  goes against expected and approved ways in society

  -often rule based

  -vary from 1 situation to another = a relative concept
• failure to function adequately


  interferes with a person's ability to cope with everyday demands

  -could cause the individual or others distress or danger
• deviation from ideal mental health


  identifies positive features of ideal mental health and an absence of these is considered abnormality
• Jahoda's criteria


  -accurate perception of reality

  -potential for growth and development

  -ability to be independent and cope with stress

  -environmental mastery (can identify and correctly function in different environments)
• statistical infrequency AO3

  definition is neutral - avoids negatively stigmatising people who are abnormal (they're just different based on numbers)

  :( need to distinguish between what's good or bad - very high IQ is desirable but still classed as abnormal
• statistical infrequency AO3

  unclear cut-off point - no agreement about how rare a behaviour needs to be before it's considered abnormal = reduces usefulness
• deviation from social norms AO3

  -allows behavior that is disruptive or harmful to society to be considered abnormal/undesirable = wider benefit to society

  :( equates normality with conformity
• deviation from social norms AO3

  -morally wrong social norms should be challenged (e.g. suffragettes)

  -culturally relative = could create discriminatory treatment of different cultural groups
• failure to function adequately AO3

  -acknowledges the subjective experience of the individual (if they're distressed by their own behaviour or not)

  -allows harmless eccentricity to be considered normal therefore judgements are less likely to be imposed on the individual

  :( difficult to use in practice because judgements must be made in context with an individuals situation
• failure to function adequately AO3

  :( some abnormal people have high levels of functioning

  their underlying problem is harmful but hard to spot using this definition (some serial killers)
• deviation from ideal mental health AO3

  -focuses on the positives

  -covers a wide criteria = high validity

  :( subjective, open to bias

  :( not clear how much you must deviate from to be abnormal
• deviation from ideal mental health AO3

  -culturally relative = stems from western cultural ideas and cannot be applied universally