abnormality

• what are the 4 types of abnormity

  • statistical infrequency
  • deviation from social norm
  • failure to function adequately
  • deviation from ideal mental health
• what is the definition for statistical deviation

  when an individual processes a less common characteristic than most of the population
• what is an example of statistical deviation

  having a lower IQ than most people
• what are people with a lower IQ such as bellow 70 considered

  intellectual disability order
• what is considered a low IQ

  bellow 70
• what % of people have a IQ bellow 70

  2%
• what is the average IQ

  100
• what was Charles Darwin's IQ

  165
• would Charles Darwin be diagnosed as abnormal

  according to the statistical deviation definition yes as he falls in the categories of having a a IQ above 145 of only 0.1% however this is a desirable characteristic rather the undesirable characteristics
• what are 2 weaknesses of statistical deviation

  • just because very few people display certain behaviour does this make the behaviour statistically abnormal such as super intelligence is not undesirable characteristics it does not require any treatment to return to normal
  • if a person has a very low IQ but is not distressed and is living a functional life then they would not benifit from a diagnosis may even cause a negative effect on the way they are treated and viewed
• why could a diagnosis have a negative effect

  being labelled with intellectual disability disorder may result in others viewing them differently and be treated differently and cause a self-fulfilling prophecy making them begin to see themself differently
• what is a strength of statistical deviation

  defining abnormally using statistical deviation is objective as it is based on real, unbiased data where no judgments are made and being 'abnormal' depends solely on whether an individual has a less common characteristic than most of the population
• why is quantitative data objective

  it is numerical and therefore no observer biased or interpterion involved
• what is a strength of statistical deviation (PEEL)

  P - a strength of statistical deviation is its real life applicatiom

  E - all assessments of patients with mental disorders include some comparison to statistical norms

  E - intellectual disability disorder demonstrates how statistical infrequency can be used

  L - therefore statistical infrequency is a useful part of clinical assessment
• what is a limitation of statistical deviation (PEEL)

  P - a limitation is that unusual characteristics can be positive

  E - charles darwin for example has an IQ of 165 which would be considered as statistically abnormal

  E - this isn't a negative characteristic and it doesn't require treatment to return to normal

  L - therefore just using statistical deviation to diagnose abnormal behaviour may not be useful as the uncommon characteristic may be desirable
• what are social norms

  the unwritten rules of behaviour that are considered acceptable in group or society
• what is deviation from social norms

  behaviour that is different from the acceptable standards of behaviour in a community or society
• where can social norms vary

  across cultures, situations, ages and gender therefore what is seen as normal in one culture, situation, age and gender maybe seen as abnormal in anothe
• what is an example of social norms being normal in one situation and abnormal in another

  • hearing voices - uk would mean this is a symptom of schizophrenia however in tribes in Africa this is seen as your ancestors guiding them
  • different cultural clothing
• what are some strengths of deviation from social norms

  • this definition of abnormality protects society from the effects an individuals abnormal behaviour can have on others eg if someone gets diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (APD) this will protect people from their aggressive behaviour
• what is a weakness of deviation from social norms

  • interpretations about the same behaviour differs from culture to culture and this creates problems for people from one culture living within another culture group
  • definition is subjective and based on the options of what is deemed to be acceptable and expected rules within a given society other psychologist such as szasz sees the term 'mental illness' as a form of social control and societies way of controlling individuals who do not confrom to norms
• why is a diagnose of 'metal illness' maybe seen as a form of social control

  drugs can be given to extinguish a behaviour and ensure people confrom to social norms to avoid being diagnosed
• what is a weakness of deviation from social norms (PEEL) (sole explanation)

  P - deviation from social norms is not a sole explanation from abnormality

  E - APD shows that there is a place for deviation from social norms in thinking about what is normal

  E - however there are other factors to concider such as upbringing or distress

  L - therefore in practice deviation from social norms is never a sole reason for defining abnormality
• what is a limitation of deviation from social norms (PEEL) (culturally relative)

  P - a limitation is that social norms are culturally relative

  E - a person from one cultural group may label someone from another group as abnormal using their standards rather than the persons standards

  E - eg hearing voices is socially acceptable in some cultures/ societies such as in African tribes it a belief of communicating with ancestors and them guiding you however in the uk it would be a symptom of schizophrenia

  L - therefore this creates issues with using deviation from social norms to diagnose people across different cultures
• what is failure to function adequately

  when an individual fails to cope with the demands of day to day life
• what are some signs that a person may show that means they are failing to function with day to day life

  • unable to maintain basic standards of nutrition, hygiene, relationship of holding down a job
• what did rosenhan and seligman propose

  some signs that can be used to determine when someone is not coping with the demands of day to day life
• what did rosenhan and seligman proposal include

  P - when a person experiences serve personal distress such as depression or anxiety (sleep loss, longlisting tiredness and fatigue)

  I - when a persons behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves or others such as attempting to commit suicide

  N - when a person no longer maintains eye contact when talking and doesn't respect peoples personal space
• how can rosenhan and seligman proposals be remembered

  using PIN

  Personal distress

  Irrational behaviour

  Not conforming to interpersonal rules
• according the failure to function adequately would someone with low IQ be diagnose with mental illness

  if a person had a low IQ they would also have to fail to function adequately to be diagnosed as having a mental illness
• what is the definition of abnormality called when an individual has a less common characteristic such as a low IQ

  statistical infrequency - intellectual disability disorder
• what is a strength of failure to function adequately

  this definition recognized the personal experience of sufferers and allows mental illness to be considered from the perception of the individuals suffering from them
• what are the 2 definitions called that only consider how behaviour is viewed from society's viewpoint and not from the individual viewpoint

  statistical infrequency and deviation from social norms
• what are some weaknesses for failure to function adequately

  • abnormality is not always accompanied by signs of failing to function, psychopaths can cause great harm and are seen as abnormal yet can appear normal
  • psychiatrists still have to judge whether a person is failing to function adequately and thus is a subjective process eg someone may have lost a loved one and fail to function adequately for a short period of time this does not make them abnormal under this definition they would be diagnosed as abnormal
• what is an example of where a psychiatrist may judge a person as failing to function adequately but the person is actually behaving in a normal way for the situation

  • PTSD
  • old age
  • lose of limb
  • shocking experience
  • lose of job
  • break up
  • divorce
• what is an example of a psychopath who murdered many people yet displayed no signs of failing to function adequately

  Harold shipmen, lucy letby and ted bundy
• what is a strength of failure to function adequately (PEEL) ( personal experinence)

  P - a strength of failure to function adequately is that it recognized the patients personal experience

  E - this may not be an entirely satisfactory approach because it is difficult to assess the distress a person is feeling

  E - eg this definition acknowledges that the experience of a person is important by asking the patient to explain how they feel

  L - therefore it captures the experiences of many people who need help and it is useful for assessing abnormality
• what is a limitation of failure to function adequately (PEEL) (subjective)

  P - a limitation is that this is a subjective psychiatrists judgement

  E - to be diagnose abnormality a psychiatrist will decide if an individual if failing to act adequately and therefore be subjective

  E - eg if an individual suffers the lose of a loved one then they may struggle to act normally and affectively for a short period of time, a psychologist may see this as failure to function adequately when they are mourning and will return to functioning after a period of time

  L - therefore this definition is subjective and can easily be interpretated wrong
• what is deviation from ideal mental health

  when an individual does not meet a set criteria for good mental health
• who suggested the criteria for ideal mental health

  marie jahoda