Definitions of abnormality

• Psychopathology- the study of mental disorders and unusual or maladaptive behaviours
• Definitions of abnormality:

  • statistical infrequency
  • Deviation from social norms
  • Failure to function adequately
  • Deviation from ideal mental health
• Statistical infrequency- this is when behaviour is abnormal as it is numerically rare. The characteristics of the behaviour are less common/ typical
• Example of statistical infrequency:

  • IQ and intellectual disability disorder
  • Normal distribution- the further people are from the normal range- seen as abnormal
  • Average IQ is about 100
• LIMITATIONS of statistical infrequency:

  • unusual characteristics can be positive- high IQ (130+) are rare but desirable, does not need treatment
  • negative implications- labelling- people with low IQ can lead fulfilling lives, labelling them as abnormal can be detrimental
• STRENGTHS of statistical infrequency:

  • Real world application- Beck depression inventory can be used to diagnose depression quickly
• Deviation from social norm- behaviour is abnormal if it is very different to the acceptable behaviour produced by other members of the same society/ cultural group.
• Examples of deviation from societal norms:

  • An important symptom of antisocial personality disorder is "a failure to conform to lawful or culturally normative ethical behaviour"
• STRENGTHS of deviation from societal norms:

  • real world application- used in clinical diagnosis to identify possible disorders
• LIMITATION of deviation from societal norms:

  • cultural and situational relativism- not all behaviours are viewed in the same way, culturally and situationally, which makes it hard to create generalisable laws of abnormality
• Failure to function adequately- refers to the inability to deal with the demands of everyday living. The behaviour is maladaptive, irrational or dangerous and can cause personal distress and distress to others
• Example of Failure to function adequately:

  • no longer maintaining basic human functions
  • not sleeping
  • not showering
  • not going to school/ work
  • not socialising
• Rosenham and Seligman (1998) proposed additional signs to tell if someone is not coping:

  • Person no loner conforms to standard interpersonal rules
  • when a person experiences severe mental distress
  • when a person becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves and others
• STRENGTHS of Failure to function adequately:

  • subjective and personal- acknowledges the experience of the patient and looks for behaviours that are abnormal to them, not a wider society
• LIMITATIONS of Failure to function adequately:

  • failure to function may not be abnormal- in the case of grief, a failure to function is standard and the behaviours are exhibited by most who grieve
• Deviation from ideal mental health- This refers to when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health
• Jahoda (1958) suggested we are in good mental health if we meet a criteria
• Ideal mental health criteria:

  1. No symptoms of distress
  2. rational and perceive ourselves accurately
  3. We self-actualise
  4. We can cope with stress
  5. We have a realistic view of the world
  6. We have good self-esteem and lack guilt
  7. We are independent of other people
  8. We can successfully work, love and enjoy our leisure
• LIMITATIONS of deviation from ideal mental health:

  • Everyone has bad days: it is unrealistic for everyone to always meet the criteria
  • Can't measure the criteria: what is a realistic view of the world
  • Abstract concepts are difficult to prove wrong
  • Does not say how many a person needs to meet to not be considered 'abnormal'
  • Culturally relative
• STRENGTHS of deviation from ideal mental health:

  • A comprehensive definition: can be used in a range of clinical settings by many different professionals