Definitions of abnormality

Created by

lily rainbow

Cards (21)

what are the 4 definitions of abnormality
1. Deviation from social norms (DFSN)
2. Failure to function adequately (FTFA)
3. Statistical infrequency (SF)
4. Deviation from ideal mental health (DFIMH)
what is a social norm
an unwritten rule about society
according to DFSN who would be considered abnormal
most people adhere to social norms, so anyone that doesn't would be classed as abnormal
what are 3 weaknesses of DFSN
- social attitudes change over time, so it's era dependant
- social deviancy isn't always a bad thing, so shouldn't always be seen as abnormal
- cultural bias because multicultural societies will have different norms
what is a strength of DFSN
+ much of our behaviour is context specific, so it considers that behaviour can be normal in one situation and abnormal in others (wearing a bikini in classroom/the beach)
how does FTFA define abnormal behaviour
someone that is unable to cope with everyday living
what are the 4 factors that are included in FTFA
1. maintaining basic standards of hygiene & nutrition
2. whether distress is being caused to the individual or those around them
3. whether the person is irrational or unpredictable
4. if their behaviour prevents them from attaining social or occupational goals
what are the 3 weaknesses of the FTFA definition
- doesn't consider individual differences - what is functioning normally for one person may be different for others
- people can function normally with mental illnesses (and vice versa) so may nit indicate psychological issues
- cultural bias, what is socially normal will differ depending on your culture
what is a strength of FTFA
+ this definition provides a checklist for whether someone is functioning adequately, so increases objectivity with facts
how does SF define abnormal behaviour
those behaviours that are numerically rare, any behaviour that is found in very few people is seen as abnormal (less than 2%)
what are 3 weaknesses of SF
- fails to distinguish between desirable and non-desirable behaviours (high IQ is rare but desirable)
- some mental illnesses are NOT statistically rare
- culture bias - something rare in one may not be rare in another
what is a strength of the SF definition
+ there is an objective cut off point so less subjectivity in deciding what is abnormal
what is a normal distribution graph
a symmetrical 'bell-shaped curve' - most scores occur in the middle area, the Mean, Mode and Median are all at the same central point
what are the 2 types of skewed distributions
positive skew - leans left
negative skew - leans right
what causes a negative and positive skew
negative = test was too easy
positive = the test was too hard
will the mode be the highest or the lowest for a positive and negative skew
negative = mode will be the highest of the 3 numbers (on peak)
positive = mode will be the lowest of the 3 numbers (on peak)
how does DFIMH define abnormality
Jahoda argued that physical ill-health is defined by an absence of physical health, so mental ill-health is an absence of mental wellbeing
how do you remember the 6 characteristics of ideal mental health
SPEARS
what are the 6 characteristics of ideal mental health 
Self esteem - self-respect & good self concept
Perception of reality - seeing in an objective/realistic way
Environmental mastery - competent in all aspects of life
Autonomy - independent/self-reliant, can make own decisions
Resistant to stress - having coping strategies to deal
Self actualisation - reach full potential
the more of these that aren't met = the more abnormal
what are the 3 weaknesses of DFIMH
- some of the criteria are vague and difficult to assess, so relies on subjective judgement
- criteria is over demanding, few people would meet all of it
- cultural bias, self-actualisation is seen as self-indulgent in most non-Western countries
what is a strength of the DFIMH definition
focuses on what is needed and desirable rather than what is undesirable, so provides goals for people to achieve