definitions of abnormality

• define deviation from social norms

  breaking explicit and implicit social rules
• define failure to function adequately

  unable to function on a daily basis
• define deviation from ideal mental health (6 factors)

  1. personal growth
  2. positive attitudes towards self
  3. resistance to stress
  4. mastery of environment
  5. perception of reality
  6. personal anatomy
• define statistical infrequency


  behaviour is classified as abnormal if statistically infrequent
• LIMITATIONS of deviation from social norms

  1. social norms change over time
  2. differ between cultures
  3. behaviour may be out of context
• LIMITATIONS of failure to function adequately

  1. definition is not the whole picture. therefore it only defines the likelihood of a person needing help, not abnormality.
  2. there are exceptions. some people may act uncharacteristically but its not actually abnormal.
• LIMITATIONS of deviation from ideal mental health

  1. meeting all 6 is unrealistic
  2. cannot generalise to all cultures
  3. some people perform better under stress
• LIMITATIONS of statistical infrequency

  1. fails to distinguish between desirable and undesirable characteristics
  2. many rare characteristics have no bearing on abnormality