psychopathology

• Psychopathology


  A field of study concerned with cognitive, emotional, and behavioural problems.
• Statistical Infrequency


  Where an individual has less common characteristics
• Statistical Infrequency - Examples

  Individual having an IQ of < 70 would make them less intelligent that majority of the population

  Individual being more depressed than the majority of the population.
• Statistical Infrequency - Evaluation

  STRENGTH - It is a useful definition in the real-world application, especially in clinical practice as a way to diagnose disorders.

  LIMITATION - Uncommon characteristics can be positive, such as having less depression levels or a higher IQ than the majority of the population. Not sufficient on naming abnormality.

  LIMITATION - Not all individuals benefit from being labelled as abnormal, such as those with a low IQ which doesn't affect their way of living. It would just lower their self-esteem and being labelled as abnormal can be harmful.
• Deviation from Social Norms


  When an individual's behaviour does not conform to a cultures' or societies' accepted standards.
• Deviation from Social Norms - Examples

  People with impulsive, aggressive and irresponsible behaviour may be labelled as having Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) as they do not conform to social norms.
• Deviation from Social Norms - Evaluation

  STRENGTH - Applicable in the real world as it's used in clinical practices to diagnose disorders.

  LIMITATION - Lacks cultural relativity, with not every "deviating" behaviour being considered a deviation from all societies/cultures social norms. For example, hearing voices in the UK would mean you have Schizophrenia, but in other cultures these could be signs/voices of ancestors.

  LIMITATION - Can be used in a way which abuses human rights. For example, slave owners created a disorder for slaves who ran away from captivity, therefore no one was able to question what occurred when they were brought back. Men also had a disorder for women who were "too sexual", using it as a way to control them.
• Failure to Function Adequately


  When an individual is unable to cope with the ordinary demands of day-to-day living.
• Failure to Function Adequately - Examples

  Not being able to maintain basic standards of hygiene or nutrition.
• Failure to Function Adequately - Rosenhan and Seligman's 3 Signs


  1. When a person experiences severe personal distress

  2. When a person does not conform to standard interpersonal rules

  3. When a persons' behaviour is irrational or dangerous to themselves and/or others
• Failure to Function Adequately - Evaluation

  STRENGTH - It sets a sensible threshold of standards when people need to seek professional help, with services being able to send out help to those who need it most.

  STRENGTH - Considers the individual's subjective experience.

  LIMITATION - Having a subjective judgement makes it difficult to measure and judge distress.

  LIMITATION - It is too easy to label non-standard lifestyle choices as being a failure to function, when they are just deviation from social norms. Those labelled are at risk of restriction of freedom of choice and abnormality.
• Deviation from Ideal Mental Health


  When someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health.
• Deviation from Ideal Mental Health - Jahoda's 9 Criteria

  1. No symptoms or distress

  2. Rational behaviour

  3. Accurate perception of one's self

  4. Self-actualisation

  5. Able to cope with stress

  6. Realistic view of the world

  7. Independence

  8. Good self-esteem and lack of guilt

  9. Successful work, love, and leisure
• Deviation from Ideal Mental Health - Evaluation

  STRENGTH - The criteria is highly comprehensive for distinguishing mental health from illness, and provides a checklist against where we can assess our self and others.

  LIMITATION - Not all parts of the criteria are applicable across a range of cultures.

  LIMITATION - The standards are extremely high, with very few people being able to meet them all at once and keep them them there.