definitions of abnormality

• Deviation from social norms - behaviour that deviates from these norms is abnormal and abnormal behaviour is whatever violates social norms
• evaluation of deviation from social norms definition of abnormality:

  ☹️ social norms change over time

  ☹️ cultural and ethnic differences

  ☹️ comparison with other definitions
• The failure to function adequately definition perceives individuals as abnormal when their behaviour suggests they cannot cope with everyday life
• Rosenhan and Seligman identified characteristics related to failure to function adequately:

  1. maladaptiveness
  2. unpredictability
  3. discomfort
  4. irrational
• evaluation of failure to function adequately:

  ☹️ abnormality is not always accompanied by dysfunction (Harold Shipman)

  ☹️ ignores the role of context

  ☹️ comparison with other definitions
• Deviation from ideal mental health is the absence of well-being.
• Jahoda identified if you do not meet the criteria for ideal mental health, you are abnormal. The criteria includes:

  • Self actualisation
  • Stress
  • Identity
  • Autonomy
  • Accurate perception of reality
  • Mastery of the environment
• evaluation of deviation from ideal mental health:

  ☹️ over demanding criteria

  ☹️ ethnocentrism

  ☹️ comparison with other definitions
• • Statistical infrequency is how unusual the behaviour being displayed is within the entire population.
  • If it is statistically unusual, it is abnormal
  • it is measured using a normal distribution
• evaluation of statistical infrequency:

  🙂 practical application to diagnosis

  ☹️ unusual characteristics may be positive

  ☹️ comparison with other definitions