Psychopathology

• Definitions of abnormality

  -Statistical infrequency

  -Deviation from social norms

  -Failure to function adequately

  -Deviation from ideal mental health
• Statistical infrequency

  -A person is classed as abnormal if their medical condition differs from the average population.

  -This can be measured on the normal distribution curve.

  -The rarity of the behaviour is judged objectively using statistics, comparing individuals behaviours to the rest of the population.
• Normal distribution curve

  -Shows a population's average spread of specific characteristics.

  -The mean medial and modal scores are at the highest point, showing the most common behaviours.

  -At each end, there are fewer people with those behaviours.

  -To find abnormality, we compare people to the population and identify if they are In the higher or lower percentile.
• Positive of Statistical infrequency

  -It allows us to determine if somebody is abnormal objectively rather than subjectively, for example using subjective views to determine if someone is coping is a vague concept, two observers may disagree
• Negative of Statistical infrequency

  -Saying that someone is abnormal is not always a good thing, for example, being classed as abnormal for a low IQ, can lower somebody's self-esteem, or saying someone is abnormal for having a high IQ is misleading, as a high IQ is not a bad thing.
• Another negative of statistical infrequency

  -A range of psychopathologies such as depression and anxiety are quite common.

  -The NHS found 17% of people surveyed met the criteria for a common mental health disorder. So the definition is not appropriate when considering societ'y high incidence of mental health disorders.
• Failure to function adequately

  -An individual is defined as abnormal if they cannot cope with day-to-day life.

  -Including the ability to interact with the world and meet their challenges
• Features of failure to function - Outlined by Rosenhan and Seligman

  -Maladaptive behaviour, Individuals behave in ways that go against their long-term interests.

  -Personal anguish, The individual suffers from anxiety and distress.

  -Observer discomfort, The individual's behaviours causes distress to those around them.

  -Irrationality, It is difficult to understand the motivation behind the individuals/unpredictability: unexpected behaviours.

  -Unconventionally behaviour doesn't match what is typically expected by society.
• Negative of FTFA

  -The decision of whether someone is coping is subjective, meaning two observers may disagree if a person is coping.
• Another negative of FTFA

  -The definition only considers people who are unable to cope, therefore it ignores some who may be considered as abnormal such as psychopaths.
• Another criticism of FTFA

  -Not all maladaptive behaviours indicate mental illness. Extreme sports, eating unhealthy, and smoking risk the individual's health, therefore are maladaptive, however, some may argue that this doesn't indicate mental illness.
• One positive of FTFA

  -Respects individuals and their own experience, which is something other definitions of abnormality cannot do.
• Deviation from social norms

  -A social norm is an unwritten expectation of behaviour that can vary from culture to culture and change over time.

  -Additionally, what is accepted in one context may not be acceptable in another.
• Examples of norms that vary between culture

  -Acceptance of homosexuality, Face and hair covering, Acceptable food and how to eat it, level of modesty in clothing, public displays of emotion.
• Positive of deviation from social norms

  -Not ethnocentric. Respect cultural differences between societies, does not impose a set definition of abnormality therefore it is not ethnocentric.
• Negative of deviation from social norms

  -Can be difficult to apply when people with one culture move to a different culture with different norms.

  -For example, people from Afro-Caribbean background living in the UK are 7 times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia.

  -this is because of category failure; a western definition of mental illness is applied to individuals not acting according to western cultural norms.
• Another critisism of deviation from social norms

  -It can be seen as punishing people who try to express their individuality. -Or repressing people who do not conform to social norms.
• Deviation from ideal mental health

  -Jahoda's definition comes from a humanistic perspective.

  -Focusing on ways to improve and become a better person rather than dysfunction or deficit.

  -Jahoda identified 6 features of ideal mental health and argues deviation from these indicates abnormalities.
• 6 features of ideal mental health

  -Environmental mastery, The ability to adapt and thrive in new situations.

  -Autonomy, the ability to act independently and trust in one's own abilities.

  -Resistance to stress, The internal strength to cope with anxiety caused by daily life.

  -Self Actualisation, The ability to reach one's potential through personal growth.

  -Positive self-attitude, characterised by high self-esteem and self-respect.

  -Accurate perception of reality, The ability to see the world as it is without being distorted by personal biases.
• Negative of DFIMH

  -Difficult for people to achieve all criteria, meaning most people would be classed as abnormal.
• Positive of DFIMH

  -Positive and holistic definition, which covers a lot of factors in diagnosis.

  -States what's wrong and tells us how to fix it.

  -Respects the individual and experiences, which some definitions cannot do.
• What is a Phobia

  An extreme and irrational fear of objects or situations
• Behavioural characteristics of phobias


  • Avoidance, physically adapting normal behaviour to avoid phobic objects.
  • Panic, An uncontrollable physical response.
  • Failure to function, Difficulty taking part in activities involved in day to day life
• Emotional characteristics of phobias.


  • Anxiety, an uncomfortably and high state of arousal.
  • Fear, An intense emotional state linked with fight or flight.
• Cognitive behaviours of phobias


  • Irrational thoughts, exaggerated belief in the harm the phobic object or situation will cause.
  • Reduced cognitive ability, people with a phobia cannot concentrate on day-to-day activities due to excessive attentional focus on phobic objects and the harm it may cause.
• Behavioural characteristics of depression

  • Reduction in activity level, including lethargy - lacking the energy to perform day-to-day activity, and lack of pleasure usually felt (Anhedonia)
  • A change in eating behaviour
  • An increase in aggression, aggressive acts usually take the form of self-harm.
• Emotional characteristics of depression


  • Sadness, persistent low mood
  • guilt, feeling of no value in comparison to others
• Cognitive characteristics of depression


  • Poor concentration, indecisive.
  • negative schemas, Automatic negative biases when thinking about themselves the world and the future
• Depression

  A mood disorder defined by a consistent and long-lasting sense of sadness.
• OCD definition

  • Defined by obsessions, consistent intrusive thoughts that cause high anxiety levels.
  • Compulsions that are the behavioural response, an attempt to deal with continuous invasive thought processes.
• Behavioural characteristics of OCD


  • Compulsions, behaviours performed repeatedly to reduce anxiety, temporarily.
  • Avoidance
  • Social impairment, not participating in enjoyable social activities.
• Emotional characteristics of OCD


  • Anxiety
  • Depression
• Cognitive characteristics of OCD


  • Obsessions, intrusive irrational and recurrent thoughts about potential danger.
  • Hypervigilance, A permanent state of alertness, where the sufferer is looking for the source of their obsessive thoughts.
  • Selective attention, the individual is so focused on objects connected to their obsession that they cannot focus on other things