Definitions of Abnormality

• social norms


  - unwritten behavioural expectations that vary depednign on culture, time and context
• social deviants

  - individuals who break the norms of their society and are seen as abnormal
• failure to function adequately


  - when individuals cannot cope with the day-to-day demands of their life, such as maintaining hygiene

  - Rosenhan + Seligman's features: maladaptive behaviour, irrational and unpredictable actions go against their long-term best interests
• statistical infrequency


  - someone is mentally abnormal if their mental condition is very rare in the population; rarity of behaviour is judged objectively by statistics

  - the normal distribution curve shows a population's avg spread of specific characteristics
• deviation from ideal mental health


  - humanistic definition by Jahoda with 6 features;

  : environmental mastery, autonomy, resisting stress, self-actualisation, positive attitude towards self, accurate perception of reality