definitions of abnormality

• what are the four definitions of abnormality


  statistical infrequency, deviation from social norms, failure to function adequately and deviation from ideal mental health
• what is statistical infrequency

  numerically unusual behaviour or characteristic
• one strength of statistical infrequency 


  real world application - used for a clinical diagnosis to measure severity
• one limitation of statistical infrequency

  unusual characteristics aren't always undesirable
• what is deviation from social norms

  a social judgement about what is acceptable
• one strength of deviation from social norms


  real world application - used to diagnosis certain disorders like antisocial personality disorder
• one limitation of deviation from social norms

  cultural relativism
• definition of failing to function adequately

  inability to cope with demands of every day life
• who created failure to function adequately

  Rosenhan and Seligman
• what are signs of failing to function adequately

  non-conformity to social roles, personal distress and severe danger to self or others
• one strength of failing to function adequately

  represents a threshold for help
• one limitation for failing to function adequately

  can be discriminative - people living non - standard lifestyles may be labelled wrongfully abnormal
• who created the criteria for ideal mental health


  Marie Jahoda
• what is the criteria for ideal mental health

  lack of symptoms, rationality, self - actualisation, coping well with stress, realistic world - view, autonomy (independence from others)
• one strength of ideal mental health

  comprehensive definition allows patient - doctor discussions and a correct diagnosis
• one limitation of ideal mental health

  may be culture - bound