Definitions of Abnormality

• There are 4 definitions of abnormality:

  1. Statistical infrequency
  2. Deviation from social norms
  3. Failure to function adequately
  4. Deviation from ideal mental health
• Statistical infrequency refers to the less frequent a behaviour is the more abnormal it is deemed
• A weakness to statistical infrequency is that what is deemed abnormal may be normal to a different culture
• A strength to statistical infrequency is that it does not include opinions and goes based off mathematical data.
• Deviation from social norms is when someone breaks away from implicit or explicit social norms in society
• A strength to deviation from social norms is that it focuses more on the culture
• A weakness to deviation from social norms is that norms vary and dont always occur
• Failure to function adequately is when you can’t function normally for day to day life. There are 5 features:

  1. Observer discomfort
  2. Unpredictability
  3. Irrationality
  4. Maladaptiveness
  5. Personal suffering
• A strength to failure to function adequately is that there is more than one feature and it is not strict
• A weakness to failure to function adequately is that it does not consider context and we can not tell these features by observing someone externally.
• Deviation from ideal mental health is abnormality which separates them from the expected ideal mental health. Jahoda includes 6 characteristics:

  1. Positive attitude of self
  2. Self-actualisation
  3. Resisting stress
  4. Accurate perception of reality
  5. Environmental mastery
  6. Autonomy
• A strength to deviation from ideal mental health is that it is easier to understand
• A weakness to deviation from ideal mental health is that it is not realistic and because one doesnt meet all the criteria doesn’t mean they are abnormal.