AO3

• Statistical Deviation: Evaluation Points

  • Behaviours vary throughout cultures
  • Real life application
  • Focuses on frequency not desirability
• Statistical Deviation: Behaviours vary through cultures

  Some behaviours may be frequent in one culture but infrequent in another. Some cultures have a resistance to seek professional help. For example, in Asian cultures there is an absence of depression because they tend to live with their extended family and have access to social support. However, Rack claims that depression is equally common in Asian cultures but they only go to doctors for physical problems. This suggests that SD only reflects the statistics of those receiving professional help, not the presence of the disorder.
• Statistical Deviation: Real Life Application

  Statistical deviation can be used to diagnose some disorders which can be assessed by statistics, such as intellectual disability disorder, when IQ is below 70. SD is also an important part of clinical assessment as it can be used in mental health assessments to measure how severe their symptoms are compared to social norms. This shows real life application of statistical deviation, supporting this concept in defining abnormality.
• Statistical Deviation: Focuses on frequency not desirability

  Many abnormal behaviours are frequent but not desirable, such as low IQ. This can be applied to normal behaviours too, such as depression. To identify behaviours that need treatment, you need to distinguish between frequency and desirability. This means that statistical deviation is not useful.