Definitions of Abnormality

• Statistical Infrequency AO1


  • A person’s trait thinking, or behaviour is classified as abnormal if it is rare or statistically unusual compared to the norm
  • If a person falls outside of broad area they are considered abnormal because their behaviour has moved away from the norm
  • Ex. IQ is calculated using psychometric intelligence tests
  • Mean of IQ is 100 - anything less than 70 or more than 130 is considered abnormal
• SI - Doesn’t distinguish between desirable and undesirable behaviour (AO3)

  • Very people have an IQ over 150 yet it is not considered a negative circumstance nor does it require a return to ‘normal’
  • Depression is considered an ‘undesirable’ behaviour and would be considered abnormal under the FFA definition however under SI depression is considered normal because on average it is the disorder that affects a large number of people
  • Means that we need a way of identifying behaviours that are both infrequent and undesirable
• SI - Real world application (AO3)

  • Statistical infrequency is used in clinical practice, both as part of formal diagnosis and as a way to assess the severity of an individual's symptoms.
  • For example, a diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder requires an IQ of below 70 (bottom 2%)
  • Another example is the Beck depression inventory (BDI). A score of 30+ (top 5% of respondents) is widely interpreted as indicating severe depression.
  • This shows that the value of the statistical infrequency criteria is useful in diagnostic and assessment processes.
• SI - Cultural differences (AO3)

  • Assumes that the population of the world can be described by the same normal distribution
  • There are variances between cultures and the mathematical nature of this definition does not allow for this
  • For example, hearing voices in the West is considered abnormal yet in some cultures it is a legitimate contact with the spirit world and would not be considered abnormal
  • This means that abnormality could be widespread in one culture because of its comparison with the rest of the world
• Deviation from Social Norms AO1

  • Society sets unwritten rules and every society or culture has standards of acceptable behaviour/norms
  • Behaviour that deviates from these norms is considered abnormal and undesirable; they are behaving differently to how we expect them to behave
  • Social norms are approved and expected ways of behaving in a particular society or social situation by the majority of the society members
  • For example, in all societies there are social norms governing dress for different ages, gender and occasions
• DSM - Era-dependent (AO3)

  • Social norms change over time
  • For example, some norms have changed from being acceptable to not acceptable such as smoking in public places
  • Alternatively homosexuality used to be classed as a psychiatric disorder up however it is now acceptable as a social norm
  • This means that this deviation from social norms definition is only based on prevailing social morals and attitudes at that time in society
  • Therefore it does not provide an absolute definition of abnormality but is era-dependent
• DSM - Real world application (AO3)

  • Deviation from social norms is used in clinical practice.
  • For example, the key defining characteristic of antisocial personality disorder is the failure to conform to culturally accepted ethical behaviour i.e recklessness and aggression which are signs of deviation from social norms
  • Such norms are also used in the diagnosis of schizotypal personality disorder, where the term 'strange' is used to characterise the thinking, behaviour and appearance of people with the disorder.
  • This shows the value of deviation from social norms in psychiatry
• DSM - Cultural relativism (AO3)

  • A person from one cultural group may label someone from another group as abnormal using their standards than the person's standards.
  • Ex. the experience of hearing voices is the norm in some cultures (as messages from ancestors) but would be seen as a sign of abnormality in most parts of the Western cultures
  • This means that it is difficult to judge deviation from social norms across different situations and cultures as it does not provide culturally universal standards
• Failure to Function Adequately (AO1)

  • FFA means that a person is unable to lead a normal life or engage in normal behaviour
  • For example, they may be unable to hold down a job or take part in everyday activities such as shopping or work
  • An individual with agoraphobia would be considered abnormal because their fear of leaving the house would seriously impair their ability to live a normally as they would be unable to cope with ordinary life
• Indicators of FFA (AO1)

  • Maladaptiveness of Behaviour → Maladaptive if it interferes with an individual’s ability to lead a normal everyday life. Behaviour is abnormal if it is maladaptive or ‘odd’, for example being overly hostile or looking untidy
  • Personal Distress → sign of many psychological disorders. For example, distress is the main symptom of depression as they may experience disturbed sleep, headaches and constant tiredness. However, some very severe mental disorders cause sufferers absolutely no personal distress because they lack insight into the own condition
• FFA - Represents a threshold for help (AO3)

  • Represents a sensible threshold for when people need professional help.
  • Most of us have symptoms of mental disorders to some degree at some time.
  • It tends to be at the point that we cease to function adequately that people seek professional help or are noticed and referred for help by others.
  • This criteria means that treatment and services can be targeted to those who need them most.
• FFA - Does not always indicate abnormalities (AO3)

  • Someone who loses their job will not be able to go to work/earn money for their family which may cause them personal distress but does not indicate an abnormality
  • Unusual behaviour may also be a coping strategy for those who are experiencing a difficult period in their lives
  • This is a limitation as environmental factors may cause a failure to function rather than a psychological abnormality
  • Therefore questions validity of definition
• FFA - Subjective experiences (AO3)

  • Strength is that it does recognise the subjective experience of a patient
  • For example the criteria of personal distress allows the sufferer to give a personal insight into their experience
  • Unlike the other definitions this allows us to view the mental disorder from the point of view of the person experiencing it
  • This allows for a better understanding of the disorder and will allow for a more valid definition of abnormality
• Deviation from Ideal Mental Health (AO1)

  • Attempts to define normality and assumes the absence of normality indicates abnormality
  • Jahoda identified various factors that were necessary for ‘optimal living’ (maximising enjoyment for life)
  • Presence of these factors indicates psychological health and well being, absence indicates illness
• Jahoda’s 6 elements of Optimal Living (AO1)

  • Positive view of self
  • Self-actualisation (Personal Growth and Development)
  • Autonomy
  • Accurate view of reality
  • Resistance to stress
  • Master of your own environment
• DIMH - Too idealistic (AO3)

  • Definition is problematic as characteristics of IDM are too idealistic
  • Maslow argued that only a few people will ever achieve ‘self-actualisation’ and so the criteria is set too high
  • Strength as it will highlight potential issues with individuals and may motivate them to seek support in order to improve their quality of life
  • Also a limitation as the majority of people would be defined as being abnormal therefore making is an ineffective definition
• DIMH - Positive approach (AO3)

  • Instead of focusing on the presence of undesirable characteristics it focuses on the presence of desirable characteristics
  • This approach helps individual and professionals to see how an individual’s quality of life could be further improved, such as by coping with stress better or being more independent
  • This is a strength as this original approach may make this definition a useful diagnostic tool in order to facilitate happiness and quality of life
• DIMH - Ethnocentric (AO3)

  • Criteria used are based on Western culture
  • Individualistic culture place their emphasis on personal achievement whereas collectivist cultures strive for the greater good of the community
  • Jahoda’s emphasis on personal growth and individual autonomy would be considered self-indulgent in some parts of the world where family and community and prioritised
  • This is a limitation because it means that the definition should only be used in the culture in which it has been developed, is not value-free and therefore may be culturally biased