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Psychopathology
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PsychopathologyDefinitions of Abnormality
Psychologists have proposed 4 types of separate definitions of psychological
abnormality:
1) Statistically infrequency
2) Deviation from social norm
3) Failure to function adequately
4) Deviation from ideal mental health
Statistically Infrequency
Most obvious way to define abnormality. According to this definition, any
behaviour that is numerically uncommon can be thought of as abnormal. For
example, less than 3% of individuals have an IQ score of below 70.
Individuals who have an IQ score of below 70 are therefore liable to receive a
diagnosis of intellectual disability.
Weaknesses (AO3)
POINT -Not all statistically infrequent behaviours indicate the presence of a
psychological disorder that requires treatment.
EVIDENCE -Eg. very few people have an IQ of over 150, but a high IQ is
desirable.
EXPLAIN -This is a serious limitation of the concept of statistically
infrequency, and means it can never be used alone to diagnose psychological
disorders.
POINT -Not all abnormal behaviours are statistically infrequent.
EVIDENCE -Eg. approximately 10% of people will suffer from the symptoms
of depression at some point in their lives, making it a relatively common
psychological disorder that would not be recognised using the concept of
statistical infrequency.
EXPLAIN -This is another serious limitation of the concept of statistical
infrequency.
Deviation from Social Norms
,Social norms are the standards of acceptable behaviour (rules) that are set
by a society. They include both explicit and implicit rules. Explicit = written
rules (eg. laws). Implicit = unwritten rules (eg. personal space). According to
this definition, anyone who doesn’t adhere to these social norms is classed as
abnormal.
Weaknesses (AO3)
POINT -Social norms vary from culture to culture.
EVIDENCE -Eg. It is considered normal to communicate with the dead in
some African cultures, however, this is abnormal in many other cultures.
EXPLAIN -Suggests that judgements about social deviance are related to
culture. (Can create problems for people from one culture living within
another cultural group).
POINT -Social norms change over time. What is acceptable now, may not
have been acceptable in the past, and vice-versa.
EVIDENCE -For example, homosexuality was considered unacceptable and
a criminal offence in the UK until 1963.
EXPLAIN -Suggests that judgments about social deviance change over time.
Failure to Function Adequately
According to this definition, abnormality can be judged in terms of the failure
to cope with the demands of everyday life. For example, the failure to
maintain basic standards of nutrition and hygiene, maintaining social
relationships and hold down a job.
Weaknesses (AO3)
POINT -Psychological disorders are not always accompanied by the failure to
function adequately.
EVIDENCE -Eg. People with dangerous personality disorders can cause
great harm, yet often appear to function normally. Eg. Harold Shipman, an
English doctor who murdered at least 215 of his patients over a 23-year
period didn’t display any feature of disfunction.
EXPLAIN -Suggests not all abnormal behaviour is recognised by the failure to
function adequately definition.
POINT -Definitions of adequate functioning are related to cultural ideas of
how one’s life should be lived.
EVIDENCE -This may explain why lower class and non-white individuals are
more often diagnosed with psychological disorders. Their lifestyles are non-
traditional -leading to a judgment by others of failing to function adequately.
EXPLAIN -Suggests that failure to function adequately cannot offer a
definition of abnormality because it is related to culture.
Deviation from Ideal Mental Health
Jahoda noted that when diagnosing physical illness, we often look for the
absence of signs of physical health. Suggested we should do the same for
, mental illness and mental health. Jahoda identified 6 criteria to define ideal
mental health:
1) Positive self attitude - having self-respect and a positive self-concept.
2) Self-actualisation - experiencing personal growth and development &
becoming everything one is capable of becoming.
3) Resistance to stress - having effective coping strategies and being able to
cope with stress provoking situations.
4) Autonomy - being independent, self-reliant and able to make personal
decisions
5) Accurate perception of reality - perceiving the world in a non-distorted
fashion, having an objective and realistic view of the world.
6) Environmental mastery - being competent in all aspects of life and able to
meet the demands of any situation & having the flexibility to adapt to
changing life circumstances.
According to this definition, the absence of these criteria indicates
abnormality and potentially a psychological disorder.
Weaknesses (AO3)
POINT -It is unclear how many of these criteria need to be lacking before an
individual is judged as abnormal.
EVIDENCE -If it is just one criteria needing to be lacking then most of us are
abnormal to some degree, as very few possess all 6 criteria.
EXPLAIN -Suggests that the deviation from ideal mental health definition of
abnormality is incomplete and requires clarification.
POINT -Jahoda’s criteria for ideal mental health are based upon the values of
individualistic cultures. If we were to apply them to individuals from
collectivistic culture, we would be likely to find a higher incidence of
abnormality.
EVIDENCE -For example, self-actualisation is relevant to individualistic
cultures, but not to collective cultures, where individuals strive for the greater
good of the community.
EXPLAIN -Suggests that criteria for ideal mental health are related to culture.
*** Understand but not know ***
Collectivistic cultures = emphasise the importance of the group, value
interdependence - mainly non-western cultures.
Individualistic cultures = emphasise the importance of the individual, value
independence - mainly western cultures.
Mental Disorders
Characterised by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s
cognition, emotion and behaviour. Three of the most common mental
disorders are phobias, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
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