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AQA A Level Psychology Summary Notes & AO3
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Psychopathology:Describe and evaluate two or more
definitions of abnormality
Deviation from ideal mental health: A03:
Jahoda (1958) : characteristics that enable an Equates mental and physical health
Another limitation of this definition is that it tries to
individual to feel happy and behave competently: apply the principles of physical health to mental health.
Physical illnesses = physical causes —> easy to detect
some mental disorders have physical causes but many do
Self- attitudes : having high self esteem not + are consequences of life experiences
Personal growth and self-actualisation: the Therefore, it is unlikely that we could diagnose mental
abnormality in the same way that we can diagnose physical
extent to which an individual develops their full abnormality.
capabilities. Cultural Relativism:
Integration, such as being able to cope with If we apply Jahoda's criteria to people from collectivist
cultures or even non-middle-class social groups, we will
stressful situations. most probably find a higher incidence of abnormality.
This limits the usefulness of this definition to certain =
Autonomy. being independent and self- based on individualistic cultures
regulating.
Having an accurate perception of reality.
Mastery of the environment: including the
ability to love, function at work and in
interpersonal relationships, adjust to new
situations and solve problems.
A03:
Who judges? Who is the person who decides if someone
This deviation from ideal mental health is failing to function adequately?
If a person is experiencing personal distress, for
definition proposes that the absence of these
example is unable to get to work or eat regular meals,
criteria indicates abnormality, and potential they may recognise that this is undesirable and may
mental disorder feel distressed and seek help. However if a person I.e
Yorkshire Ripper believed he was protecting himself +
others from evil = functioning adequately
Therefore, the limitation of this approach is that the
judgement depends on who is making the decision, i.e. it
is subjective.
The behaviour may be functional
Failure to function adequately
Another limitation is that some apparently
People are judged on their ability to go about daily dysfunctional behaviour can actually be adaptive and
life. If they can't do this and are also experiencing functional for the individual.
e.g some mental disorders, such as eating disorders
distress (or others are distressed by their or depression, may lead to extra attention for the
behaviour) then it is considered a sign of individual.
Such attention is rewarding and thus quite
abnormality
functional rather than dysfunctional. For example,
e.g functioning refers to eating regularly, washing transvestitism is classed as a mental disorder but
clothes, being able to communicate with others etc individuals are likely to regard it as perfectly
functional.
e.g people with SZ may consider their behaviour as This failure to distinguish between functional and
adequate = important to include distress to others dysfunctional behaviours = this definition is
incomplete
, Psychopathology:
Describe and evaluate two or more
definitions of abnormality
Some abnormal behaviours are desirable
e.g very few people have an IQ over 150 but this abnormality is
desirable not undesirable. Equally, there are some "normal'
behaviours that are undesirable.
Experiencing depression, for example, Is relatively common.
Therefore, using statistical infrequency to define abnormality
means that we are unable to distinguish between desirable and
undesirable behaviours.
The cut-off point is subjective
If abnormality is defined in terms of statistical infrequency, we
need to decide where to separate normality from abnormality.
Statistical infrequency e.g one of the symptoms of depression is difficulty sleeping! Some
people might think abnormal sleep is less than 6 hours a night on
Abnormality is defined as behaviours that are average, others might think the cut-off should be 5 hours.
Such disagreements mean it is difficult to define abnormality in
extremely rare, any behaviour that is found in a terms of statistical infrequency.
very few people is abnormal
The mean = common, any of the slopping sides of
the graph = abnormal
Susceptible to abuse
What is socially acceptable now may not
have been socially acceptable 50 years ago.
e.g, today homosexuality is acceptable in
most countries in the world, but in the past
it was included under sexual and gender
identity disorders in the DSM.
Therefore, if we define abnormality in
terms of deviation from social norms, there
is a real danger of creating definitions
based on prevailing social morals and
Deviation from social norms attitudes.
Abnormal behaviour is seen as a deviation from
unstated rules about how one ought to behave,
anything that violates is abnormal
e.g politeness
e.g homosexuality was criminalised based on social
ideals, now it’s not seen as socially deviant
e.g pedophilia, seen as abnormal There are some strengths
This definition does distinguish between desirable and
undesirable behaviour, a feature that was absent from
the statistical infrequency model.
The social deviancy model also takes into account the
effect that behaviour has on others. Deviance is
defined in terms of transgression of social rules and
(ideally) social rules are established in order to help
people live together. According to this definition,
abnormal behaviour is behaviour that damages others.
This definition, therefore, offers a practical and
useful way of identifying undesirable and potentially
damaging behaviour, which may alert others to the
need to secure help for the person concerned.
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