Class notes
Psychopathology - A-Level Psychology notes
- Course
- Institution
- Book
Psychopathology - A-Level Psychology notes
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
More summaries for
-
A* A-level AQA Psychology: Aggression essay plans
-
A* A-level AQA Psychology: Schizophrenia essay plans
-
A* A-level AQA Psychology: Gender essay plans
Seller
Follow
polinalobacheva
Reviews received
Content preview
PsychopathologyAbnormality Definition Evaluation
deviation from abnormal behaviour - Eccentric behaviours are not necessarily abnormal
social norms which goes against - Social norms vary with time and with culture
unwritten rules in a - Morals and norms are subjective (unmarried moms)
given society/culture - Based on context of behaviour (women wearing bikinis at the beach is
ok but men wearing them on the street isn’t)
failure to function abnormal behaviour is - Subjective judgements
adequately that which causes - People aren’t always aware of failure to function
* Rosenhan and person distress/anguish - Many behaviours (smoking) are maladaptive but not a sign of
Seligman’s study or an inability to cope psychological abnormality
with everyday + Easy to see consequences of abnormal behaviour
life/maladaptiveness + Many mental disorders do not cause personal distress
deviation from abnormality is that - Doesn’t provide useful criteria for defining abnormality
ideal mental which fails to meet - Cultural differences: criteria reflect Western cultural norms
health prescribed criteria for - All these healthy behaviours are based on ideas that few people achieve
* Jahoba’s study psychological - Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: survival, safety, love and
normality / wellbeing belonging, esteem and self-actualisation
deviation from abnormal behaviour is - Not all scores are undesirable (high IQ)
statistical norm that which is rare - Some disorders aren’t statistically rare, just abnormal
- Cultural differences
Key study: Rosenhan and Seligman’s 1989: Failure to function adequately
They suggest the following characteristics that define failure to function adequately, the more of these the person
has the higher degree of abnormality:
1. Personal distress – feeling upset
2. Maladaptive behaviour – behaving oddly
3. Unpredictability – erratic behaviour
4. Irrationality – doing illogical things
5. Observer discomfort – others don’t like what we’re doing
6. Violation of moral standards – breaking society’s taboos
7. Unconventionality – not following normal standards
Evaluation:
+ Considers how the individual feels, it’s focused on the individual
+ Measurable: The GAF (Global Assessment of Functioning Scale) scale is used to assess severity of the condition
+ Behaviour is observable
- Sometimes it is normal to be distressed AND a person may fit in but have distorted thinking = inner distress
- Too much focus on the individual, may be a problem for those surrounding the individual
- Everyday life varies between and within cultures so the definition is unclear
Key study: Jahoba 1958: Deviation from ideal mental health. She suggested a set of criteria for ideal mental health:
1. Symptom-free
2. Rational
3. Self-actualised (achieved our potential)
4. Unstressed
5. Realistic
6. Good self-esteem
Evaluation:
+ ‘Focused’ allows for an individual to have targeted intervention if their behaviour is not ‘normal’
+ Positive – helpful
+ Achievement of goals: This idea allows for clear goals to be set and focused upon to achieve ideal mental health
- Feasibility is a criteria that is practically impossible to achieve, meaning the majority of population Is abnormal
- Varies over time and between cultures so definition is not global
- Subjectivity: criteria are vague and are therefore very difficult to measure
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller polinalobacheva. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $9.08. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
79223 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now