A* Condensed Alevel Psychology revision notes for Paper 1 Psychopathology including essay plans organised into AO1 and AO3 as well as colour coded evaluation and explanations for each subtopic specified my the updated AQA specification.
,Definitions of Abnormality - Deviation from Social Norms
● Most of us notice when a person behaves in a way that is different from how we
expect people to behave
● Groups of people choose to define behaviour as abnormal on the basis that it
offends their sense of what is ‘acceptable’ or the norm
● We are making a collective judgement as a society about what is right
● However these norms may be different to every generation and culture so there are
relatively few behaviours that would be considered to be universally abnormal on
the basis that they breech social norms for example homosexuality was considered
abnormal in the past and is still considered abnormal in some cultures in today’s
society
● An example is a person with antisocial personality disorder (psychopathy) as is
impulsive, aggressive and has an absence of prosocial internal standards
associated with the failure to conform to universally normative ethical behaviour
, Supports Criticism
● Easily distinguishes between ● The issue with social relativism
desirable and undesirable that makes moving between
social groups difficult (for
behaviour
example speaking in tongues is
● Takes into account that
considered to be part of a
different cultures may define religious practise in some
abnormality differently giving cultures but could be seen as a
the definition social relativism characteristic of schizophrenia in
● Can change with time and western society)
with society’s changing ● Some people may be wrongly
attitudes diagnosed or incorrectly treated
for mental illness just because
they chose to behave differently
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