Summary
Summary Year 1 Psychopathology Notes
- Module
- Psychopathology
- Institution
- AQA
Psychology Notes on Psychopathology Year 1
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PSYCHOLOGY - PSYCHOPATHOLOGY NOTESDefinitions Of Abnormality
Examples of abnormal things:
• A guy with lots of tattoos and piercings.
Statistical Infrequency: (Definition 1)
• Statistical infrequency - the way that we test normality and abnormality is through measuring
statistics. Any unusual behaviour can be considered as an abnormality.
• IQ is a measure of intelligence. Anyone with an IQ level below the average is identified as unusual
(abnormality)
• Normal distribution
• The average IQ is set at 100.
• Only 2% of people have a second below 70, which is seen as abnormal and are liable to receive a
diagnosis of a psychological disorder - intellectual disability disorder.
Deviation From Social Norms: (Definition 2)
• Social norms - expected patterns of behaviour
• When a person behaves in a way that doesn’t follow social norms, this will be considered as
abnormality. This is because collectively as a society we have agreed on what is right and what is
wrong.
• Social norms may be different in each generation and every culture so there are relatively few
behaviours that would be considered universally abnormal on the basis that they breach social
norms.
• For example, homosexuality continues to be viewed as abnormal in some cultures.
• Antisocial Personality Disorder - people who are impulsive, aggressive and irresponsible.
• According to the DSM-5, one important symptom of antisocial personality disorder is an absence
of prosocial internal standards associated with failure to conform to lawful or culturally normative
ethical behaviour.
Failure to Function Adequately: (Definition 3)
• A person may cross the line between normal and abnormal at the point when they can no longer
cope with demands of everyday life and they fail to function adequately, for example not being able
to hold a job.
Rosenbaum and Seligman (1989):
• They have proposed some signs that can be used to determine when someone is not coping.
• These include:
◦When a person no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules, for example maintain g
eye contact and respecting personal space.
◦When a person experiences severe personal distress.
◦When a person behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves or others.
Intellectual Disability Disorder
• 3 types of intellectual disability:
, ◦Mild Intellectual Disability - Many people with mild intellectual disability can go to a regular
school, get a job and live independent lives. They might need support to help them
understand complex language and ideas.
◦Moderate Intellectual Disability - People with moderate intellectual disability need more help
with planning and organising their lives. They might need help communicating.
◦Severe/ Profound Intellectual Disability - People with severe or profound intellectual disability
need a lot more support and are not able to live on their own. They may not be able to speak
and might communicate using facial expressions or simple gestures.
Deviation From Ideal Mental Health: (Definition 4)
• A very different way to look at normality and abnormality is to ignore the issue of what ,asked some
abnormal but instead think about what makes everyone normal.
• Abnormality is when people deviate from ideal mental health
Jahoda (1958):
• They suggested that we are in good mental health if we meet the following criteria:
◦No symptoms of distress
◦Rational and perceive ourselves accurately.
◦Self-actualise
◦Cope with stress
◦Realistic view of the world
◦Good self esteem and feel guilty
◦Independent of other people
◦Successfully work, love and enjoy out leisure.
Characteristics of phobias
The DSM-V recognises the following categories of phobias and related anxiety disorder:
• Specific phobia : fear of an object, animal, body out or situation.
• Social anxiety : fear of social situations
• Agoraphobia : phobia of being outside or in a public place.
Features of phobias:
• Intense, persistent, irrational fear of a particular object, event or situation.
• Response is disproportionate and leads to avoidance of phobic object, event or situation.
• Fear is severe enough to interfere with everyday life.
A phobia is an extreme, unreasonable, irrational fear.
• Examples, animals, inanimate objects, situations and activities
• This can disrupt daily routines.
• This phobia interferes with your social life.
Types of phobias:
• Arachnophobia - fear of spiders - 0.66%
• Emetophobia - fear of vomit - 2.6%
• Claustrophobia - fear of confined spaces . - 0.57%
• Around 10 million people in the Uk have a phobia - 2016 (NHS survey)
Trypophobia is a proposed phobia of irregular patterns or clusters of small holes or bumps.
This condition is not officially recognised as a mental disorder and is rarely referenced in the scientific
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