Definition of abnormality
- Created by: Ellie
- Created on: 29-05-13 15:56
View mindmap
- Abnormality
- Deviation from social norms
- Standards of set behaviour are set by a social group. Anything that deviates from this is considered abnormal.
- Social norms can be classified as written laws and unwritten rules of the society
- What is acceptable and what isn't can change over time
- Evaluation
- Susceptible to abuse, things that are acceptable now may not have been 50 years ago (e.g. homosexuality)
- We open the door to definitions based on prevailing social morals and attitudes
- Mental health professionals could classify as mentally ill who transgress against social attitudes
- We open the door to definitions based on prevailing social morals and attitudes
- Deviance is related to context and degree
- No clear line between abnormal and eccentric
- Does not provide a full explanation
- No clear line between abnormal and eccentric
- Culture relativism
- Influenced by cultural factors, social norms themselves are defined by the culture
- Disorders are diagnosed in diff ways in diff places by diff people. Diagnosis for one person can be diff in 2 countries
- Culture relativism: the view that behaviour cannot be judged properly unless it is viewed in the context of the culture from which it originates
- Susceptible to abuse, things that are acceptable now may not have been 50 years ago (e.g. homosexuality)
- Failure to function adequately
- This is when a person is not able to cope with the demands of everyday life
- For example, being in a public area
- This could interfere with day to day living routines
- This focuses on everyday behaviour of an individual, therefore it is hard to conclude whether the behaviour is abnormal
- Evaluation
- Who judges?
- Someone needs to decide is someone is failing to function adequately.
- The person may be experiencing personal distress, and determine themselves as abnormal
- Individual may feel fine, but they may not be coping. The people around feel uncomfortable and judge
- Is behaviour adaptive or maladaptive?
- Some dysfunctional behaviour could be adaptive to the individual
- Culture relativism
- definitions of adequate functioning are also related to culture ideas of how one's life should be lived
- Different diagnosis when applied to different cultures. Standard of one culture is used to measure the standard of another
- definitions of adequate functioning are also related to culture ideas of how one's life should be lived
- Who judges?
- This is when a person is not able to cope with the demands of everyday life
- Deviation from ideal mental health
- Ideal mental state for optimal living, promoting psychological health and well being
- Self attitudes - having high self esteem and strong sense of identity
- Mastery of environment - the ability to love, function at work and adjust to new situations and solve problems
- Self actualisation - extent to which an individual develops their full capabilities
- Integration - the ability to cope with a stressful situation
- Autonomy - being independent and self regulating
- Accurate perception of reality
- Autonomy - being independent and self regulating
- Integration - the ability to cope with a stressful situation
- Self attitudes - having high self esteem and strong sense of identity
- Evaluation
- No one can agree to all this criteria - we are all abnormal. How many characteristics have to be lacking?
- Is mental health the same as physical health? Mental illnesses don't always have physical causes
- Cultural relativism
- Many criteria are culture bound. Non Western groups: higher rate
- Ideal mental state for optimal living, promoting psychological health and well being
- Deviation from social norms
- Culture relativism: the view that behaviour cannot be judged properly unless it is viewed in the context of the culture from which it originates
Comments
No comments have yet been made