Abnormality definitions
- Created by: Laura Thompson
- Created on: 22-03-15 11:11
View mindmap
- Abnormality
- Deviation from social norms
- Deviation from unwritten rules of etiquette
- Person who sits next to you on public transport when there are plenty of free seats Seen as 'abnormal'
- "Desirability" such as homo-sexuality was seen as "undesirable" and therefore abnormal
- Strentghs:
- Distinguishes between "desirable" and "undesirable" behaviour
- Takes into account behaviour has on others
- Can be useful in identifying behaviour changes in individuals as warning signs of mental health problems
- Weaknesses:
- Difficult to distinguish eccentric 1 off behaviour and abnormal behaviour. eg. crazy fans
- Changes of acceptance over time eg. bi-gender
- Risk of abuse. eg: in Fascist Italy - 17 political executions 1940-43
- Failure to function adequately
- Mentally healthy people judged as unable to perform life skills such as eating, washing, working
- Any behaviour that disrupts with daily functioning (eg forgetting to turn off the cooker) is considered "abnormal"
- Strengths
- Recognises individual paitient's experiences, allowing people to see mental disorder from P.O.V of experiencer
- Relatively easy to judge by listening+ basing on agreed diagnostic criteria
- Weaknesses
- Not really a definition of abnormality, just individual's diagnostics
- No-one really has the right to judge what is "adequate" Patient in question may feel absolutely fine and not realise they "aren't coping"
- Sociopaths/ murderers who cope fine with life eg: Karl from Corrie and Lucas from Eastenders
- Mentally healthy people judged as unable to perform life skills such as eating, washing, working
- Devieation from ideal mental health
- Abnormality seen as deviating from positive mental health
- Jahoda (1958) listed 6 signs of positive mental health
- 1. Positive attitudes to self. 2. Realising one's potential. 3. Stress resistant. 4.Freedom. 5. Knowing reality. 6. Adapting
- Strengths:
- Positive approach to abnormality definitions. Focuses on good rather than bad
- Weaknesses:
- According to this criteria, we are all abnormal at some stage in our lives
- Criteria for mental health is more personal, unlike physical health
- How far do we have to deviate from the criteria to be considered "abnormal"? eg. How stressed do we have to get? Symptoms?
- Many of criteria cultural bound. eg. Adapting. Fussy tourists may find it hard to adapt in another culture
- Deviation from social norms
Comments
No comments have yet been made