Definitions of abnormality

?
View mindmap
  • Defining abnormality
    • Statistical infrequency
      • any behaviour that is uncommon and doesn't occur very often
      • Strengths
        • objective
        • helps us to address what is normal in a statistical sense
        • useful for diagnosis
        • doesn't make judgments about the acceptability of behaviour
      • Weaknesses
        • cut off points can be arbitrary
        • subjective to draw a line between behaviour that is frequent enough and rare enough to be abnormal
        • some behaviours aren't statistically rare e.g. depression
        • doesn't account for behaviours that are statistically rare but desirable e.g. high IQ
    • Deviation from the norm
      • any behaviour that society does not approve of
      • Strengths
        • aids social interaction
        • avoids behaving in socially deviant ways that upset others
      • Weaknesses
        • not all behaviour deviates from social norm indicates psychologicalabnormality
        • social norms are era dependent
        • cultural relativism
    • Failure to function adequately
      • behaviour that makes an individual unable to live independently, or causes disruption to their day-to-day lives
      • Strengths
        • useful
        • relatively easy to access the maladaptive consequences of abnormal behaviour
        • has an objective measuring scale
          • the global assessment of functioning scale
      • Weaknesses
        • ignores the social context of behaviour
        • Cultural relativism
        • some psychological disorders do not prevent a person from functioning adequately
    • Deviation from ideal mental health
      • the idea that if you are not mentally healthy then you must be mentally ill

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Psychology resources:

See all Psychology resources »See all Abnormality resources »