definitions of abnormality

discription and evalution

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  • definitions of abnormality
    • statistical infrequeny
      • behaviours that are statistically rare
      • evaluation
        • some abnormal behaiours are therfore desirable
        • the cut off point is subjective
        • sutable for situations using standard deviation eg. IQ
    • devation from social norms
      • abnormal behaviour is seen as deviation from unstated rules about how one 'ought' to behave.
      • evaulation
        • outdated in that what was socially unacceptable 50 years ago might be acceptable now
        • destinguishes between desireable and non desireable therefore a more practically way of identifying abnormality.
        • deviance is related to context and degree. Wearing near nothing on a beach in normal but not in the street
          • not a complete definition
    • failure to function adequately
      • people are judges on there ability to go about daily life.
      • evaluation
        • the behaviour may be an adaptation that is fuctional fro the individual
        • a subjective defintion as it depends who is judging
        • it does recognise the subjective expirence of the patient so has a certain sensitive practicality.
    • deviation from ideal mental health
      • abnormality difined in terms of mental helth, behaviours associated with competence and happiness.
      • evaluation
        • unrealistic criteria as most people would then be concidered abnormal
        • takes the approach that mental and physical health can be applied in the same way
          • physical has something visually wrong but mental problems cant be seen as easily
        • it is a positive approach in that attempts to focus on the postives rather than the negatives of someones life.

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