Definitions of abnormality
the four definitions of abnormality with their limitations
- Created by: Amy
- Created on: 30-12-12 15:19
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- Definitions of stress
- statistical infrequency
- behavior is abnormal because it is statistically rare
- behavior is normally distributed and it is argued that people are two standard deviations away from the mean
- only 2.145% of the population is abnormal
- limitations
- Doesn't take desirability of behaviour
- eg genius and low anxiety are wanted but statistically infrequent
- other behaviours such as depression are statistically frequent although unwanted
- inaccuracy of statistical data
- all known cases of abnormality need to be reported but not true
- gender bias as women are much more likely to report their problems (such as anxiety) more than males.
- all known cases of abnormality need to be reported but not true
- Doesn't take desirability of behaviour
- Deviation from social norms
- society has rules about acceptable behaviours, values and beliefs.
- abnormality arises when someone deviates from these ideas
- for example talking to oneself while walking down the street
- abnormality arises when someone deviates from these ideas
- limitations
- ideas change over time
- it used to be frowned upon for a single woman to have a child and were locked up if they did
- homosexuality was thought to be a mental illness until 1973
- cultural relativism
- standards vary from culture to culture and ones society can not be used to define another
- for example Afro-Caribbeans believe hearing voices is a gift but in other cultures it is signs of schizophrenia
- standards vary from culture to culture and ones society can not be used to define another
- social control
- Japan use abnormality as social control to ensure a strong work ethic
- Szasz argues that abnormality is a socially constructed concept that allows people who are unusual to be labelled and thus treated differently from the others- often confined or prosecuted
- used in the 19th century against women who wanted to spend inheritance money on themselves instead of relatives, so the relatives could get the money
- ideas change over time
- society has rules about acceptable behaviours, values and beliefs.
- failure to function adequately
- behaviours that prevent people from coping with day to day life, such as; working, forming relationships and caring for oneself
- eg anorexics can't care for themselves as they endanger themselves into starving to death
- eg OCD people often can't leave the house due to fear of contamination and therefore cant work or form relationships
- limitations
- involves making subjective judgements about others as to what constitutes failure to function adequately
- many "normal" people fail to cope with demands of life at certain times eg after berevement
- behaviours that prevent people from coping with day to day life, such as; working, forming relationships and caring for oneself
- Deviation from ideal mental health
- Jahoda says to have ideal mental health you need .....
- positive attitude towards oneself
- the opportunity to self-actualise (achieve ones potential)
- ability to resist stress
- personal autonomy (not being too dependent on others)
- the ability to adapt to ones environment
- an accurate perception of reality
- limitations
- cultural relativism
- in individualistic countries personal autonomy is desired but in collectivist cultures (China) self autonomy is thought to be unhealthy
- accurate perception of reality is not common
- Taylor suggested hat depressed people have a more accurate perception of reality as normal people create positive illusions to protect themselves
- standards are so high almost everyone would be abnormal by this definition
- eg few people self actualise
- eg few people are able to resist stress
- cultural relativism
- Jahoda says to have ideal mental health you need .....
- statistical infrequency
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