Psychology abnormality

Limitations

Deviation from social norms

susceptible to abuse:

• varies as time changes
• Szasz (1974) claimed that the concept of mental ilness was simply a way to exclude nonconformist from society 

Deviation is related to context and dgree:

• swimming costume on a beach/swimming costume in the street
• seen as abnormal or indication of mental disorder
• being rude is deiviant behaviour, not mental disturbance, unless excessive (pathological) 
• social deviance on its own cannot offer a definition of abnormality 
• social deviance is inevitably related to both context and degree 

Cultural relativism

• cultural factors influence social norms (cultural relativism)
• social norms are defined by the culture
• disorders are defined or diagnosed in different ways in different places by different groups
• diagnoses may be different for the same person in two different cultures 
• cultural relativism has become an acknowleged fact
• DSM includes a glossary that describes patterns of behaviour and syndromes that only occurs in certain areas (culture bound syndromes)  
• no universal standards or rules for labelling abnormal behaviour