definitions of abnormality

definitions of abnormality

1. statistical deviation

   • normal - something that occurs a lot
   • behaviour that is different - abnormal
   • e.g. IQ
     • can be reliably measured
     • average
       • normal distribution 85-115
     • abnormal
       • below 70
         • intellectual disability disorder

2. deviation from social norms

   • what is acceptable
   • what is right in society
   • specific to the culture we live in
     • homosexuality for some cultures
     • few behaviours are universally abnormal
   • e.g.
     • antisocial personality disorder
       • impulsive, aggressive & irresponsible
       • an absence of prosocial internal standards
         • failure to conform to the law
         • failure to conform to cultural behaviour
   • psychopath
     • don't conform to moral standards
     • abnormal behaviour

3. evaluation - statistical deviation

   • real life application
     • strengths
       • applied in the diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder
       • can be measured
       • compared to the norm to see how severe their illness is
   • unusual characteristics
     • IQ of 130 is as unusual as one of 70
       • upper intelligence is a good thing
       • doesn't need treatment
     • just because something isn't normal doesn't mean it's abnormal
   • label
     • no benefit of being labelled abnormal if..
       • someone with a low IQ is living a good life
       • no distress
       • can work
     • being labelled may have a negative effect

4. evaluation - deviation from social norms

   • explanation
     • strength - real life application
       • diagnose - antisocial personality disorder
     • however there are other factors
       • distress to other people from APD
     • never the sole reason to define abnormality
   • cultural relativism
     • what may be normal in one society may not be in another
     • hearing voices for some cultures is normal
       • but not in the UK - may be mentally ill
       • problem for people living in another country
   • human rights abused
     • too much reliance on deviation from social norms
       • can lead to systematic abuse of human rights
         • historical records
           • show deviation from social norms
             • were to have control over minority groups
     • nowadays these norms seem silly
       • but only because of our norms
     • are our modern day mental illnesses
       • abusing peoples rights to be different

5. evaluation +

   • strength of deviation form social norms - weakness of statistical deviation
     • includes the issue of the desirability of a behaviour
     • e.g. geniuses are statistically abnormal
       • but we wouldn't define them as abnormal
   • social norms can be more useful than statistical norms