Definitions of Abnormality
The definitions of abnormality in psychology refer to the various criteria used to determine when behavior, thoughts, or emotions are considered deviant from the norm. These criteria may include statistical infrequency, deviation from social norms, personal distress, and impairment in functioning. Different perspectives, such as the biological, psychological, and sociocultural, influence how abnormality is defined and understood.
5 Key excerpts on "Definitions of Abnormality"
eBook - ePubIndividual Differences
Normal And Abnormal
- Michael W. Eysenck, University of London College(Authors)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Psychology Press(Publisher)
...5 Approaches to abnormality The remainder of this book is devoted to that part of psychology which is concerned with psychological disorders. This area of psychology is often called abnormal psychology or psychopathology. In order to set the scene for our subsequent coverage of specific forms of psychopathology, we will focus in this chapter on some of the key general issues that confront anyone interested in this area. More specifically, there are three questions that will occupy us in this chapter: 1. What do we mean by abnormality, and how can it be distinguished from normality? 2. What are the main categories of psychological disorder? 3. What are the factors responsible for the development of each mental disorder? The first question is obviously important, because we need to know as precisely as possible which patterns of behaviour fall, and do not fall, within the bounds of abnormal psychology. As we will see, it is surprisingly difficult to produce any clear-cut answer to the question, but a partial answer is proposed. The second and third questions refer to the description and the explanation of mental disorders. As with the first question, there are no definitive answers available. What we will do is to present the major current views, and to identify the advantages and disadvantages of each. What is abnormality? There are several different ways in which one might attempt to define “abnormality”. One way is based on the statistical approach, according to which the abnormal is that which is statistically rare in the population. Consider, for example, trait anxiety as assessed by Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The mean score for trait anxiety is approximately 40, and only about one person in 50 obtains a score higher than 55...
- Nancy Fenton, Jessica Flitter(Authors)
- 2015(Publication Date)
- Research & Education Association(Publisher)
...Chapter 14 Abnormal Behavior Psychopathology or abnormal psychology involves the scientific investigation of the cause (etiology), diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness. This specialty in psychology involves both basic and applied research, as well as clinical practice, and can overlap with a variety of other fields, including cognitive psychology, medicine, biology, and pharmacology. Mental illness is extremely difficult to define; therefore, a variety of models to explain this concept have been proposed. The statistical model defines abnormality as thoughts or behaviors that are rare. This is incomplete because, although some mental illnesses, such as dissociative disorders, are extremely rare, others, such as anxiety disorders, are more common. Also, it bears mentioning that if abnormal behavior were defined simply as being rare, then individuals who have earned Olympic medals would be considered abnormal. Another way to define mental illness (psychological disorder) is a condition involving disturbances in cognition, behavior, or emotion that are deviant, dysfunctional, distressing, or potentially dangerous. Mental illness can be seen as being deviant if the resulting thoughts or actions differ from normal behavior, which is determined by cultural norms. For example, in some places around the world today, it would be considered deviant for a woman to be seen in public with her shoulders visible because it violates that culture’s social norm. It is also important to note that cultural norms can change over time. In the United States it would have been considered deviant, until recently, for the father to stay home and raise the children while the mother worked to support the family. A second aspect of mental illness is whether or not particular thoughts or behaviors are dysfunctional, also referred to as maladaptive...
eBook - ePubClinical Psychology
A Modern Health Profession
- Wolfgang Linden, Paul L. Hewitt(Authors)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
...The question can be broached broadly in two ways. The first deals with the processes of determining how a person’s behavior is defined as abnormal or maladaptive. The second deals with what processes clinical psychologists pay attention to when trying to make a determination whether some behavior is abnormal or maladaptive. Defining Psychological Problems There are at least three major approaches in defining abnormality that are used in research and clinical work. Each of these approaches has strengths and limitations and can be used, in some cases, simultaneously or in combination by clinical psychologists. Statistical or Normative Approach In this approach to defining abnormality, a judgment is made whether a person’s behavior conforms, generally, to the standards, expectations, or norms of a particular society or social group. Although different cultures and societies may have different standards or expectations, all cultures and societies have standards for appropriate behavior (Gorenstein, 1992). If a person’s behavior falls outside of the norm, that person’s behavior is considered to be abnormal, problematic, and in need of amelioration. Thus, behaviors that are unusual, occur rarely, or otherwise are not engaged in by most people, can be considered to be abnormal. For example, viewing an individual having an animated and emotional conversation with a telephone pole would likely result in an interpretation that that individual’s behavior is abnormal because the majority of people do not have conversations with telephone poles. Although this statistical approach captures or defines many individuals who do exhibit psychological problems and who can likely benefit from treatment, there are several difficulties or shortcomings of this approach. For example, there are many cultural differences in terms of behavior that falls within norms. What is seen as normal in one culture may be viewed as abnormal in another...
eBook - ePub- Michael Eysenck(Author)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Psychology Press(Publisher)
...However, it wouldn’t generally be regarded as abnormal, in part because the Ice Breakers experience no distress. Thus, deviant thoughts and behavior need to cause distress to the individual and/or others to be considered abnormal. Dysfunction : According to Comer (2001, p. 4), “Abnormal behavior tends to be dysfunctional; that is, it interferes with daily functioning. It so upsets, distracts, or confuses people that they cannot care for themselves properly, participate in ordinary social interactions, or work productively.” Most people exhibit dysfunctional behavior in this sense when bereaved, but the duration of such behavior is less than in most cases of abnormality. Danger : Individuals whose behavior poses a threat or danger to themselves or to others are generally regarded as abnormal. However, most individuals having a mental disorder do not pose a danger to anyone, and some dangerous individuals (e.g., armed criminals) don’t suffer from a mental disorder. Comer (2001, p. 5) concluded that the four-D approach is an imprecise way of defining or identifying abnormality: “While we may agree to define psychological abnormalities as patterns of functioning that are deviant, distressful, dysfunctional, and sometimes dangerous … these criteria are often vague and subjective. When is a pattern of behavior deviant, distressful, dysfunctional, and dangerous enough to be considered abnormal? The question may be impossible to answer.” Classification Systems Several classification systems are used to diagnose mental disorders. For example, we have already mentioned the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which contains over 200 mental disorders. Another prominent system is the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). This is produced by the World Health Organization, and is much used throughout Europe and other parts of the world...
eBook - ePubCulture, Health and Illness
An Introduction for Health Professionals
- Cecil Helman(Author)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Butterworth-Heinemann(Publisher)
...That is, it is concerned less with the organic aspects of psychological disorders than with the psychological, behavioural and socio-cultural dimensions associated with them. Even when the condition clearly has an organic basis—such as neurosyphilis, delirium tremens, or dementia—anthropologists are more interested in how cultural factors affect the patient’s perceptions and behaviour, the content of his hallucinations or delusions, and the attitudes of others towards him. In general, the relationship of culture to mental illness can be summarized as: (1) it defines ‘normality’ and ‘abnormality’ in a particular society, (2) it may be part of the aetiology of certain illnesses, (3) it influences the clinical presentation, and distribution, of mental illness, and (4) it determines the ways that mental illness is recognized, labelled, explained and treated by other members of that society. ‘NORMALITY’ VERSUS ‘ABNORMALITY’ Definitions of ‘normality’, like definitions of ‘health’, vary widely throughout the world; and in many cultures, these two concepts overlap. Mention has already been made, in Chapter 4, of some of the medical definitions of ‘health’ that are based upon the measurement of certain physiological and other variables that lie in the ‘normal range’ of the human organism. At its most reductionist, this approach concentrates mainly on the physical signs of brain dysfunction, before diagnosing mental illness. In this chapter, some of the other ways of looking at the problem will be examined, especially the social definitions of normality and abnormality. These definitions are based on shared beliefs within a cultural group as to what constitutes the ideal, ‘proper’ way for individuals to conduct their lives in relation to others. These beliefs provide a series of guidelines on how to be culturally ‘normal’ and, as will be described below, how also to be temporarily ‘abnormal’. Normality is usually a multi-dimensional concept...
