Individual Individual DifferencesDifferences

AbnormalityAbnormality

Who is the most normal? – rank these Who is the most normal? – rank these celebrities from 1-5. 1 = Most celebrities from 1-5. 1 = Most normal. normal.

►Would someone be considered Would someone be considered abnormal if…..abnormal if…..

►They were gay?They were gay?►They had depression?They had depression?

►They were a single parent?They were a single parent?►If they were a bigamist?If they were a bigamist?

►If they had a learning difficulty?If they had a learning difficulty?►If they wore a bikini?If they wore a bikini?

►What is abnormality?What is abnormality?

►How would we decide what is How would we decide what is normal or abnormal?normal or abnormal?

►How would we measure/decide How would we measure/decide upon the extent of an upon the extent of an

abnormality?abnormality?

HOW DO WE DEFINE WHAT IS HOW DO WE DEFINE WHAT IS NORMAL?NORMAL?

►In social termsIn social terms

►We might use the standard of We might use the standard of adequate functioningadequate functioning

►Or the concept of ideal mental healthOr the concept of ideal mental health

DEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMSDEVIATION FROM SOCIAL NORMS

This approach to abnormality This approach to abnormality considers that an individual’s considers that an individual’s

behaviour can impact on others and behaviour can impact on others and states that…states that…

Behaviour which doesn’t conform to Behaviour which doesn’t conform to socially acceptable patterns may be socially acceptable patterns may be

considered abnormal.considered abnormal.

Are these behaviours socially deviant?

1. Walking around in the nude?2. Refusing to go outside?

3. Have several wives?4. Eating another human being?5. Holding up (making) the OK

sign with your hand?6. Having a child out of wedlock?

7. Being gay?

There are a number of problems with There are a number of problems with this approach – can you think of any?this approach – can you think of any?

►Social deviancy is related to moral standards which can change with time. Therefore this approach also

had to change or would be historically biased.

►Social deviancy is also defined by Social deviancy is also defined by the the contextcontext in which a behaviour in which a behaviour

occurs. (It is ok to be in a bikini on a occurs. (It is ok to be in a bikini on a beach)beach)

►Social deviancy is not necessarily a bad Social deviancy is not necessarily a bad thing:thing: some people are socially deviant some people are socially deviant

because they have a non-conformist because they have a non-conformist lifestyle – others because their behaviour is lifestyle – others because their behaviour is

motivated by high principles (Nazi motivated by high principles (Nazi Germany)Germany)

►SOCIAL DEVIANCY SOCIAL DEVIANCY CAN’TCAN’T BE THE SOLE BE THE SOLE CRITERION OF ABNORMALITY CRITERION OF ABNORMALITY BUT IT IS BUT IT IS

IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE TRY TO IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE TRY TO BEHAVE IN WAYS THAT ARE SOCIALLY BEHAVE IN WAYS THAT ARE SOCIALLY

ACCEPTABLE SO THAT THEY DON’T ACCEPTABLE SO THAT THEY DON’T UPSET OTHERS.UPSET OTHERS.

The failure to function adequately The failure to function adequately approach to define abnormalityapproach to define abnormality

If an individual’s behaviour, mood or If an individual’s behaviour, mood or thoughts adversely affects their;thoughts adversely affects their;

(1) Well-being, i.e. their ability to (1) Well-being, i.e. their ability to retain relationships and retain relationships and employment.employment.

(2) Becomes a danger to their own (2) Becomes a danger to their own safety safety

(3) Become a danger to the safety of (3) Become a danger to the safety of othersothers

Then they are considered Then they are considered abnormal. abnormal.

►Many mental disorders result in an Many mental disorders result in an inability to functioninability to function adequately in terms adequately in terms of every day life and interactions. of every day life and interactions.

► SO…SO…

►many people who seek psychiatric help many people who seek psychiatric help are are recognisingrecognising that they are not that they are not functioning adequately – so this could functioning adequately – so this could serve as a standard for abnormalityserve as a standard for abnormality

RosenhanRosenhan and and Seligman (1989)Seligman (1989) have have extended the failure to function extended the failure to function

approach to cover seven features approach to cover seven features associated with abnormality. associated with abnormality.

Each of the features individually may Each of the features individually may not be enough to cause a problem - not be enough to cause a problem - BUTBUT when several are present then when several are present then

they are symptomatic of they are symptomatic of abnormality.abnormality.

THE SEVEN FEATURES ARE: -THE SEVEN FEATURES ARE: -► Suffering (personal distress)Suffering (personal distress)► Maladaptiveness (destructive behaviour)Maladaptiveness (destructive behaviour)► Vividness and unconventionality of Vividness and unconventionality of

behaviour (strange behaviour)behaviour (strange behaviour)► Unpredictability and loss of controlUnpredictability and loss of control► Irrationality and incomprehensibility Irrationality and incomprehensibility ► Observer discomfort (making others feel Observer discomfort (making others feel

uncomfortable)uncomfortable)► Violation of moral and ideal standardsViolation of moral and ideal standards

Group Activity – the seven features of Group Activity – the seven features of abnormality.abnormality.

Imagine a continuum from normal Imagine a continuum from normal behaviour at one end and extremely behaviour at one end and extremely

abnormal at the otherabnormal at the other. Bearing in mind . Bearing in mind Rosenhan and Seligman's definitions, Rosenhan and Seligman's definitions, consider the experiences on the next consider the experiences on the next page and for each of them describe page and for each of them describe

what would be acceptable behaviour what would be acceptable behaviour and what would be regarded as and what would be regarded as

abnormal.abnormal.

1.1. SufferingSuffering – – Grief Personal DistressGrief Personal Distress2.2. MaladaptivenessMaladaptiveness – – Disregard for ones own Disregard for ones own

safety – taking part in extreme sportssafety – taking part in extreme sports3.3. Vividness and unconventionalityVividness and unconventionality – –

Tattooing/ PiercingTattooing/ Piercing4.4. Unpredictability and loss of controlUnpredictability and loss of control – –

losing ones temperlosing ones temper5.5. Irrationality and incomprehensibilityIrrationality and incomprehensibility – –

Remaining friendly towards someone who is Remaining friendly towards someone who is hostilehostile

6.6. Observer discomfortObserver discomfort – – Laughing Laughing inappropriatelyinappropriately

7.7. Violation of moral and ideal standardsViolation of moral and ideal standards – – Removing ones clothes to sunbatheRemoving ones clothes to sunbathe

LIMITATIONS of the “failure to function LIMITATIONS of the “failure to function approach”approach”

►The approach requires subjective The approach requires subjective decisions decisions (Involves opinions)(Involves opinions)

►Some of the features also apply to Some of the features also apply to people who are simply non-people who are simply non-

conformists or who are grieving etc.conformists or who are grieving etc.►Not all people who have mental Not all people who have mental

abnormalities are aware of their failure abnormalities are aware of their failure to function and so can deny that they to function and so can deny that they

have a problem.have a problem.

Activity –Activity – Write a description of yourself – call Write a description of yourself – call this (A) then write a brief description this (A) then write a brief description

of how you would like to be (B)of how you would like to be (B)

►How different are the two How different are the two descriptions?descriptions? If your ideal self is very If your ideal self is very different from your perceived self - different from your perceived self -

Would Would NEVERNEVER achieving your ideal achieving your ideal self result in you becoming mentally self result in you becoming mentally

unbalanced – depressed etc??unbalanced – depressed etc??

Deviation from Ideal Mental Deviation from Ideal Mental Health.Health.

Humanistic PsychologistsHumanistic Psychologists (Carl (Carl Rogers, Maslow) have been Rogers, Maslow) have been

instrumental founders of this final instrumental founders of this final approach of defining abnormality - approach of defining abnormality -

Rogers (1959)Rogers (1959) believed that abnormal believed that abnormal behaviour occurs when a child behaviour occurs when a child

receives conditional love from their receives conditional love from their parents parents (therefore the child will have (therefore the child will have to become somebody else in order to to become somebody else in order to

receive the love that they want) . receive the love that they want) .

►Healthy psychological developmentHealthy psychological development or normal behaviour will therefore be a or normal behaviour will therefore be a

result of…result of…Unconditional loveUnconditional love – which leads to – which leads to

high self-esteemhigh self-esteem and freedom to seek and freedom to seek self-actualisationself-actualisation

Jahoda (1958)Jahoda (1958) – expanded on the ideal – expanded on the ideal mental health theory and mental health theory and

suggested that it was preferable to suggested that it was preferable to identify the criteria for positive identify the criteria for positive mental health. She proposed 6 mental health. She proposed 6

categoriescategories

1.1. Self–attitudes (positive)Self–attitudes (positive)

2.2. Personal growth (being able to achieve)Personal growth (being able to achieve)

3.3. Integration (being able to cope with Integration (being able to cope with stress)stress)

4.4. Autonomy. (being independent)Autonomy. (being independent)

5.5. Perception of reality (being relaistic – Perception of reality (being relaistic – knowing what is real and what is not.)knowing what is real and what is not.)

6.6. Environmental mastery (the extent to Environmental mastery (the extent to which you can love and be loved)which you can love and be loved)

Assessment of the deviation Assessment of the deviation from ideal mental health modelfrom ideal mental health model

Pro’s –Pro’s – ►The approach focuses on positive The approach focuses on positive

characteristics – Identifies characteristics – Identifies characteristics that people need to characteristics that people need to

be mentally healthy rather than be mentally healthy rather than looking for problemslooking for problems

►Limitations: -Limitations: -►Criteria used are hard to define, Criteria used are hard to define,

vague and difficult to measure (how vague and difficult to measure (how do you rate someone’s do you rate someone’s

attitudes/integration?) Criteria is attitudes/integration?) Criteria is bound to time and culture. – less bound to time and culture. – less

likely to apply to collectivist likely to apply to collectivist societies.societies.

Cultural Relativism Cultural Relativism ►A major problem with A major problem with ALLALL

psychological definitions of psychological definitions of Abnormality is that they often fail to Abnormality is that they often fail to consider differences between cultures.consider differences between cultures.

►Cultural Relativism means that value Cultural Relativism means that value judgments are up to individual cultural judgments are up to individual cultural context SO we cannot make absolute context SO we cannot make absolute statements about what is normal or statements about what is normal or abnormal.abnormal.

►Different cultures will have Different cultures will have different criteria as to what different criteria as to what constitutes as normal and abnormal constitutes as normal and abnormal behaviour. What maybe considered behaviour. What maybe considered deviant or abnormal in one culture deviant or abnormal in one culture may be normal in anothermay be normal in another

►Dhat Syndrome in India is an Dhat Syndrome in India is an example of this.example of this.

►Dhat syndrome is found in Males of the Indian sub-continent. Sufferers have physical and mental exhaustion and blame it on the presence of blood in their semen. A PHYSICAL ILLNESS

►WE would state that they have depression!

Also what is considered abnormal Also what is considered abnormal changes over time.changes over time.

For example – For example – Homosexuality Homosexuality ceased ceased to be categorised as a mental disorder to be categorised as a mental disorder in the 1980 edition of DSM (Diagnostic in the 1980 edition of DSM (Diagnostic

and statistical manual of mental and statistical manual of mental disorders) But was considered disorders) But was considered

abnormal in America until the 1970sabnormal in America until the 1970s

►BUT There are some featuresBUT There are some features (identified by Rosenhan and (identified by Rosenhan and Seligman) that are universal Seligman) that are universal indicators of undesirable behaviour – indicators of undesirable behaviour – Failure to eat, chronic depression etcFailure to eat, chronic depression etc

► ConclusionConclusion –The 7 features proposed by –The 7 features proposed by Rosenhan and Seligman may offer the Rosenhan and Seligman may offer the most realistic approach – the more of most realistic approach – the more of these features possessed by an individual these features possessed by an individual the more likely it is that they can be the more likely it is that they can be categorised as abnormal categorised as abnormal