Transcript The Psychology of Dysfunction What is Abnormality? …Is possible to define ‘abnormal’ as opposed to our ideas of what is ‘normal’. * One.

The Psychology of Dysfunction
What is Abnormality?
…Is possible to define ‘abnormal’ as opposed to our ideas of
what is ‘normal’.
* One way is the statistical approach which is based on the premise
that abnormal behaviour is statistically rare. For example
anxiety can be assessed using Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety
Inventory. The mean score for trait anxiety is 40 and people
who achieve over 55 are seen as statistically rare as only 1 in 50
score that high. Therefore those with high scores are seen as
deviant from the greater majority of the population.
*The statistical approach helps to address
what is meant by normal in a statistical
context, but it still does not helps us define
the term. There are many people who have
high levels of anxiety, but would still not be
categorised as clinically abnormal — it is also
equally true that people with very low scores
on the anxiety scale are also statistically
abnormal!
Social Deviance is emphasised by some
psychologists as a measure of abnormal
behaviour. This approach would see people
who behave in a socially deviant way that
makes other people uncomfortable should be
regarded as abnormal.
However there are problems inherent in this
approach. For instance German citizens who objected
to and spoke out against Nazi atrocities were seen as
being socially deviant.
It is also true to say that what is regarded as deviant
varies from culture to culture. Kwakiutl indians burn
valuable blankets in order to cast shame on their
enemies, behaviour that would seem decidedly odd in
Western culture.
• Abnormality is a complex concept that is difficult to
define precisely. Abnormality can take many
different forms and there is no single feature that
can help us distinguish abnormality from normality.
• Rosenhan and Seligman (1989) propose seven major
features of abnormality that appear in abnormal
behaviour as opposed to normal behaviour. The more
of these features that are possessed by the
individual, the more likely they are to be considered
abnormal.
Rosenhan and Seligman’s Seven Features
> Suffering: Most abnormal individuals (such as those
suffering with anxiety disorders) report that they are
suffering. However normal people can suffer at times in
their lives and some abnormal individuals, such as those
with personality disorders, treat others badly but do not
appear to suffer themselves.
• The Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM-IV-R) is used by
psychiatrists to help diagnose mental
disorders. It tries to distinguish between
social deviance or non-conformity and mental
disorder or abnormality stating:
Neither deviant behaviour, e.g. political, religious or sexual,
nor conflicts that are primarily between the individual and
society are mental disorders unless the deviance or condition
is a symptom of a dysfunction (i.e. impairment of function) in
the person (p.xxii).
Categorization of Mental Disorders
Most psychiatrists and clinical psychologists accept that
abnormality exists and that those individuals who
exhibit abnormal symptoms should receive a diagnosis
that labels the specific abnormality. This helps
determine the appropriate form of treatment. This
view has had a number of critics over the years, for
instance Scheff (1966) argued that this form of
labelling could actually create part of the symptoms
(labelling theory)
The Medical Model
Diagnostic Statistical Manual or DSM was
introduced in America in order to help with
classification. The original version was updated
in 1968 and became DSM-II, which seemed to
be unreliable as a tool for diagnosis, due to its
imprecision. Once again it was updated in 1980
(DSM-III) and again in 1987 (DSM-III-R), with
each version offers more precise definitions.
There is now a fourth version that is used by
psychiatrists.
• Maladaptiveness: Maladaptive behaviour is behaviour
that prevents an individual from achieving major life
goals, from having fulfilling relationships with others or
working effectively (for instance an agrophobic will not
venture out of the house due to fear).
> Vividness and unconventionality: Vivid and
unconventional behaviour is relatively unusual. It is
behaviour that differs substantially from the way in
which you would expect normal people to behave in
similar situations. However there are many people who
behave in this way that are not deemed to be abnormal.
• Irrationality and incomprehensibility: One of the
characteristics of abnormal behaviour is that there
appears to be no good reason why the person should
choose to behave in that way.
> Observer discomfort: Our social behaviour is
governed by a number of unspoken rules about
behaviour, such as the way we maintain eye contact or
personal space. When others break these rules we
experience discomfort. But this does not necessarily
indicate abnormal behaviour, for instance different
cultures may well have different social rules about
behaviour.
• Violation of moral and ideal standards: When moral
standards are violated, this behaviour may be judged to
be abnormal