Queensland Academy Of Science, Mathematics And Technology
Psychology HL
Study guide
IB Psych HL Abnormal Revision Guide
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Course
Psychology HL
Institution
Queensland Academy Of Science, Mathematics And Technology
An in-depth, complete and well-written guide to acing the Abnormal Section of Psychology HL for the IB. Provides definitions, examiner approver advice, essay scaffolds, and studies - that have been both summarised and analyzed to provide you with strengths and limitations. Written by a 7 student an...
Syllabus Question: Examine the concepts of normality and abnormality.
There are four definitions for abnormality:
I. Statistical Infrequency defines abnormality as deviation from the statistical norm
meaning infrequently occurring behavior.
II. Deviation from social norms defines abnormality as behavior which departs from what
is acceptable in a particular society
III. Dysfunctional behavior defines abnormality as psychological distress or discomfort that
causes a person to not be able to function properly
IV. Deviation from ideal mental health defines abnormality as behavior which departs
from that which is considered ideal
Statistical infrequency
Using this definition behavior that occurs frequently is normal and that that is rare as
abnormal. Some behaviors can be measure quantitatively such as the level of anxiety, but for
other more subjective behaviors it is harder to measure it quantitatively and therefore hard
to measure it statistically.
Problems with measuring abnormality through statistical infrequency
I. Many behaviors that are statistically rare are desirable and healthy.
II. There are many behaviors that have been the norm in a particular society or culture yet
we wouldn’t really call it normal nor would it be appropriate to label those who
showed a different behavior as abnormal.
III. This approach equates normality with conformity yet many non-conformists are
valuable and without whom significant advances would never be made.
IV. There is no agreed definition of how much behavior must deviate from the norm before
it is considered abnormal.
Deviation from social norms
Social norms are standards that society sets according to which it expects its members to
behave. These standards are the explicit and implicit rules for appropriate conduct. This
approach known as cultural relativism is to classify anyone who violates these conventional
rules of conduct as abnormal. According to this view, behavior cannot be considered
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, Abnormal Psychology
abnormal as long as society accepts it. This definition means that abnormal behavior can
never have a universal meaning since it varies from culture to culture.
Problems with measuring abnormality through deviation from social norms
I. Through this approach abnormal behavior can never have a universal meaning as
judgments will vary from society to society.
II. This view assumes that if a behavior is social acceptable then it is normal that one set
of standards is as good as any other. But, same as statistical infrequency, there are
many behaviors that occur or occurred that were socially normal but many of us would
see it as normal. For example, behaviors shown in Nazi Germany were considered
normal and deviations from it were abnormal.
III. Standards within society change from time to time and vary between different
subgroups. Different sections within one society can set different standards by which to
judge abnormality.
Dysfunctional behavior
This approach states that behavior is abnormal if it is maladaptive, in that it hinders our
physical survival and/or the realization of our potential.
Rosenhan and Seligman (1989) suggest that dysfunctional behavior can be judged based on
seven criteria.
I. Personal distress: experiencing unpleasant emotional experiences such as guilt, anxiety
and depression to an excessive degree.
II. Maladaptiveness: behavior that interferes with the ability to meet everyday
responsibilities and cope with everyday demands
III. Irrationality: behavior which has no rational basis and is unconnected to reality
IV. Unpredictability: behavior which is impulsive and seemingly uncontrollable and
disrupts the lives of others
V. Statistically infrequent: abnormal behavior is shown by a minority and the majority
VI. Observer discomfort: breaking the unwritten and unspoken rules by which most
people abide and the violation of which makes others feel uncomfortable
VII. Violation of moral and ideal standards: behavior can be considered abnormal if it
violates moral standards even when most people in a particular group or culture
practice that behavior
This approach has the major advantage of recognizing a person’s subjective experience as a
means of helping to define who is abnormal. This approach includes statistical rarity and
deviations of social norms and therefore helps make this definition a more practical one in
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