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PSYCHOPATHOLOGY - AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY (PAPER 1) EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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PSYCHOPATHOLOGY - AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY (PAPER 1) EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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PSYCHOPATHOLOGY - AQA A LEVELPSYCHOLOGY (PAPER 1) EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is abnormality? (define) - Answer-Showing behaviour that is different from the
majority of people.
What are the 4 definitions of abnormality? - Answer-Statistical deviation
Deviation from social norms
Failure to function adequately
Deviation from ideal mental health
*S*hould *D*ogs *F*ly *D*rones?
What is statistical deviation? And when is this approach of defining abnormality useful?
- Answer-Occurs when an individual has a less common characteristic, for example
being more depressed or less intelligent than most of the population.
Useful when dealing with characteristics that can be measured - e.g, intelligence.
What are the 3 evaluation points for statistical deviation? - Answer-✔️ *Real life
application* - diagnosis of intellectual disability disorder.
• Used for measurement of severity - useful part of clinical assessment.
❌*Unusual characteristics can be positive.*
• E.g, an IQ over 130 is just as unusual as those below 70, but high IQ is not something
in need of treatment.
• Therefore, statistical deviation alone can't be used to make a diagnosis
❌*Labelling is not beneficial*.
• If someone is leading a healthy life, there is no benefit in labelling them as abnormal -
more likely to have a negative effect.
What is deviation from social norms? And what is an example of this? - Answer-
Concerns behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a
community, culture, or society.
Social norms are specific to the culture we live in.
Antisocial personality disorder is a key example - don't conform to social/moral
standards.
What are the evaluation points for deviation from social norms? - Answer-✔️ *Real-life
application* - diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. Place for it when thinking
about abnormal behaviour
BUT - not a sole explanation. Other factors to consider, and in practice deviation from
social norms is never the sole reason for defining abnormality
❌*Cultural relativism*.
, • Social norms vary from one generation to another, and from one culture to another.
• Means that a person from one cultural group may label someone from another group
as abnormal according to their standards.
• Creates problems for people from one culture living within another cultural group.
❌*Can lead to human rights abuses*.
• Many diagnoses were used to maintain control over minority groups - e.g,
drapetomania was a diagnosis for slaves running away.
• When our social norms change, classifications may also change. E.g, homosexuality
in the UK - used to be illegal.
What is failure to function adequately? And what are the 3 signs? - Answer-Occurs
when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day-to-day living.
Signs:
• Individual no longer conforms to standard interpersonal rules - e.g, maintaining eye
contact and respecting personal space
• Individual experiences severe personal distress
• Individual's behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves or others.
What are the evaluation points for failure to function adequately? - Answer-
❌*Subjective judgements*.
• Someone has to judge whether a patient is distressed. Methods of making this
objective - but psychiatrist still have to judge & this is subjective.
❌*Could be deviation from social norms*.
• Hard to differentiate between someone failing to function or just not conforming to
social norms.
• E.g, not having a job is a sign of failing to function, but they may just be choosing to
live that lifestyle.
• Significant - limits personal freedom.
✔️ *Patient's perspective*.
• Attempts to include the subjective experience of the individual.
• Acknowledges experience of patient - useful when assessing abnormality.
What is deviation from ideal mental health? What is the list of criteria for this, and who
came up with it? - Answer-Occurs when someone does not meet a set of criteria for
good mental health.
Marie Jahoda (1958) came up with criteria for good mental health:
• Have no symptoms of distress
• Rational and can perceive ourselves accurately
• Self-actualise (reach our potential)
• Can cope with stress
• Realistic view of the world
• Independent of other people
• Can successfully work, love, and enjoy our leisure
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