Limitations:
Point: main difficulty with the concept of deviation from social norms = varies as time changes
Evidence: What is socially accepted now may not have been socially acceptable 50 years ago e.g. homosexuality
Explanation: definition will be constantly altered with regards to the prevailing social norms/ attitudes time change = social attitude change no standardised/generalised based on deviation from ‘social norms’.

Limitations:
Point: main difficulty with the concept of deviation from social norms = varies as time changes
Evidence: What is socially accepted now may not have been socially acceptable 50 years ago e.g. homosexuality
Explanation: definition will be constantly altered with regards to the prevailing social norms/ attitudes time change = social attitude change no standardised/generalised based on deviation from ‘social norms’.

Limitations:
Point: attempts to define abnormality influenced by cultural factors (cultural relativism)
Evidence: Western European society’s accept sex between consenting adults of any gender where s it may be classified abnormal in a different culture e.g. Sub-Saharan Africa
Explanation: different cultures = different standards

Limitations:
Point: attempts to define abnormality influenced by cultural factors (cultural relativism)
Evidence: Western European society’s accept sex between consenting adults of any gender where s it may be classified abnormal in a different culture e.g. Sub-Saharan Africa
Explanation: different cultures = different standards

Definition 1
Deviation from social norms: Abnormal behaviour is seen as a deviation from implicit rules about how one ‘ought’ to behave. Anything that violates these rules is considered abnormal.

Example: * Social norm = politeness

* ‘oils’ the wheels of interpersonal relations

* People who are rude or ‘surly’ are behaving