...and evaluate definitions of abnormality The first definition of abnormality is deviation from the social norm. This means that the person is not conforming to the expected and accepted patterns of behaviour in society. There are two types of social norms which can be broken by ‘not normal’ patterns of behaviour, Implicit and Explicit. Implicit rules are those which are implied, for example using cutlery to eat a roast dinner. Whilst there is no law stating that this must be done, it would be deemed unusual by other members of society. The other rule, explicit, refers to stated rules, for example the law. One example of an individual breaking an explicit rule would be committing Murder. There are however several issues with using deviation from social norm to determine abnormality. The first being cultural relativism, meaning social norms vary between cultures. For example in many African-American tribes, hearing the voices of the recently deceased is seen as a blessing. In the west, it is diagnosed as schizophrenia. Further to this, the definition does not allow for eccentric behaviour, which does not necessarily mean a person is mentally ill, ie. A rugby streaker may not be abnormal, but may just seek attention. A final drawback to this approach is that it does not define the difference between a criminal and a person with a mental health issue. A burglar, for example, may simply have a criminal mind but not be abnormal. The second definition of abnormality is the failure...
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...‘Critically consider definitions of abnormality’ Abnormal psychology (or psychopathology) deals with sets of behaviors or symptoms that produce a functional impairment in people’s lives. There are many definitions to consider in Abnormality, and below i have stated them. Statistical Infrequency.In this definition of abnormality, behaviors which are seen as statistically rare, are said to be abnormal. However this definition obviously has limitations, it fails to recognize the desirability of the particular behavior. This definition also implies that the presence of abnormal behavior in people should be rare or statistically unusual, which is not the case. Instead, any specific abnormal behavior may be unusual, but it is not unusual for people to experience some form of prolonged abnormal behavior at some point in their lives. Deviation from Social Norms defines the departure or deviation of an individual, from society's norms. For example if some was to witness a man running around nude on the streets, the man would be perceived as abnormal, as he has broken society's norms about wearing clothing. There are also a number of factors to be examined before reaching a judgment as to whether someone has deviated from society's norms. The first of these factors being culture. What may be seen as normal in one culture, may be seen as abnormal in another. The second factor being the situation & context the person is placed in. For example going to the toilet is a normal...
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...Discuss two or more definitions of abnormality (12 marks) One definition of abnormality is “deviation from social norms” and under this definition a person’s thinking or behaviour is classified as abnormal if it violates the unwritten rules about what is expected or acceptable behaviour in a particular social group. Behaviour may be incomprehensible to others or make others feel threatened or uncomfortable. For example, someone would be classified as being abnormal if they laughed at a funeral, as this is socially unacceptable. A weakness of this definition is that it lacks cultural relativity as social behaviour varies when different cultures are compared. For e.g. it’s common in south Europe to stand much closer to strangers than in the UK. As well as this voice pitch and volume, touching, directions of gaze and acceptable subjects for discussion have all been found to vary between cultures. This means what is considered deviant or abnormal varies considerably across cultures, thus weakening this definition. Another limitation of deviation from social norms is that it lacks time validity. This is because social norms change over time; behaviour that was once seen as abnormal may be acceptable and vice versa. For example, drink driving was once considered acceptable but is now seen as socially unacceptable whereas homosexuality has changed the other way. Until 1980 homosexuality was considered a psychological disorder but is considered acceptable today. This is a weakness...
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...Discuss two or more definitions of abnormality (12 marks) One definition of abnormality is “deviation from social norms” and under this definition a person’s thinking or behaviour is classified as abnormal if it violates the unwritten rules about what is expected or acceptable behaviour in a particular social group. Behaviour may be incomprehensible to others or make others feel threatened or uncomfortable. For example, someone would be classified as being abnormal if they laughed at a funeral, as this is socially unacceptable. A weakness of this definition is that it lacks cultural relativity as social behaviour varies when different cultures are compared. For e.g. it’s common in south Europe to stand much closer to strangers than in the UK. As well as this voice pitch and volume, touching, directions of gaze and acceptable subjects for discussion have all been found to vary between cultures. This means what is considered deviant or abnormal varies considerably across cultures, thus weakening this definition. Another limitation of deviation from social norms is that it lacks time validity. This is because social norms change over time; behaviour that was once seen as abnormal may be acceptable and vice versa. For example, drink driving was once considered acceptable but is now seen as socially unacceptable whereas homosexuality has changed the other way. Until 1980 homosexuality was considered a psychological disorder but is considered acceptable today. This is a weakness because...
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...To define abnormality there is three approaches these include ‘failure to function adequately’ ‘deviation from social norms’ and ‘deviation from mental health. All three of these definitions are all subjective, therefore by having only subjective definitions no experiments to find direct cause and effect can not be found as you can only do this by having facts. Deviation from social norms shows how implicit and explicit rules effect whom is abnormal. Anyone who breaks either set of rules is therefore abnormal. Implicit rules are rules that or not illegal but are looked down upon by society such as public affection. Explicit rules are the opposite as they are illegal which can therefore end in imprisonment. Actions such as rape and murder are explicit. This definition does acknowledge the concept of cultural relativism (culture bound syndromes). However can not have a universal definition as it varies from culture to culture. Although Kraepelin ‘23 has found that disorders such as depression are worldwide disorders as it is the symptoms and effects are the same from culture to culture. The definition suggests that if a certain behaviour from a person is socially acceptable from their society than it is not abnormal. Therefore no society is ‘bad’ even if they appear that way to someone or another culture. An example of this is the japanese ‘Kamikazes’ As the culture was acceptant of their behaviour it was not abnormal although it may have seemed to other cultures. This approach...
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...Abnormal Psychology Charlett Thornton Psy/410 July 2, 2013 Kellie Smith There has never been a complete meaning of abnormality approved by the psychological community. “However, being able to understand and having knowledge of unusual outlook is important in assessing a person’s behavior to decide what the meaning is” (Hansell & Damour, 2008). Strange behavior is normally considered as behavior that is the opposite of the norm for society, with normal behavior being the opposite. With this ability, it’s exceptionally important to examine the topic of the strange state of mind to be able to properly classify normal and abnormal behavior. It examines the base of abnormal behavior and the issues that surround normal and abnormal behavior. It will also examine the development of the abnormal state of mind as the way it has developed into a scientific field. This paper will also look at the humanistic, psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, existential, family system, and many other characteristics that are relevant to the growth of abnormal psychology. Abnormal psychology is what many psychologists look into when they want to know what goes into a deeper abnormality of psychology. It has however become somewhat controversial. It is such a vas psychology that covers a wide range of abnormalities. It can range all the way from obsessive compulsive disorder to deep depression. What looks normal on the outside may be completely abnormal on the inside. What one therapist may...
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...Congenital Abnormalities Every year, thousands of infants and new born babies’ lives are taken away; both from them and their parents. Imagine the pain a family encounters after carrying a child for nine months and once the water breaks, being informed that there is a congenital defect with the new born child. The term alone would horrify a mother without being aware of the definition or even cause of the problem the child has encountered. A congenital defect is a birth defect that can be defined as problems that occur while a fetus is developing in the womb. Congenital defects can affect the way the body looks or functions and range from mild to severe. Some defects such as cleft lip or palate can be easily and safely treated, however, defects such as Down syndrome, heart or brain defects, and things along those lines may need life-long treatment to manage. The most severe congenital defects prove fatal and lead to infant death. In 2005, 5,571 infants died as a result of congenital defects. Birth defects are generally grouped into one of three major categories, structural or metabolic, congenital infections, or “other.” Being that this is such a broad break down of categories, it is made evident that not only is it unclear whether a child is born with an abnormality until various tests are done to come to the conclusion that there may be something wrong with a child. Structural or metabolic abnormalities include heart defects and neural defects where some part of the body...
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...Outline and evaluate the behavioural approach to abnormality. The behavioural approach to abnormality focuses on observable behaviour not what is in the mind. This approach says that behaviour is learned through a process called conditioning. There are three types of conditioning these are; classical, operant and social learning. The first type of conditioning is classical. Classical conditioning says that behaviours are learnt through a stimulus-response association. This means when someone has an experience (stimulus) and it causes a reaction (response) then that person might associate that stimulus and response every time. For example if someone saw a snake (stimulus) and someone screamed (Response) then a child could associate snakes with screaming and become scared. Classical conditioning is believed to be the cause of phobias. This was shown in the study of Little Albert. The next type of conditioning is operant. Operant conditioning is the child being conditioned by reinforcement and reward/punishment. Operant conditioning is based on two types of reinforcement, positive and negative. Positive reinforcement is behaving in a particular way because it brings a rewarding feeling, whereas negative reinforcement is behaving in a particular way to avoid a punishing feeling. This was looked at by Skinner and was tested in experiments like Skinner’s rats and Pavlov’s dogs. This theory can be also used to explain conditions like OCD. This is because being tidy as...
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...ancient Greece and Rome, yet there were individuals who took a less animistic approach and viewed the behaviors and actions from a biological and scientific aspect (Hansell, 2008). According to the New World Encyclopedia, abnormal psychology is defined as; “a field devoted to the study of causes of mental dysfunctions” (NWE, 2010). Remarkably, this definition as well as many others is indefinite and very vague giving that this field is about 100 years old. The description of what signifies as being abnormal has fluctuated over time as well as cultures. In addition, individuals in society vary in what they may regard as being normal or abnormal behavior. However, throughout the history of this field, decisions on how to define, classify, and explain what abnormal or normal is has been a very difficult task to do. The reason for such difficulty is because of the awareness that defining abnormality creates certain concrete glitches like individuals being wrongly considered or identified as mentally ill, which can lead to some serious ramifications for a mistake of this magnitude. The scientific characterization of abnormality is determined on the five criteria, which are also referred to as the present-day diagnostic tool of abnormal psychology. The five criteria which are used are; help seeking, irrationality and dangerousness, deviance,...
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...DEFINITION OF A PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER The simplest way to conceptualize a psychiatric disorder is a disturbance of Cognition (i.e. Thought), Conation (i.e. Action), or Affect (i.e. Feeling), or any disequilibrium between the three domains. However, this simple definition is not very useful in routine clinical practice Another way to define a psychiatric disorder or mental disorder a clinically significant disturbance in " cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior" that indicates a dysfunction in" mental functioning" that are associated with "significant distress or disdability" in work, relationships, or other areas of functioning. In addition the definition states that expectable reactions to common stressors are not mental disorders....
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...Abstract The study of psychiatric illnesses, mainly abnormal behaviors can expect that there are no viewpoints considered to have enough resources that insist to have a large amount of time or energy put into the study. Though abnormal illness is a medical model and adopted through the relation of science many believe that abnormality is caused through the brain not working correctly. Many methods do not have a physical cause, but finding the source and how abnormal psychology has developed into a science of ensuring a proper behavior. Historical Perspectives of Abnormal Psychology For hundreds of years Mental illness has been brought up in many conversations with many individuals because there is a fascination regarding why certain individuals behave unusually, as a result many explanations have been developed within each century. Abnormality of an individual’s behavior has been seen as far back as the Stone Age, through writings, and inspection of skulls that were found and believed to have a hole in the forehead, but also believed to be a result of a surgical procedure called trephining. The Egyptians even believed that the cause to this abnormal behavior was to be of demon possession of the body and mind. During the Golden Age of in Greece anxiety and hysteria, as what we refer to as mental conditions, The Greece...
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...It is also sometimes used to look at the skull. A neck CT checks the soft tissues of the neck and is frequently used to study a mass or lump in the neck or to look for enlarged glands or lymph nodes. A Chest CT is frequently used to further study an abnormality on a plain chest X-ray. It is also often used to look for enlarged lymph nodes. Pelvic and abdominal CT looks at the abdominal and pelvic organs (such as the liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, and adrenal glands) and the gastrointestinal tract. These studies are often ordered to check for a cause of pain. A sinus CT exam is used to both diagnose sinus disease and to detect an obstruction or narrowing in the sinus drainage pathway. A spine CT test is commonly used to detect the herniated disc or narrowing of the spinal canal (spinal stenosis) in people with neck, back, arm, and/or leg pain. It is also used to detect a fracture or break in the spine. nursing management before CT scan: Explain procedure to the patient and why it is required...
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...Tourette syndrome is the overarching component that ties all of this information together; it helps to understand the biological forces that are behind this neurological disorder. The damage or abnormality of the basal ganglia is believed to be the cause of Tourette syndrome. Another important component to understand is the basic definition of Tourette syndrome, which is the surge of involuntary movements and vocal outbursts. Tourette syndrome’s cause is unknown; it is believed due to current research that abnormalities in certain areas of he brain, which includes: the basal ganglia, frontal lobes, and cortex. Also, the connecting circuits of these regions, and the neurotransmitters, which include: dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters are responsible for communication among nerve...
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...2 | Introduction………………………………………………………………… | 3 | Definition of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)…………………………….. | 3 | Characteristics of FAS……………………………………………………… | 4 | Affect of FAS on babies……………………………………………………. | 5 | Affect of alcohol on the brain……………………………………………… | 6 | The role the South African context has played in FAS…………………….| 7 | Conclusion………………………………………………………………….. | 8 | REFERENCES | 9 | Appendix A…………………………………………………………………. | 11 | Appendix B…………………………………………………………………. | 12 | Appendix C…………………………………………………………………. | 13 | | | Introduction South Africa has the highest rate of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome in the world! The draft South African liquor bill released on Monday 6th February 2012 will prohibit the sale of alcohol to pregnant women if it is passed. It is the first time that the South African government has proposed legislation to assist controlling the alcohol intake of women. (“Liquor Surprise for Pregnant Women,” 2012) But is this enough to meaningfully diminish the consumption of alcohol by pregnant women in South Africa? Within this context the following questions will be addressed: What is Foetal Alcohol Syndrome? How is FAS characterised? How is a baby affected by Foetal Alcohol Syndrome? How does alcohol affect the brain? What kind of role has the South African context played in FAS? Definition of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) The South African...
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...Critically Evaluate the Law in the areas of Murder and Voluntary Manslaughter and include the consideration of possible reforms. Homicide, in English criminal law is a generic term covering offences such as murder, manslaughter and death by dangerous driving. What they all have in common is the unlawful killing of a human being, and what distinguishes them is the state of mind of the defendant who has caused the death or the defences available to them. According to Coke's classic definition, Murder is when a man of sound memory and of an age of discretion unlawfully killed within the any country of the realm any reasonable creature in rerum natura (the person) under the King's peace with malice afore thought either expressed by the party or implied by law. [So as the party wounded etc die of the wound or hurt, etc within a year and a day of the same]. Coke's definition should not be read literally and it is neither accurate or helpful. For instance, any person can be found guilty of murder and the year and a day rule was abolished by S1 law Reform Act 1996. The reference to 'malice afore thought' this suggests some element of planning and ill will on the part of the murder when in truth it can be spontaneous and the law requires no evidence of ill will. From the outset it should be started that a few centuries of Jurisprudence and the odd statutory intervention such fundamental terms as causation & intention let alone when does life begin and end should have been well matured...
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