Normality

vs Abnormality

Abnormal Psychology
Syllabus
Content
 ● Many factors may affect the
reliability and validity of
Essential Understandings diagnosis
● There are ethical considerations
for diagnosing mental illness.
● Concepts of normality and the
classification of psychological
disorders is not universal.
Concepts of Normality and Abnormality
The study of psychological disorders is called “abnormal psychology”.

It is difficult to define and therefore it is difficult to diagnose because it

is, to a large extent, based on the symptoms people exhibit or report.

Since there is no clear definition of normality—or abnormality—and

symptoms of the same psychological disorders may vary not only
between individuals but also between social and cultural groups, it is
clear that a psychiatric diagnosis may be biased or even wrong.
 For each of the following situations, determine whether you think that the
person’s behavior should be considered normal, dysfunctional or abnormal. Be
able to justify your decision.
 For each of the following situations, determine whether you think that the
person’s behavior should be considered normal, dysfunctional or abnormal. Be
able to justify your decision.
 For each of the following situations, determine whether you think that the
person’s behavior should be considered normal, dysfunctional or abnormal. Be
able to justify your decision.
It is important to point out:
1. Behaviours are assessed along a continuum from normal
to abnormal.
2. There are cultural factors in determining abnormality.
For example, tattoos are very normal in Samoan
society, as is transgendered behaviour
3. All of us have dysfunctional behaviours at different times in our
lives. Often the question of both extent and duration are
necessary for defining a behaviour as dysfunctional and
potentially a disorder.
4. Definitions of what is "abnormal" change over time - for
example, homosexuality is no longer considered a disorder by
the APA.
Normality
Normality is often linked to the concept of “mental health” – the
psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of
emotional and behavioral adjustment.
Let’s research...the following broad approaches to defining abnormality:
● abnormality as a deviation from social norms
● abnormality as inadequate functioning
● abnormality as a deviation from ideal mental health
● abnormality as statistical infrequency
● the medical model of abnormality
Thinking about Abnormality-
https://youtu.be/Bmr-DG_bxvk
 Culture also plays a key role in what is considered
normal. In Western culture, hearing voices and
having conversations with those voices, is
considered a symptom specific to schizophrenia.

Culture and Luhrmann et al (2014) has argued that this is due

to cultural differences. The team carried out

Abnormality interviews in Ghana of 20 people reporting that

they heard voices from God or other spirits. They
did not feel that this was a sign of psychiatric
illness because their culture believes that spirits
can talk to us. This example clearly shows that
what is considered a sign of abnormal behaviour
in one culture may be considered normal and
healthy in another.
Let’s Reflect

What do you think?

Is hearing voices an abnormal behaviour?

Do you agree with Eleanor Longden?

Was she mistreated because of her symptoms?

https://www.ted.com/talks/eleanor_longden_the_v
oices_in_my_head?language=en
Let’s Reflect

How you or your culture express Ethan Watters:

distress? The Culturally Specific Nature of
Why do you think that it is important Trauma
that psychologists from another culture
should understand cultural differences? https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvmnwa
 Li-Repac (1980)

One area of psychology that started to receive a lot more attention in the 1980's is the role of cultural
stereotyping. A psychiatrist's stereotypes about a culture may influence his or her diagnosis.

It may mean that a certain ethnic group is over-diagnosed because of stereotyping. it can also be the case that a
therapist's bias may result in under-diagnosis of a person from a different cultural background in an attempt to be
sensitive to cultural differences (Li-Repac). The following study looks at the role of stereotyping in diagnosis.

https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/page/24537/li-repac-1980-
Learner Profile: Building Empathy
Films of people living with Disorders:
● Alcohol - old before your time
● Borderline Personality Disorder - what is it?
● I had a black dog, his name was depression.
● Living with bipolar disorder
● Living with high-functioning anxiety disorder -
a comedian shares what it's like to only be
confident on stage.
● Living with schizophrenia
● Risky drinking
● Tourette's and me
Writing an ERQ:
The question that may be asked for this topic is:
Discuss concepts of normality and abnormality.
This is rather an atypical question as the focus of the response will be more on
theories (conceptual vs. practical definitions) than on research. Ways to include
research include:
● Research that demonstrates cultural differences. For example,
Bolton (2002) or Parker et al (2001)
● Studies that demonstrate the difficulties of measuring distress or
dysfunction. For example, Li-Repac (1980)
● Studies that show how people may be mislabelled based on a single
symptom - for example, Rosenhan's "Being Sane in Insane Places" study.
References ● https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/p
age/22452/diagnosis
● https://www.thinkib.net/psychology/p
age/27274/alp-11-defining-normality
● IB Psychology, Oxford Course
Companion