Abnormal Psychology
Normality/Abnormality
Mental Health Criteria
Learning Outcome: Examine the concepts of normality and abnormality. Discuss
validity and reliability in diagnosis.
Success Criteria: Use of DSM and other avenues to define normality and identify
mental disorders.
Lets look at the ib handout
 Abnormal Psychology
What does normal mean?
 In groups of 2-3, come up with your best
definition for the word “normal.”
 Use this definition to discuss what
“abnormality” could mean.
Statistical Abnormality
 Assumes average behavior.
 Statistically unusual behavior is attributed to
mental illness, perhaps because assuming that
people are suffering from some sort of
psychiatric condition helps us understand the
strangeness of their behavior.
Deviation from Social Norms
 Social norms are not necessarily related to statistical
norms.
 The expected behavior is that which the rules of
society and culture dictate is appropriate for that
context.
 When people violate such rules, we have a tendency to
assume there is something wrong with them, and it is
easy to attribute this to some kind of madness.
However, there are three key problems with this
approach. Can you think of what they might be?
3 problems with Social Norms
Approach:
 Social norms vary enormously across cultures and
social institutions.
 Historical variation. Past models of madness
would now be acceptable.
 What is considered to be sociably acceptable or
unacceptable has been established by groups with
social power. (In your groups discuss who in your
society/culture, makes the rules.)
 Think about behavior you have seen in another
culture that you found strange. Then think
about behavior that is normal in your culture
that might be considered strange in another
culture.
 Why is it important to understand the influence
of culture and history on the way we view
behavior?
Maladaptiveness & Adequate
Functioning
 Another way to decide what is abnormal is to assume that
all humans perform behaviors that are good for them in
their particular environment context.
 Behaviors that threaten one’s ability to function well within
the social context can be considered maladaptive.
 This approach works well when we consider such
conditions such as alcoholism and anorexia, where it is
clear that a persons health is in danger.
 What else falls into this category? Discuss.
Practice
 Read pages 144-148 in your textbook.