Psychology Notes for AS & A2

AQA Specification A

Module 2

Individual Differences - Defining Psychological Abnormality

Abnormality is exceedingly difficult to define; there is no real satisfactory answer. The most common ways of trying to define it are as follows:

Dictionary Definition

The dictionary may say "not normal", but if we look up normal, it may say "not abnormal".

Statistical Approach

We can look at how the majority of people are, and define anything else as not normal:

1869 Frances Galton

Frances Galton's Normal Distribution Curve

Frances Galton invented the "Normal Distribution Curve":

Any naturally occurring phenomenon tends to follow the bell-shaped curve. E.g. average height, life expectancy, intelligence levels.  The difficulty here is there is no difference between abnormal positive, and abnormal negative. By this method, Mother Theresa and Saddam Hussein would both be classed as abnormal.

Social Judgement Model

This model looks at behaviour which society says is unacceptable, and deems it abnormal.  This prompts the questions "Which Society?" and "At What Time?" as society changes its mind.

E.g. not being a cannibal is considered abnormal when part of a practising cannibal tribe.

E.g. at midnight on 1st January 1974 homosexuality ceased to be a medical illness. Prior to this courts had to decide if a homosexual was a criminal or insane. Treatments were available to try to "cure" homosexuality, and homosexuals could be committed to a
psychiatric hospital. De-sensitising treatment and aversion therapy were used.

E.g. You could be considered insane if you were not in agreement with the beliefs of communist state policy in the Soviet Union during the cold war.

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