Defining Abnormality Essay -- Papers

Defining unregularity One manner of defining abnormality is in terms of characteristics or behaviours that are statistically infrequent (the deviation from statistical norms comment). However, this does non civilize into account the desirability of a characteristic or behaviour. The description withal fails to recognise that in all cultures large numbers of people may engage in behaviours that constitute kind disorders. A further caper is the trouble to identify how far a person must yield before being abnormal. Such decisions are difficult to brand name and then consequently justify. The deviation from ideal mental health definition proposes that abnormal people do not possess characteristics that mental sun-loving people do, or possess characteristics that mentally he althy people do not. This particular definition relies on value judgements about what constitutes ideal mental health. It is to a fault bound by culture, era-dependent, and limited by the context in which behaviour occurs. Abnormality has also been defined as a failure to function adequately (by not achieving some sense of individual(prenominal) public assistance and making some contribution to a larger social group). Experiencing personal distress or discomfort, causing distress to others, and behaving in an unexpected or bizarre manner are often the reasons why people fuck off to the attention of psychologists. Many consider the failure to function adequately definition as being the most useful single approach, and the one clo... ...ly rational, and polish accurately the unfortunate circumstances in which a person is living. Attempts to cast off the blame on to the patient may inhibit efforts to produce delectable behaviour. Each of the model s explain the origins of abnormality in different ways. However, these models are not necessarily mutually exclusive, since each is effectively examining a different grimace of the individual. The biological model observes that learned behaviour can be maladjustive whilst the cognitive model claims that thoughts can be irrational and therefore also maladaptive. The behaviourist model states that abnormal behaviour is learnt in the same way as other types of behaviour through stimulus-response mechanisms and operant conditioning. Each of the models is font to certain practical and ethical considerations also.