The document outlines objectives related to defining and applying the concept of Deviation from Social Norms (DSN) to understand abnormality. It discusses DSN and identifies limitations, such as social norms changing over time and differing between cultures. This means the definition of abnormality is not universal. Failure to Function Adequately (FFA) is also discussed, outlining its characteristics and limitations, such as environmental factors sometimes causing failure to function rather than psychological abnormality. Deviation from Ideal Mental Health (DIMH) is explained as identifying abnormality based on deviation from characteristics of ideal mental health, but it is limited by criteria being too idealistic and subjective judgments required.

1. Objectives
• Be able to define social norms
• Be able to outline the Deviation from
Social Norms definition
• Be able to identify limitations of the DSN
definition
• Be able to apply DSN to Tourettes
syndrome
Some will be able to
• Apply DSN to other disorders (e.g.
Depression, schizophrenia)

2. Abnormality
Definitions:
Deviation from Social Norms
Failure to Function Adequately
Deviation from Ideal Mental Health

3. Deviation from
Social Norms
- Those who
break the
‘rules/norms’ of
society are
abnormal
Definitions Deviation from
Failure to
Function Ideal Mental
Health
Adequately
- Those who lack
- Those who
characteristics of
can’t cope with ideal mental
daily life are health are
abnormal abnormal

4. Deviation from Social Norms
Recap: What are social norms?
What are the 2 types?
Social norms allow for the regulation of normal social
behaviour. All societies have norms for appropriate
behaviours and beliefs (expectations of how people
should behave/think
Examples:
- A behaviour to suggest you are ‘normal’ e.g. Being quiet in
the cinema
- A behaviour to suggest you are ‘abnormal’ e.g. Talking loudly
in the cinema

5. Deviation from Social Norms
Deviation from Social
Norms
Someone is abnormal if
they do not follow/break
social norms

6. What’s wrong with it?
Discuss with the person next to you potential problems
with the DSN definition
Does it
Would it account for
include different
everyone? times in
history?
Does it
account for
difference
cultures?

7. DSN – Limitations (A02)
P – Social norms change over time and therefore a
behaviour that broke social norms in the past wouldn’t
now
E – For example an unmarried mother in the 1940/50’s
would have been breaking social norms and so would have
been classed as abnormal
E – This is a limitation because it brings into question
that validity of this definition in terms of defining
abnormality – society has changed not the individual

8. DSN – Limitations (A02)
P – Social norms differ between cultures
E – For example in British culture it is considered polite
to finish the food on your plate, but in India to finish all
food from your plate is a sign that you are still hungry
E – This is a limitation because it means that the
definition is different according to culture and the same
criteria cannot be applied universally

9. DSN – Limitations (A02)
P – DSN does not distinguish between ‘abnormal’
behaviour and deviant behaviour
E – For example a drink-driver may have broken a social
norm but would not be considered to have a mental
abnormality
E – This is a limitation because some behaviours are
deviant but not indicators of mental illness so the DSN
definition is inadequate in identifying abnormality

10. Objectives
• Be able to outline and identify DSN
• Be able to list the 5 characteristics of the FFA
definition
• Be able to apply the characteristics of FFA to
depression
• Be able to identify limitations of FFA
Some will be able to-
• Be able to apply the characteristics of FFA to
other disorders
• Be able to explain limitations of FFA

11. Failure to Function
Adequately
Failing to function is generally taken to mean that a person is unable to
cope with everyday life.
Their behaviour is seen to be maladaptive, disruptive (to work) and causing
distress (self and others)
Rosenham & Seligman (1989)
suggested the
characteristics
It is the presence of these
characteristics that indicate
Psychological abnormality

12. Failure to Function
Adequately
Personal Distress
• Suffering Psychological distress
Observer Distress
• Causes discomfort to others
Maladaptive Behaviour
• Behaviour interferes with ability to cope with normal life
• Maladaptive or dysfunctional
Unpredictable Behaviour
• Behaviour that doesn’t fit the situation, or is unexpected and
uncontrolled
Irrational Behaviour
• Behaviour that doesn’t make sense to others

13. What’s wrong with it?
Discuss with the person next to you potential problems
with the FFA definition
Could there
be other
What if the
reasons for
behaviour is
someone
desirable?
failing to
function? Can people
still function
normally
with an
abnormality?

14. FFA – Limitations (A02)
P – Failing to function does not always indicate the
presence of a psychological abnormality
E – For example in the current economic climate someone
might struggle to hold down/get a job because of limited
availability rather than a psychological abnormality
E – This is a limitation because environmental factors
beyond an individuals’ control may cause a failure to
function rather than a psychological abnormality

15. FFA – Limitations (A02)
P – The presence of an abnormality doesn’t always result
in a failure to function
E – For example an individual with depression may be able
to keep a job and run a family successfully
E – This is a limitation because it shows that this
definition is inadequate in truly identifying behaviours
that may be considered abnormal, as an abnormality
might not always result in an inability to function

16. FFA – Limitations (A02)
P – Behaviour that looks as if it’s a ‘failure to function’
may actually be desired/admired by society
E – For example some political prisoners will go on hunger
strike as part of their political protest will often be
respected
E – This is a limitation because although starving
yourself may be seen as irrational, maladaptive and
unpredictable (failing to function) but it is
understandable in a certain context & not an indication of
an abnormality

17. Deviation from Ideal Mental Health
This defintion stands out because it
doesn’t directly define abnormality,
but it outlines ‘ideal mental health’
and considers someone with an
abnormality will deviate from these
characteristics
Marie Jahoda (1958) created a list of
characteristics indicating psychological health
and therefore an absence of these
characteristics suggests abnormality

18. Characteristics...
Strong sense of self- • Individual should be in touch with their own
identity identity and feelings
• Individual should be resistant to stress and
Resistant to stress it’s negative effects
• Individual should be focussed on the future
Self-actualisation and fulfilling their potential
• Individual should be able to function
Autonomy independently, recognising own needs with an
accurate perception of reality
• Individual should show understanding towards
Empathy others

19. What’s wrong with it?
Discuss with the person next to you potential problems
with the DIMH definition
Can you
easily decide Anything
what ‘normal’ else?
is?
Can anyone
realistically
fulfil all of
the criteria?

20. DIMH – Limitations (A02)
P – The criteria of this definition are too idealistic
E – For example Maslow (1968) argued that very few
people actually ever reach self-actualisation
E – This is a limitation because if this definition is true
many of us would be considered abnormal as the criteria
for ideal mental health is set too high.

21. DIMH – Limitations (A02)
P – The definition requires a subjective judgement on
how many criteria need to be absent to determine
abnormality
E – For example one individual might consider a lack of 2
criteria and another an absence of 4 criteria before
considering the individual abnormal
E – This is a limitation because using a subjective
judgement in this way decreases the reliability and
validity of the definition RM recap
What does reliability mean?
What does validity mean?

22. DIMH – Limitations (A02)
P – The criteria of this definition are based on Western
culture – the definition is ethnocentric
E – For example, Jahoda’s emphasis on personal growth
and autonomy reflect Western individualistic culture
rather than collectivist culture
E – This is a limitation because it means that the
definition is subjective, may therefore be biased and the
same criteria cannot be applied universally.