AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER 1
1. STATISTICAL IN- abnormality is defined as those behaviours that are extremely rare, i.e. any
FREQUENCY behaviour that is found in very few people is regarded as abnormal.
e.g. IQ - statistically unusual if below 70. diagnosed w/ intellectual disability
disorder
2. DEVIATION behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a com-
FROM SOCIAL munity or society
NORMS
abnormality based on social context
example: antisocial personality disorder (formerly psychopathy) - failure to con-
form to lawful and culturally normal behaviour. psychopaths are abnormal be-
cause they deviate from social norms/standards.
3. STRENGTH OF all assessment of patients w/ mental disorders includes comparison to statistical
STATISTICAL norms.
INFREQUENCY:
REAL LIFE thus a useful part of clinical assessment.
APPLICATION
4. LIMITATION OF IQ scores of >130 are also statistically abnormal, but people with this are not
STATISTICAL IN- diagnosed w/ a disorder like those who have IQ<70.
FREQUENCY: UN-
USUAL `BAD limitation because this means it should never be used alone to make a diagnosis
5. LIMITATION OF if someone is happy and fulfilled, there is no benefit from being labelled as
STATISTICAL abnormal - could cause a negative view of self and others.
INFREQUENCY:
, AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER 1
NOT EVERYONE
BENEFITS FROM
A LABEL
6. LIMITATION OF different cultures label people differently - creates problems for people from one
DEVIATION culture living w/i another culture
FROM SOCIAL
NORMS: creates cultural bias in assessment
CULTURALLY
RELATIVE
7. LIMITATION OF too much reliance on this method of assessment and lead to systematic abuse of
DEVIATION human rights, for example diagnosing people with conditions for trying to escape
FROM SOCIAL slavery or being attracted to working-class people - diagnoses used for control.
NORMS: HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSES
8. FAILURE TO occurs when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day-to-day
FUNCTION ADE- living.
QUATELY
no longer conforming to interpersonal rules, experience personal distress, be-
have irrationally or dangerously.
9. DEVIATION occurs when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health. can
FROM IDEAL overlap w/ failure to function adequately
MENTAL HEALTH
10. JAHODA (1958) Six conditions of ideal mental health:
(1) positive self attitude
(2) self actualisation - realising your potential, being fulfilled.
(3) resistance to stress
(4) personal autonomy - making your own decisions, being in control.
, AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER 1
(5) accurate perception of reality
(6) adaption to the environment.
11. STRENGTH OF allows patient to discuss how they struggle to cope w/ everyday pressures -
FAILURE TO captures experience of those who need help
FUNCTION
ADEQUATELY:
RECOGNISES
PATIENT'S
PERSPECTIVE
12. LIMITATION OF hard to say when someone is really failing to function, or if they just deviate from
FAILURE TO social norms. e.e people who live alternative lifestyles. treating this as failures of
FUNCTION ADE- adequate functioning limits freedom.
QUATELY: SAME
AS DEVIATION
FROM SOCIAL
NORMS
13. LIMITATION OF someone has to judge distress - patients may feel distressed but may not be
FAILURE TO viewed as suffering.
FUNCTION AD-
EQUATELY: SUB-
JECTIVE
14. STRENGTH OF broad criteria of mental health covers most reasons why someone may seek help.
DEVIATION
FROM IDEAL
MENTAL
HEALTH:
COMPREHEN-
SIVE
, AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER 1
15. LIMITATION OF Johoda's classification may be specific to western norms. emphasis on self-actu-
DEVIATION alisation may be seen as self-indulgence on collectivist cultures.
FROM IDEAL
MENTAL
HEALTH:
CULTURALLY
RELATIVE
16. LIMITATION OF very few people actually attain all of the criteria at all times 4most people would
DEVIATION be viewed as abnormal.
FROM IDEAL
MENTAL
HEALTH:
UNREALISTICAL-
LY HIGH
STANDARD
17. CHARACTERIS- behavioural
TICS OF PHOBIAS - panic
- avoidance of phobic stimulus
emotional
- anxiety/fear
- unreasonable responses
cognitive
- selective attention twd phobic stimulus (difficult to focus elsewhere)
- irratoinal beliefs
18. CHARACTERIS- behavioural
TICS OF - low activity levels
DEPRESSION - disruption to sleep/eating
1. STATISTICAL IN- abnormality is defined as those behaviours that are extremely rare, i.e. any
FREQUENCY behaviour that is found in very few people is regarded as abnormal.
e.g. IQ - statistically unusual if below 70. diagnosed w/ intellectual disability
disorder
2. DEVIATION behaviour that is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a com-
FROM SOCIAL munity or society
NORMS
abnormality based on social context
example: antisocial personality disorder (formerly psychopathy) - failure to con-
form to lawful and culturally normal behaviour. psychopaths are abnormal be-
cause they deviate from social norms/standards.
3. STRENGTH OF all assessment of patients w/ mental disorders includes comparison to statistical
STATISTICAL norms.
INFREQUENCY:
REAL LIFE thus a useful part of clinical assessment.
APPLICATION
4. LIMITATION OF IQ scores of >130 are also statistically abnormal, but people with this are not
STATISTICAL IN- diagnosed w/ a disorder like those who have IQ<70.
FREQUENCY: UN-
USUAL `BAD limitation because this means it should never be used alone to make a diagnosis
5. LIMITATION OF if someone is happy and fulfilled, there is no benefit from being labelled as
STATISTICAL abnormal - could cause a negative view of self and others.
INFREQUENCY:
, AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER 1
NOT EVERYONE
BENEFITS FROM
A LABEL
6. LIMITATION OF different cultures label people differently - creates problems for people from one
DEVIATION culture living w/i another culture
FROM SOCIAL
NORMS: creates cultural bias in assessment
CULTURALLY
RELATIVE
7. LIMITATION OF too much reliance on this method of assessment and lead to systematic abuse of
DEVIATION human rights, for example diagnosing people with conditions for trying to escape
FROM SOCIAL slavery or being attracted to working-class people - diagnoses used for control.
NORMS: HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSES
8. FAILURE TO occurs when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day-to-day
FUNCTION ADE- living.
QUATELY
no longer conforming to interpersonal rules, experience personal distress, be-
have irrationally or dangerously.
9. DEVIATION occurs when someone does not meet a set of criteria for good mental health. can
FROM IDEAL overlap w/ failure to function adequately
MENTAL HEALTH
10. JAHODA (1958) Six conditions of ideal mental health:
(1) positive self attitude
(2) self actualisation - realising your potential, being fulfilled.
(3) resistance to stress
(4) personal autonomy - making your own decisions, being in control.
, AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER 1
(5) accurate perception of reality
(6) adaption to the environment.
11. STRENGTH OF allows patient to discuss how they struggle to cope w/ everyday pressures -
FAILURE TO captures experience of those who need help
FUNCTION
ADEQUATELY:
RECOGNISES
PATIENT'S
PERSPECTIVE
12. LIMITATION OF hard to say when someone is really failing to function, or if they just deviate from
FAILURE TO social norms. e.e people who live alternative lifestyles. treating this as failures of
FUNCTION ADE- adequate functioning limits freedom.
QUATELY: SAME
AS DEVIATION
FROM SOCIAL
NORMS
13. LIMITATION OF someone has to judge distress - patients may feel distressed but may not be
FAILURE TO viewed as suffering.
FUNCTION AD-
EQUATELY: SUB-
JECTIVE
14. STRENGTH OF broad criteria of mental health covers most reasons why someone may seek help.
DEVIATION
FROM IDEAL
MENTAL
HEALTH:
COMPREHEN-
SIVE
, AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY: PAPER 1
15. LIMITATION OF Johoda's classification may be specific to western norms. emphasis on self-actu-
DEVIATION alisation may be seen as self-indulgence on collectivist cultures.
FROM IDEAL
MENTAL
HEALTH:
CULTURALLY
RELATIVE
16. LIMITATION OF very few people actually attain all of the criteria at all times 4most people would
DEVIATION be viewed as abnormal.
FROM IDEAL
MENTAL
HEALTH:
UNREALISTICAL-
LY HIGH
STANDARD
17. CHARACTERIS- behavioural
TICS OF PHOBIAS - panic
- avoidance of phobic stimulus
emotional
- anxiety/fear
- unreasonable responses
cognitive
- selective attention twd phobic stimulus (difficult to focus elsewhere)
- irratoinal beliefs
18. CHARACTERIS- behavioural
TICS OF - low activity levels
DEPRESSION - disruption to sleep/eating
