The 4 Ds of diagnosis: Deviation from Social Norms

Deviation from social norms Every society has patterns of socially acceptable/desirable behaviour. Deviation from these social norms can attract negative attention from others This may lead to rejection and labelling as ‘abnormal’. Since the outcome of attracting attention in this way tends to be negative, people tend to conform

Deviation from social norms Acting in a way that might lead to social rejection is seen as abnormal. However, norm breaking behaviour which is seen as harmless may be labelled eccentric When behaviour breaches social norms and is seen as harmful, dangerous or immoral the individual may be labelled as abnormal

Example: Antisocial Personality Disorder AKA psychopathy one the symptoms is ‘failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviours as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest’.

Limitations of the deviation from social norms definitions Social norms are dependent upon several factors including … Culture Context or situation Age and gender Historical context This means the label of abnormal cannot be made in isolation and some details about the individual and his or her social environment are necessary

Limitations of social norms definition Because social norms are era and culture dependent it is impossible to make cross-cultural or longitudinal comparisons of rates of psychological abnormality. e.g. in 1968 the DSM (II) classed homosexuals as sexual deviants today gay marriage is legal in the UK and although prejudice still exists, homosexuality is no longer a synonymous with mental disorder.

Limitations of social norms definition In some parts of Catholic Ireland as recently as the 1960s and 70s, bearing a child out of wedlock or disclosing sexual abuse was enough to gain a diagnosis of mental instability, leading to incarceration in a psychiatric hospital and brutal ECT and drug therapies. You could watch the film ‘The Magdalene Sisters’

Further limitations This definition does not consider the outcomes of the rejection of social norms and how these impact on whether a behaviour is defined as abnormal or not. Rejection of social norms may lead to favourable outcomes for the individual and for society For example, some people who rejects social norms may simply be eccentric and enjoy the attention which comes with standing out from the crowd others may reject the prevailing norms the majority in favour of a more non-conformist lifestyle due to their religious or other beliefs. This choice may in fact facilitate self-actualization and improves self attitudes and self esteem. Some people break social norms in order to bring about social change in oppressive regimes, e.g. James Maudsley

Examples Find an example of a behaviour which in another culture/context would be seen as abnormal, e.g. The potlatch: http://what-when-how.com/social-and-cultural-anthropology/potlatch-anthropology/ The festival of Ashura Sulawesi people of Indonesia – unusual traditions around family bereavement (be careful if you watch a video about this topic as you may find it the images distressing)