Seperating behaviors into 'typical' or 'atypical' categories is not universal, as behaviors vary across cultures. What is considered common in one culture or place may not be in another.

Cultural Expectations

During the 1950s and 1960s, a significant critique emerged that challenged the very concept of mental illness. This viewpoint proposed that "mental illness" is not a genuine medical condition but rather a social construct, or a "myth." It was argued that this concept was created to legitimize psychiatric control over individuals whose behaviors were considered socially unacceptable.

Critique of Mental Illness as a Social Construct

Contemporary perspectives strongly affirm the existence of mental illness by highlighting the severe psychological suffering experienced by individuals with these disorders. This suffering includes distressing thoughts and emotions, disordered behaviors, and significant impairment, which collectively make it difficult to dismiss these conditions as non-existent.

Modern Acknowledgment of the Reality of Mental Illness

Read the following scenario. Based on the challenges involved in defining what constitutes a psychological disorder, explain why a mental health professional might find it difficult to determine whether Alex's behavior represents a diagnosable condition.

Evaluating a Potential Psychological Disorder

There are several different ways a human can experience, perceive, and reflect on life. A big job for a psychologist is to determine what is a temporarily abnormality in mental health compared to a more permanent psychological disorder.

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To determine if a psychological disorder is present, mental health professionals must agree on which inner experiences and behaviors are truly symptomatic. While characteristics such as being atypical or violating social norms can serve as indicators, it is widely recognized that neither criterion is sufficient on its own to define a disorder. Therefore, more comprehensive frameworks, like the harmful dysfunction model, are utilized to conceptualize these conditions and form the basis for formal diagnostic criteria.

Criteria for Defining Psychological Disorders

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Psychopathology refers to either the study or manifestation of psychological disorders. 

Psychopathology

Controversy Over Defining Psychological Disorders

A key challenge for psychologists is differentiating true psychological disorders from behaviors and inner experiences that are merely situational, idiosyncratic, or part of the normal range of human experience. For instance, nearly everyone experiences anxiety, unwanted thoughts, and moments of sadness from time to time, and may behave in ways that don't make sense to themselves or others. These common experiences do not typically signify a psychological disorder.

Distinguishing Psychological Disorders from Normal Experiences

Atypicality, or deviating from the norm, is a common sign used to identify a potential psychological disorder. However, this criterion must be used with caution, as a statistically uncommon behavior or characteristic is not necessarily disordered or pathological. Furthermore, some psychological disorders are surprisingly common and not as atypical as one might assume.

Atypicality as an Indicator of a Psychological Disorder

While violating cultural expectations and social norms can be an indicator of a psychological disorder, this criterion is insufficient on its own. Because behaviors and social rules vary significantly across cultures, what is considered appropriate in one society may be viewed as abnormal in another. For example, actions like making direct eye contact or responding to a stranger's smile can be interpreted as respectful in one culture but rude or aggressive in another. Therefore, cultural context is essential when evaluating whether a behavior's deviation from social norms suggests a psychological disorder.

Violation of Social Norms as an Indicator of a Psychological Disorder

Despite numerous efforts, no single, universally accepted definition for psychological disorders exists. This is because no single approach or set of criteria can adequately distinguish all cases of disorder from non-disorder, and there is no universal agreement on the precise boundary between what is considered disordered and what is not. This conceptual challenge highlights the complexity of defining mental illness.

Lack of a Universal Definition for Psychological Disorders

Within Wakefield's model, natural internal mechanisms refer to psychological processes that have been shaped by evolution to serve important functions. These mechanisms include core processes like cognition, perception, and learning, which enable adaptive behaviors such as rational thought, problem-solving, and communication.

Natural Internal Mechanisms in Psychology

Proposed by Wakefield in 1992, the influential harmful dysfunction model defines a psychological disorder using two criteria. First, there must be a 'dysfunction,' which is a failure of an evolutionarily developed internal mechanism (such as cognition or perception) to perform its natural function. Second, this dysfunction must be 'harmful,' meaning it results in negative consequences for the individual or others, as judged by the standards of their culture. These harms can include significant internal distress or impairment in social or occupational life.

Wakefield's Harmful Dysfunction Model

Analyze the following scenario and explain why it presents a complex challenge for determining if a psychological disorder is present. In your analysis, identify the factors that would support a diagnosis and the factors that would argue against it.

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