(Angermeyer and Matschinger 2005) Argue that members of the public have limited knowledge of mental illness and what they do know can sometimes be entirely incorrect. (Thornicroft 2006) States that the public believe having a mental illness reduces intelligence and the ability to make decisions and that some people still believe schizophrenia means having a split personality. In addition, (Thornicroft 2006) say it is common for the public to not grasp the difference between mental illness and learning disabilities.
This can lead to common misconceptions in society. (McLeod, S. A 2008). Social Roles and Social Norms - Simply Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-roles.htmlthere) There are many ways that people can influence our behavior, but perhaps one of the most important is that the presence of others seems to set up expectations. Social Norms are unwritten rules about how to behave. They provide us with an expected idea of how to behave in a particular social group or culture. Because some people don't fit into this social norm (Time to Change. 2008. Stigma Shout[online] available at: http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/research-reports-publications [accessed 30th September 2013) state 9 out of 10 people with mental health problems have been