BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES - Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie

some acceptable, and some outside acceptable limits. Even there is a large
diversity of human behavior people tend to divide it in two broad
categories: normal and abnormal one. When starting a discussion of
abnormal behavior, people sometimes ask, "How can anybody tell what is
abnormal, anyway?" The definition of the word abnormal is simple
enough: deviating from the norm. However, applying this to psychology
poses a complex problem: What is normal? Whose norm? For what age?
For what culture? Some would simply classify what is "good" as normal
and what is "bad" as abnormal, but this is a vague and narrow definition
and brings up many of the same questions for the definition of "good" as
does the definition for "normal". There are many more ways of
determining a more objective reference point. The following criteria are
used to determine whether a person behavior is abnormal or not:
1. Statistical abnormality (deviation from statistical norms). A
behavior may be judged abnormal if it is statistically unusual in a
particular population. The word abnormal means 'away from the norm'.
Many population facts are measured such as height, weight and
intelligence. Most of the people fall within the middle range of
intelligence, but a few are abnormally stupid. But according to this
definition, a person who is extremely intelligent would be classified as
abnormal too.
2. Violation of socially-accepted standards (deviation from social
norms). An abnormal behavior might be defined as one that goes against
common or majority or presumed standards of behavior. By this definition,
a person is abnormal if violating the expectations and values of a
community. For example, one might be judged abnormal in one's failure to
behave as recommended by one's family, church, employer, community,
culture, or subculture. The main problem with the "violation of standards"
definition of abnormality is that it is based upon cultural standards that
change from place to place and time to time. What is abnormal in one
culture may be regarded as acceptable in a different culture. What is
regarded as abnormal at one time may be regarded as normal several
decades later. For example, watching TV may be considered abnormal in
the Amish culture, where modern conveniences are avoided. Violation of
standards does not necessarily correlate with statistical rarity. Physical
abuse of a spouse is considered abnormal in the United States, although it
occurs in up to a fifth of marriages.
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