Introduction
Behavioral psychologists assert that human characteristics are normally distributed and view abnormality a significant deviation from the normal or average behavior (Carter & McGoldrick, 2013). Additionally, an abnormal behavior can be perceived as a socially unacceptable and maladaptive behavior that often results from distorted thoughts. In abnormal psychology, an individual’s emotional, cognitive, and behavioral attributes are examined.
In this study, different ways of defining abnormality will be examined. Particularly, a case of a 70-year-old that enters university and started acting the same way as an 18-year-old student will be analyzed. Further, an example of a historic behavior that was once thought to be abnormal that is now thought to be normal in addition to speculating a behavior now thought to be abnormal that may be more normal in 100 years will be given.
Ways of Defining Abnormality
Notably, the definition of abnormal behavior has undergone vast dramatic changes over the centuries the ranges from magic to physical illness. To date, various psychologists use different perspectives in defining abnormal behavior. Interestingly, these definitions brought forth by these psychologists have been found not be necessarily mutually exclusive. Several models and theories have attempted to define abnormal behavior in individuals.
Firstly, the medical approach views abnormal behavior as being as being caused by biological and physiological factors. The proponents espousing the medical approach portend that abnormal behavior can be treated like any other disease or mental illness. Prescribed drugs based on symptoms are then administered (Pate & Dowda, 2012).Secondly, behavioral psychologist asserts that abnormal behavior is caused by faulty or an ineffective learning and conditioning process. On the other hand, cognitive psychologists elucidate that abnormal behavior is as a result of thoughts and behaviors that originate from false assumptions and thoughts while social‐cultural approach explains that abnormal behavior is learned within the social environment that include the family, community, and the culture.
This study particularly adopts psychodynamic perspective brought forth by Sigmund Freud in his psychoanalytic theory. Freud portends that human development occurs in stages. Each stage has tasks that an individual has to accomplish. Failure to accomplish these tasks at the right stage and age leads to psychological disorders and engaging in fixation later in life as a way of resolving the unconscious conflicts. Thus, a 70-year-old that enters university and started acting the same way as an 18-year-old student cannot be considered as an abnormal behavior. His behavior can be explained from a psychoanalytic perspective as fixation. The 70-year-old is engaging in behavior he would have exhibited when he was 18 years. He never accomplished tasks at his genital stage of the psychosexual developmental stages and trying to fix them at 70 years old.
Examples of Abnormal Behavior
After sitting in public places that include the mall, bus stop and city square, people perceived to being abnormal were observed. In addition, high school students often call each other weird or stranger as a way of defining abnormality perceived in their friends. Teenagers are particularly sensitive to cognitive approach defining abnormal behavior. They perceive anybody whose thoughts deviate from the rest as being abnormal. For instance, high school students perceive their colleagues who are truant as being abnormal.
Isolation is a historic example of behavior that was once thought to be abnormal that is now thought to be normal. This is because some people opt to remain lonely. On the other hand, maladaptive behavior such as low self-perception is a behavior that is now thought to be abnormal but speculated to be viewed as normal in 100 years
References
Pate, R., & Dowda, M. (2012). Sports participation and health-related behaviors among US youth. Journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 154, 904-911.
Carter, B., & McGoldrick, M. (2013). The expanded family life cycle: Individual, family and social perspectives (classic ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
