Criteria of Abnormality

 

Statistical Criteria of Abnormality 

In this definition of abnormality, behaviors that are seen as statistically rare are said to be abnormal. For instance, one may say that an individual, who has an IQ below or above the average level of IQ in society, is abnormal.

 However this definition obviously has limitations, it fails to recognize the desirability of the particular behavior. Going back to the example, someone who has an IQ level above the normal average wouldn't necessarily be seen as abnormal; rather, on the contrary, they would be highly regarded for their intelligence. This definition also implies that the presence of abnormal behavior in people should be rare or statistically unusual, which is not the case. Instead, any specific abnormal behavior may be unusual, but it is not unusual for people to exhibit some form of prolonged abnormal behavior at some point in their lives. 

Behavior is unusual:

Ø  Behavior that is unusual is often considered abnormal. Only a few of us report seeing or hearing things that are not really there; seeing things and hearing things are almost considered abnormal in our culture, except, perhaps, in cases of religious experience.

   Yet hallucinations are not deemed unusual in some non-western cultures. Becoming overcomes with feelings of panic when entering a department store or when standing in a crowded elevator is also uncommon and considered abnormal. But uncommon behavior is not in itself abnormal. Only one person can hold the record for swimming or running the fastest 100 meters. The record-holding athlete differs from the rest of us but, again, is not considered abnormal.

Thus, rarity or statistical deviance is not a sufficient basis for labeling behavior abnormal; nevertheless, it is one yardstick often used to judge abnormality.

Behavior is socially unacceptable or violates social norms:

All societies have norms (standards) that define the kinds of behavior that are acceptable in given contexts. In our society, standing on a soapbox in a park and repeatedly shouting ‘kill!’ to passersby would be labeled abnormal; shouting kill in the grandstand at an important football game is usually within normal bounds, however tasteless it may seem. Although the use of norms remains one of the important standards for defining abnormal behavior, we should be aware of some limitations of his definition.

Ø  Clinicians need to weigh cultural differences in determining what is normal and abnormal. In the case of the Mundugumor, this need is more or less obvious. Sometimes, however, differences are more subtle.

Ø   Moreover, what strikes one generation as abnormal may be considered by others to fall within the normal spectrum. For example, until the mid-1970s homosexuality was classified as a mental disorder by the psychiatric profession. Today, however, the psychiatric profession no longer considers homosexuality a mental disorder, and many people argue that contemporary societal norms should include homosexuality as a normal variation in behavior.

Perception or interpretation of reality is faulty:

 Normally speaking, our sensory systems and cognitive processes permit us to form accurate mental representations of the environment. But seeing things and hearing voices that are not present are considered hallucinations, which in our culture are often taken as signs of an underlying disorder.

Ø  Similarly, holding unfounded ideas or delusions, such as ideas of persecution that the CIA or the mafia is not to get one, may be regarded as signs of mental disturbance-unless, of course, they are. (a former secretary of state is credited with having remarked that he might, indeed, be paranoid; his paranoid, however, did not mean he was without enemies).

Ø  It is normal in the United States to say that one ‘’talks’’ to God through prayer. If, however, a person claims to have literally seen God or heard the voice of god-as as opposed to, say, being divinely inspired-we may come to regard her or him as mentally disturbed.

The person is insignificant personal distress:

States of personal distress caused by troublesome emotions, such as anxiety, fear, or depression may be considered abnormal. As we noticed earlier, however, anxiety and depression are sometimes appropriate responses to one’s situation.

Ø  Real threats and losses occur from time to time, and lack of an emotional response to them would be regarded as abnormal. Appropriate feelings of distress are not considered abnormal unless they become prolonged or persist long after the source of anguish has been removed (after most people would have adjusted) or if they are so intense that they impair the individual’s ability to function.

 Behavior is maladaptive or self-defeating:

Behavior that leads to unhappiness rather than self-fulfillment can regard as abnormal. Behavior that limits our ability to function in expected roles or to adapt to our environment may also be considered abnormal. According to these criteria, heavy alcohol consumption that impairs one’s health or social and occupational functioning may be viewed as abnormal.

Agoraphobic behavior, characterized by an intense fear of venturing into public places, maybe considered abnormal in that it is both uncommon and also maladaptive because it impairs the individual’s ability to fulfill work and family responsibilities.

Behavior is dangerous:

Ø  

Behavior that is dangerous to oneself or other people may be considered abnormal. Here, too the social context is crucial. In wartime, people who sacrifice themselves or charge the enemy with little apparent concern for their own safety may be characterized as courageous, heroic, and patriotic. But people who threaten or attempt suicide because of the pressures of civilian life are usually considered abnormal. 

   Abnormal behavior thus has multiple definitions. Depending on the case, some criteria may be weighted more heavily than others. But in most cases, a combination of these criteria is used to define abnormality.