Abnormal Psychology

       Concept of Normality and Abnormality

 

What is Abnormal Psychology?

           It is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion and thought, which may or may not be understood as precipitating a mental disorder. Although many behaviors could be considered as abnormal, this branch of psychology generally deals with behavior in a clinical context.

 Abnormal Psychology emphasis on the study of the behavior and experiences of abnormal people and it tries to describe some preventive and curative measures for the treatment of abnormal behavior or disorders. It implies that advances in abnormal psychology can only be made if we are aware of or have clear concepts about the terms normality and abnormality.

                  Concept of Normality   

The term ‘normal’ seems to be derived from the Latten word ‘Norma’ which means carpenter’s square or rule or “norms of society”. A norm, therefore, became a rule, pattern, or a standard.

Normality is the state of being normal.

Behavior can be normal for an individual when it is consistence with the most common behavior for that person.

Normal is also used to describe individual behavior that conforms to the most common behavior in society.

Definitions of normality varies by person, time, place, and situation. It changes along with changing societal standards and norms.

                                                      Normality Criteria’s

There are some criteria’s of normality which are;

Statistical Criteria: 

The norms, the media, the way of thinking, acting in a certain situation, etc.

Functional Criteria: 

Functioning according to his age and abilities.

Adaptive Criteria:

 The ability to adapt to his environment.

Interpersonal Criteria: 

Ability to create a good and stable relationship with others.

Cultural Criteria: 

Functioning according to the cultural norms.

Moral Criteria: 

Ability to distinguish between good and bad and also knows about right and wrong.

                     Concept of Abnormality

The word ‘abnormal’ is taken from the Latten word “Abnorma”, ‘Ab’ means “away” and ‘Norma’ means “norms of society”. So the abnormal behavior is any deviate from the societal norms and rules.

Abnormality in the vivid senses something deviating from the normal.

Abnormality is the derivation from the normality.

The person behavior and thinking classified abnormal if it violets the rules about what is expected or acceptable behavior in a particular social group