What is Abnormal Behaviour?
Abnormal behaviour can be made up of the following:
* Norm Violation: Norms are the social rules
that guide us and tell us what is right or wrong behaviour. Norms
are culturally influenced - what one culture believes to be normal
behaviour may be strange and unusual. Therefore, one who lives
in a certain culture and violates that cultures norms, may be
seen as acting abnormally. However, one must be careful when using
this criteria due to the fact that norms from one culture to the
next vary so much.
* Statistical Rarity: Something that is a "statistical
rarity" is something that deviates from what is considered
average. Something that lies outside of the range of the majority
can be considered abnormal. For example, someone who has a significantly
lower I.Q. than the average adult, may be seen as abnormal.
* Personal Discomfort: Behaviour can be seen
to be abnormal if a person experiences distress over their own
thoughts and behaviours.
* Maladaptive behaviour: Maladaptive behaviour
is abnormal behaviour. Behaviour can be said to be maladaptive
if someone cannot perform their normal daily duties such as going
to work and paying their bills. This can be considered to be a
problem and indicate that the behaviour is abnormal in some way.
Please read the related links below
on the different types of abnormal psychological
problems. These include both emotional and behavioural
disorders as well as psychotic and neuropsychological disorders.
Emotional & Behavioural Disorders
& Somatoform Disorders
Stress & Physical Disorders
Dysfunction's, Paraphilias & Gender Identity Disorders
Psychotic and Neuropsychological Disorders
of Childhood & Adolescence
Retardation & Autism
& Violent Behaviour