David Oh
Believe it or not, every human being can be considered “abnormal.” In other words, there is at least one aspect about you that somebody can probably pick out that can be considered as “abnormal.” But what is abnormal behavior? What defines something as “abnormal?” You see, anything can be considered “abnormal,” it just depends on which perspective you look at it from. Something that we deem as “normal” can be very bizarre to outsiders not part of our culture and vice-versa.
The earliest perceptions of abnormal behavior were associated with possession by evil spirits. This belief was popular until about 4th century BC, and it was revived in the 16th century. People were paranoid about witches, which resulted in witch hunts aimed at people who were deemed as a menace to society.
Then, there was a lot of moral condemnation for those who acted differently. People thought that these people’s behavior was a result of moral degeneracy. The mentally ill were seen and treated as if they were less than human. The mentally ill weren’t really put through therapy, but were contained like prisoners or animals. The treatment for these mentally ill patients was no less than torture through inhumane and bizarre methods.
Finally, in the late 1700s, the care for these types of patients began to change. The medical model of mental illness was introduced by Dr. Philippe Pinel. He advocated for a more humane way of treating mental illnesses. There were many changes in the environment, diet, and treatments of the patients, as a result. Instead of being confined in torture devices or straightjackets, patients were encouraged to be outside and interact with nature.
So based on this, how is abnormality really defined for humans? One definition states that abnormality can be defined as a deviation from the social norms. The thing is, society changes with time. Behavior that was unacceptable before can be acceptable now. Additionally, Behavior can be socially acceptable, but also harmful. To put it together, behavior should really be judged in context with time.
Another definition of abnormality is “inadequate functioning.” Factors such as suffering, maladaptiveness, irrationality, and observer discomfort can weigh into the definitions of abnormality. Of course, there are some limitations to this definition also. It does not account for cases where abnormal behavior is adaptive, and some behavior might be harmful, but not considered abnormal.
Additionally, abnormality can be seen as a deviation from ideal mental health. There are 6 characteristics that define a person’s mentality as healthy: efficient self-perception, realistic self-esteem and acceptance, voluntary control of behavior, accurate perception of the world, self-direction and productivity. This model is more promising as it looks at the positive aspect of things.
Lastly, abnormality can also be defined as a statistical infrequency. In research, there are statistics developed to gauge what the “norms” are within society. If the normal people make up 95% of a community and you fall outside of this 95% of the majority, then you can be considered abnormal. There are some strengths and limitations to this, of course. The strength is that this definition shows a way to quantify abnormality, but these statistical norms can change. Also, some people are actually fond of statistically infrequent behavior as it can be desired and valued.
Abnormal behavior is really just this abstract concept that is subject to change based on the culture and cognition of every human being. Something that you might consider weird can just be part of a normal, daily life of another person. If you switch perspectives here, your everyday actions can most likely be considered weird in another culture, so just because someone is different and acts differently, just remember that maybe what they’re doing is just part of their life. This analysis about abnormal behavior emphasizes the statement we have been told ever since we were in kindergarten: “never judge a book by its cover.”
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