Psychopathology - Definitions of Abnormal Behaviour

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Psychopathology is the study of the nature and development of abnormal behaviour, feelings and thoughts. It can be an ambiguous subject to look at - there are no right answers, but it is still fascinating, nonetheless.

So what is abnormal behavior? Well, in typical psychological style, there is no easy answer to that either. There is no single definition that can adequately explain or define all aspects of abnormal behavior.

Definitions of Abnormal Behavior 1 - Statistical Infrequency

Abnormal behavior is thought to be infrequent. No matter what the media would have us believe, there are not that many murders and psychopaths out there. It is statistically infrequent. This model therefore states that few people fall into the extremes of behavior, so anything that is extreme, is therefore abnormal behavior. For example, only 2% of the population have a very low IQ. So this is seen as "abnormal". However, there are still value judgments attached to this. Two percent of the population have a very high IQ. This is seen as a positive thing, having a very low IQ isn't!

Also, consider, some other "abnormal" behaviors are good things. Not many of us win gold medals in the Olympics, but is that "abnormal"? Quite a lot of people suffer from depression and anxiety during their lives. Depression is not considered to be a "normal" state of affairs, but if it is statistically frequent, isn't it therefore "normal"? It's not simple is it?

Therefore, the statistical model does not actually give us much guidance in determining what is and isn't "abnormal" or "normal".

Definitions of Abnormal Behavior 2 - Violation of Norms

When determining whether behavior is abnormal or not, we can consider whether it violates social norms or if it makes people observing it feel threatened or anxious. A psychopath will often display antisocial behavior. This violates society's norms and makes us feel threatened or uncomfortable, so fits with the definition of violation of social norms. However, this is still too narrow a definition. Criminals and prostitutes may violate social norms, but are they "abnormal". Also, what we view as a cultural or social norm can vary over time. Consider homosexuality - in various cultures and during various times, this has been accepted or at other times and cultures, illegal.

A simple example. One hundred years ago, if you had seen someone walking down the street, talking to a little box, they would have been considered abnormal. How many times do you see a person doing that with a mobile phone today and think nothing of it?

Definition of Abnormal Behavior 3 - Personal Distress

Personal suffering can be used to explain if a person has some form of abnormal behavior.
Behavior can be considered abnormal if it creates a great deal of distress and torment for the person concerned. For example, a person with severe anxiety or depression may be suffering a great deal of distress.

But there are problems with this model (surprise, surprise). A psychopath displays "abnormal" behavior, but may not find that distressing. He/she may break the law without experiencing any guilt or remorse. Also, some experiences may us distressed, such as having a baby, being hungry, but these are not "abnormal" feelings.

Definition of Abnormal Behavior 4 - Behavioral Dysfunction or Disability

Disability is defined as whether a person is impaired in some important aspect of their life, for example, work, relationships and so on. This can be then defined as "abnormal". A phobia, for example, can cause distress and disability. If we are scared to go out, we may be so upset, we do not leave the house - our lives are therefore impaired. This is a complicated definition as both disability and distress are required. For example, a transvestite is still classed as mental disorder, but the transvestite may not find being a transvestite distressing. Another example, we may be desperate to be a professional football player, but not be very fast or very good at it - this may cause us distress, but it is not abnormal behavior.

Definition of Abnormal Behavior 5 - Unexpectedness

Not all distress or disability is abnormal behavior. Disability and distress can be considered "abnormal" when they are unexpected responses to an environmental stressor. Hunger can cause us distress - this is an expected response. If we are wealthy, but are constantly worrying about money, this is not an expected response, so can cause us psychological problems.

So, there is no key definition of abnormal behavior or psychopathology. This is why it is such a wide and diverse topic, with so many different theories and pieces of research being conducted.