Defining Abnormality Essay

Psychologist, for years have given their theory on normal and abnormal behavior, but all the studies they have done seems to give more evidence to prove what make each individual do what they do and why. In the normal and abnormal behavior we use all research and take all of its studies into consideration and apply it to why such behaviors have occurred. Reading this paper you can see that there are many experiments that challenge the theory of behavior no matter if it’s normal or abnormal. We will clarify some of the challeges as we define and classify both normal and abnormal behavior when we look at the challenges in Culture, gender and sexual preferences/practices and religion. Cultural normal and abnormal behaviors Culture is a challenge to abnormal behavior because these behaviors establish through socio-cultural traditions. The sociocultural perspective explains that abnormal behaviors are a result of family influences and social forces. Similar to the behavioral perspective, socio-cultural theorists believe mental disorders are learned behaviors. They tend to focus on social class, gender, and ethnicity in the explanation of mental disorders. An understanding of one’s sociocultural forces is also taken into consideration concerning abnormal behavior and its cultural challenge. Social forces, such as the media, social change, pressures, poverty, and social institutions are examples of how mental disorders are distinct or classified in culture. Family perspectives challenge abnormalities because they are complex systems. Because families are a representation of stability, any type of disruption could result in an emotional disorder. Culture puts a limit on abnormality because social norms tend to change over time. Cultural relativism holds the idea that normal or acceptable behavior are determined by society. Every society has its own views about what is normal and what is abnormal. For in instance, in the past Greeks thoughts people who heard voices was evidence of divine prophecy, yet today this is a sign of schizophrenia (Hansell & Damour, 2008). Culture bound disorders or abnormal behaviors practiced by a specific culture do not fit into the usual categories of the DSM-IV categories because the practices pertain to a particular group of people (Simons, 1996-2012). Given that the sociocultural perspective explains abnormal behavior is learned; treatment consists of switching the rewards and punishers in the environment and changing the bad habits that causes these behaviors (Learn Maximum, 2011). Mind/body normal and abnormal behavior Abnormal thoughts can have an important impact on the body. The mind/body connection is very strong. Constantly thinking negative thoughts can either perpetuate an already existing illness or bring illness on. Worrying all of the time can bring on anxiety that can cause other problems, such as high blood pressure and heart problems if not treated. Hypochondria are a condition brought about from abnormal thinking. Hypochondria are a disorder where a person thinks he or she has a life-threatening illness, but in actuality, are completely healthy physically. Other symptoms are, worrying about minor problems and linking them to life-threatening illnesses, seeing doctors numerous times to have tests, such as MRI’s and echocardiograms, switching doctors because the current doctor will not diagnose the patient with an illness, constantly talking to family and friends and suspected illnesses, continually checking their bodies for sores and lumps, checking vital signs, such as pulse and blood pressure on a frequent basis, and believing that they have disease after hearing or reading about it. There are several ways to recognize if thought are abnormal and could be hypochondria or if they are normal reactions and are in need of a doctor’s attention. Sometimes symptoms exist in actuality and a doctor cannot identify those symptoms. This can cause anxiety as well that can lead to other health problems. If a person can locate the illness that goes along with his or her symptoms, this usually means that he or she are normal and not hypochondriac. It is important to take an active role in recognizing mental and physical health to get the help needed. Recognizing when it is time to go to a medical doctor or psychiatrist is important to mental and physical health (Mayo Clinic, 2010). Religious normal and abnormal behavior The article of studying the specificity of spirituality: lessons from the psychology of religion discuss how the psychology of religion studies the specificity of spirituality. One major issues is how psychology contributes to the assessment, exploration, and explanation acts and activities of the specificity of religious and spiritual. There have been discussions for a long time about substantive vs. unctional definitions of the scientific study of religion (Platvoet & Molendijk, 1999). A substantive definition of religion is looking at religion as a type of philosophy or a basic understanding of nature and reality, which has nothing to do with our social or psychological lives. Functionalist definitions of religion are people belief either in social life, in society. Spirituality is cultural experiences that consists of different acts and activities in a certain spiritual tradition, which can be normal for some people or abnormal. Psychology of religion is a Western enterprise, in the East elaborate but different psychologist exists (cf. , e. g. , Paranjpe, 1998). Spirituality has different specificity, spiritual acts, and activities which associated to what people consider the act of transcending. One of the tasks psychology has is to comprehend the accuracy of human lives as well as in religion and spirituality, all spiritual acts, and activities are not alike. Psychologists involved in the study of the specificity of spirituality should go beyond with his or her research and understand the peculiarities, such as what they bestow. The clarification they offer for the behaviors and activities are so that people can understand the involvement and the type of meaning they bestow. Conclusion As we have demonstrated the challenges in classifying and defining normal and abnormal behavior because it is always changing and giving new research they have conducted in their study to indicate what is normal/ abnormal and how to identify from each of the behaviors.