Abnormal behaviors

Why is my bird hissing?

What is Abnormal Behavior?

Well, there is no one right answer. Many Abnormal behaviors exist but none are entirely satisfactory. One definition is that abnormal behavior is any that deviates from central tendencies, like the mean, for example.

By this definition, abnormal behavior would be any that is statistically deviant. For example, if most of the population smoked, but you did not, then not smoking would be considered abnormal. There are obvious problems with this definition. For instance, what happens to the definition when the popularity of a behavior shifts.

This last point is explored in the movie, "The King of Hearts ," where, during World War I, the main character sides with the "insane" inhabitants of a lunatic asylum, instead of his "sane" fellow soldiers. One readily sees that the majority can often be quite abnormal.

Another similar definition is deviation from socio-cultural norms, not statistical ones.

Older athletes who suffered from concussion have symptoms similar to Parkinson's

In this definition, abnormality is when one violates behaviors that most consider proper. For example, not shaving, not going to church, and so on, would be abnormal.

The difference between this definition and the previous one is that it is not the prevalence of the behavior that makes it normal, but rather the perception of propriety instead. Other definitions are based on individuals instead of groups.

For example, if a person feels uncomfortable in situations where others do not, then that person may be maladjusted. Similarly, a person may feel distress in situations where others do not. Or, a person may react in a less mature fashion than others do in particular situations.

In that poem, Richard Cory is cast as a man who has everything a person could possibly want. Yet, in the end, he commits suicide. Another possible definition is simply being in trouble: When other people start to notice that you cannot adequately deal with your responsibilities, you may be in trouble.

The commercials for private mental hospitals on TV are good examples. The message at the end is that maybe it is time that he, and she, do something about their trouble, namely, call that hospital.

OneGreenPlanet Newsletter

September 25, Announcement Teens go through a series of emotional and physical changes that can result in baffling behavior.

The definitions above give you some idea of the possible range of abnormal behavior, yet none of them is entirely satisfactory. Also, you should not expect ever to find a completely satisfactory definition of abnormal behavior.Not only are you, as a parent, baffled by these new behaviors, but your teen is also frequently baffled and alarmed at the new thoughts and feelings she is experiencing.

7 Differences between Normal and Abnormal Teenage Behavior | Georgetown Behavioral. 9 Driver behavior. This html version contains only the text (no figures, tables, equations, or summary and conclusions). To check printed book appearance see pdf version of Chapter 1 or pdf version of Chapter Introduction It is crucial to distinguish between driver performance and driver behavior.

Explanations of Abnormality

Psychologists group abnormal behavior into two main categories: atypical behavior that is not necessarily harmful to oneself or others and maladaptive behavior that is potentially harmful. Some types of behaviors are both atypical and maladaptive. Atypical behavior may be interpreted by others as.

Abnormal behaviors are individual and social actions that are disturbing, destructive, or detrimental to the physiological, psychological, and social well-being of a .

Abnormal psychology is a division of psychology that studies people who are "abnormal" or "atypical" compared to the members of a given society. The definition of the word abnormal is simple enough but applying this to psychology poses a complex problem: what is normal? Whose norm?

Many rare behaviors or characteristics (e.g. left. The Psychology of Abnormal Behavior: Understanding the Criteria & Causes of Abnormal Behavior.