Defining 'Normal' vs 'Abnormal' Behaviour (DP IB Psychology)
Revision Note
Written by: Claire Neeson
Reviewed by: Lucy Vinson
What is 'Normal' Behaviour?
Is it possible to define ‘normal’ behaviour?
‘Normal’ behaviour could be defined as any behaviour which falls within accepted social norms e.g. washing regularly; walking on the pavement; speaking in grammatical, coherent sentences
‘Normal’ behaviour could be said to obey behavioural conventions as laid down by specific societies and cultures
‘Normal’ behaviour in one society or culture may not be considered normal by another society or culture e.g. marrying someone of the same sex is considered normal in some cultures and countries but not in others; belief in demonic possession may be considered normal in some countries or cultures but not in others
When ‘normal’ behaviour is adhered to it tends to go unnoticed and not draw attention to itself
Normality is subjective and may operate at an idiosyncratic level e.g. one person may eat boiled cabbage for breakfast and cornflakes for dinner every day which may be viewed as abnormal by others but for the individual concerned this diet represents their own version of ‘normal’
Cabbage for breakfast: normal, abnormal or just quirky?
What is 'Abnormal' Behaviour?
Is it possible to define ‘abnormal’ behaviour?
‘Abnormal’ behaviour could be defined as any behaviour which falls outside of accepted social norms e.g. not washing regularly; walking down the middle of the road rather than on the pavement; speaking in ungrammatical, incoherent sentences
‘Abnormal’ behaviour could be said to flout, disregard or disobey behavioural conventions as laid down by specific societies and cultures
‘Abnormal’ behaviour may be viewed with alarm, distress or fear by those observing it
‘Abnormal’ behaviour tends to be noticeable; it draws attention to itself and will probably stand out distinctly from agreed social and cultural norms
‘Abnormal’ behaviour may result in unpleasant, negative consequences for the individual displaying it e.g. avoidance or abuse from others; being sectioned against their will; finding themselves in situations which are a danger to their physical and emotional health
Changing Definitions of Abnormality
How have attitudes towards ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ behaviour changed over time?
Some behaviours which today (in most Westernised or industrialised societies) are viewed as normal were once labelled ‘abnormal’ e.g. homosexuality
Perceptions of normality have changed over the centuries as societies have become increasingly sophisticated and tolerant of a range of behaviours and lifestyle choices which in previous decades or centuries may have resulted in social condemnation or even criminal charges
Behaviours which have previously been viewed (both officially and unofficially) as ‘abnormal’ include epilepsy; homosexuality; living in poverty; being pregnant and unmarried
Some cultures may still view specific behaviours such as homsexuality as ‘abnormal’ thus normality and abnormality cannot be said to be universal variables
Which studies investigate normality vs abnormality?
Jahoda (1958): set out criteria for identifying mentally healthy people
Mojtabai (2011): bereavement-related depression should not be considered ‘abnormal’ as it is part of the grieving process i.e. a normal response to bereavement
Both Jahoda (1958) and Mojtabai (2011) are available as Two Key Studies of Normality vs Abnormality – just navigate the Factors Influencing Diagnosis section of this topic to find them.
Examiner Tip
Remember to be sensitive when writing about definitions and concepts of ‘normality’ and ‘abnormality’ in an exam. You must take care not to bring your own biases, prejudices or assumptions to a question on normality vs abnormality as this is not what the exam question is testing. Do bear in mind the IB Learner Profile: you have agreed to be Open-Minded; Caring; Balanced (among other qualities) so make sure that this is reflected in your exam responses.
Worked Example
The question is, ‘Evaluate one or more studies which focus on concepts of normality and abnormality’. [22]
The question is asking you to weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of research used to investigate concepts of normality/abnormality. Here are two exemplar paragraphs for guidance:
Motjabai (2011) used a retrospective (i.e. looking back across time) longitudinal design for his research into grieving and depression. The researcher wished to test the hypothesis that individuals with bereavement-related depressive episodes do not have a higher risk of subsequent depressive episodes compared with individuals without a lifetime history of depression. The use of a longitudinal design was suitable for this topic as bereavement-related depression is a variable that cannot be studied via a typical snapshot design experiment. Rather it must take the form of research conducted over time in order for real changes to occur mapped to real-world experiences.
One limitation of using self-reporting methods however, is that they tend to result in the collection of quantitative data which means that the results lack explanatory power. In this study, interviews were conducted but the qualitative data was translated into quantitative data which inevitably loses much of the human element (e.g. thoughts, feelings, emotion) in the process. The study can therefore highlight what takes place after bereavement and who is more prone to depression but not why.
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