Abnormality Dimensional Analysis

Abnormality can be described in many different ways but it is just what’s not normal. The whole concept of abnormality is difficult to define and it comes in many forms that involve different features.

Abnormal psychology is the division of psychology that studies people who are either ‘abnormal’ or ‘atypical’, compared to members of a given society. There is also evidence that some psychological disorders are more common than some previously thought.Abnormality Dimensional Analysis

There are different definitions of abnormality and they include:

• Deviation from social norms:

Within every culture, there are different standards for what is seen as acceptable behaviour or socially acceptable norms. Norms are the expected ways to behave in a particular society according to the majority and for those who do not behave in such a way like everyone else is seen to break these norms. There are defined as abnormal. Social norms differ from culture to culture and what is seen as normal in one culture may be considered completely abnormal to another culture.Abnormality Dimensional Analysis This is an example of cultural relativism. For example in Southern Europe it is common to stand much closer to strangers, than in the UK. However, there are limitations with this definition and one is that norms can vary over-time. This means that behaviour that was seen as abnormal in one era is no longer defined as abnormal in another. An example of this is drink driving was once seen as acceptable but now it is seen as socially unacceptable. In contrast homosexuality is opposite to this. Up until 1980 homosexuality was considered a psychological disorder by the World Health Organisation (WHO), but today is considered acceptable.