Human Behaviour –

Normal and Abnormal

DR. Kiran N. Shinglot
Email: kshinglot@yahoo.co.in
 • Abnormal Psychology is the
branch of Psychology that
studies unusual patterns of
behaviour, emotion and
thought, which may not be
understood as precipitating a
mental disorder.
• The scope of Abnormal
Psychology is to study
people’s emotional,
cognitive, and/or
behavioural problems.
• It studies the atypical or
abnormal members of the
society who fall outside of
Abnormal Behaviour the most common
parameters.
 What is behaviour?

• Most people use the word

‘behaviour’ to mean conduct.
• Behaviour is anything that a
person does.
• In psychology, behaviour is
regarded as any observable
activity by human being.
• Most human behaviour results
from a combination of factors
such as culture, attitudes,
emotions, values, ethics,
authority, rapport, persuasion,
coercion and genetics.
 Almost all human behaviour is learned.

All behaviours occur for a reason.

Principles of
Human No behaviours occur “out of blue.”
Behaviour
Behaviours continue to occur because
they are effective.

Behaviours stop occurring when they are

ineffective.
A – B – C Model of Behaviour

1 2 3

A B C
Antecedent Behaviour Consequence
Trigger Action Response
• “When will you understand
that being normal is not
necessarily a virtue. It rather
denotes a lack of courage.”
- Unknown
 • Behaviour is the manner in which
a person behaves , whether they
Behaviour
can conform to the accepted
social standards or not.
Normal Behaviour

• Word ‘NORMAL’ derived from

the Latin word ‘norma-’ which means rule.
• Therefore ‘normal behaviour’ means that which follows the rule or pattern or
standard as set by the society.
• When an individual is able to function adequately and performs daily living
activities efficiently and feels satisfied with his lifestyle, he is said to have normal
behaviour.
 • Genetics – Patterns of
behaviour are influenced by
inheritance from parents.
• Early Childhood Experiences
• Social Norms shape our
behaviour and attitudes.
Every individual manipulate
his/her behaviour to best ‘fit
in’ with others.
• Core Faith and Social Culture
shape our religious faith,
philosophical thinking and
emotional wellbeing (e.g.
Factors Affecting Human Emotions such as shame and
guilt connected to moral
Behaviour living).
 • Creativity – Pushes people past
their comfort zone.
Factors • Attitude – Is an expression of
Affecting favour or disfavour, likes and
dislikes of a person toward a
Human person, place, thing, or event.
Behaviour The way a person behaves
depends a lot on how he looks
at the situation.
Characteristics of Normal Behaviour
• A perception of reality.
• A positive attitude toward one’s own
self, accepting weaknesses and taking
pride in strengths.
• Adequate in work, play and leisure.
• Willing to use problem solving
approaches in life process.
• Capacity to adapt oneself to current
situation.
• Capacity for withstanding anxiety and
stress.
 • In the Medical
Practice, it is easy to
decide what is normal
in examining the
temperature of the
body, the blood
pressure, the Blood
Glucose value, etc.
• However, on a
Psychological or
Behavioural Level, we
can’t have an ideal
model of a man or
ideal behaviour to be
set as standard or
norm.
Normality vs. Abnormality
 • Abnormal Behaviour is
defined as behaviour that is
disturbing (socially
Abnormal unacceptable), distressing,
Behaviour maladaptive (or self-
defeating), and often the
result of distorted thoughts
(cognitions).
 • The word
‘abnormal’ with
prefix ‘Ab’ (away
from) means
anything away
from normal or
acceptable.
• It means
deviation from
the norm or
standard or rules.
Abnormal Behaviour
 Defining Abnormality
• Deviation from the Normal.
• Deviation from the Ideal.
• Create discomfort in Others.
- Produces distress, anxiety, guilt, or
causes harm in others.
• Inability to Function Effectively.
• Legal Concept.
- Know the Difference Between
Right and Wrong.
 Definition
Disturbance in behaviour
which is seen in
• Cognitive Domain
(Thinking, Knowing,
Memory)
• Affective Domain (Emotion
and Feeling), and
• Conative Domain
(Psychomotor Activity).
• The individual with
abnormal behaviour
manifests his/her mental
distress through thought,
Abnormal Behaviour feeling and action.
Defining (ab-)normal Behaviour
• Behaviour that is Harmful to the Self or
to the others without serving interest of
the self.
• Poor Reality Contact – e.g. Beliefs that
most people don’t hold or sensory
perceptions of things that most people
do not perceive.
• Emotional Reactions inappropriate to
the person’s situation.
• Erratic Behaviour – i.e. Behaviour that
shifts unpredictably.
 Characteristics of
Abnormal Behaviour
• Change in Person’s Thinking Process,
Memory, Perception and Judgement.
• Reduced Work Efficiency and General
Stamina.
• Forgetfulness
• Unable to Cope with Stresses.
• Develops Anxiety and Worries at the
Slightest Disturbance in Daily Routine.
• Complete Lack of Respect for Self and
Others.
• Lack of Self-Confidence.
• Lack of Gratification.
 Symptoms of Abnormal
Behaviour
• Easily getting annoyed or nervous.
• Often or always appearing angry.
• Always putting the blame on
others.
• Refusing to follow rules or
questioning authority.
• Arguing and throwing temper
tantrums.
• Having difficulty in handling
frustration.
Psychological Disorders Associated
with Serious Behavioural
Abnormalities
1. Anxiety Disorders, such as –
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
(OCD)
- Panic Disorders
- Phobia
 Psychological 2. Somatoform Autonomic Disorder
Disorders - Conversion Disorders
Associated (Paralysis, Blindness, etc.)
with Serious - Hypochondriasis
Behavioural (Insignificant Symptoms that
the patient thinks to be seriously
Abnormalities
detrimental to his/her health)
 Psychological Disorders Associated with
Serious Behavioural Abnormalities
3. Dissociative Disorders, when the person has a personality that is
fragmented or separated from the rest;
- Dissociative Identity Disorder, when more than one personality
is present in his mind.
- Dissociative Amnesia, where the person suffers from selective
memory loss in response to a particular stress.
- Dissociative Fugue (“a Fugue State”), where the patient runs away
from home after forgetting his/her identity.
 Psychological Disorders Associated with Serious
Behavioural Abnormalities

4. Affective Disorders, in which person suffers from abnormally high or

low moods for long periods of time.
- Major Depressive Disorder where he suffers from hopelessness, guilt,
sadness, and apathy for more than two weeks. Caused by endogenous
depletion of Neurotransmitter Serotonin’
- Mania, where there is overly hyperactive and optimistic state.
Because of overconfidence, the patient takes series of terrible
decisions leading to overspending.
- Bipolar Disorder with extreme shift in moods, Depressive phase may
lead to suicidal thoughts, or action out of overconfidence leading to
accidental death.
Psychological Disorders Associated with
Serious Behavioural Abnormalities
5. Personality Disorders (Replacing the old terms of ‘psychopaths’ and
‘sociopaths’).
- Schizoid Personality, who lacks in feelings for other people and
is often withdrawn. Does not make friends with others.
- Paranoid Personality, who find it difficult to trust anyone.
- Antisocial Personality engages in crimes such as rape and murder
because of lack of development of conscience.
- Narcissistic Personality are people who are in exaggerated love
with self leading to overconfidence and a constant need for attention.
Psychological Disorders Associated with
Serious Behavioural Abnormalities
6. Schizophrenic Disorders, with disturbances in thoughts, emotions,
communication, and perception. Hallucinations and Delusions.
- Disorganised Schizophrenia (Inappropriate Mood, Bizarre Speech and
behavioural patterns);
- Catatonic Schizophrenia (Difficulty in movements; either inability to move
or uncontrolled hypermobility, person may copy other’s movements or have
waxy flexibility);
- Paranoid Schizophrenia (Being suspicious of everyone and everything);
- Undifferentiated Schizophrenia (with a mixture of any or all the other types
of schizophrenia)
 Causes of Abnormal
Human Behaviour
• The causation of any
particular behaviour pattern
is tremendously complex
and impossible to predict
how given circumstances
will affect of has affected the
person.
 Causes of Abnormal
Human Behaviour

Abnormal Human Behaviour is the

result of –
a) Outcome of Faulty Development;
b) Psycho-social Stress
c) Combination of Both
Causes of Abnormal Human Behaviour
• Biological Factors, such as –
- Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Genetic Defects
- Physical Deprivation: Malnutrition, Illness, Injuries,
Sleep Deprivation, Fatigue, etc.
 Causes of Abnormal Human Behaviour

Psycho-social Factors
▪ Maternal Deprivation
▪ Faulty Parent-Child Relationship
- Overprotection
- Over permissiveness and Indulgence
- Faulty Discipline
- Unrealistic Demands
- Poor Communication
- Undesirable Parental Models
Causes of
Abnormal
Human Psycho-social Factors
Behaviour ▪ Early Psychic Trauma
▪ Discordant Interpersonal Relationship
in the Family
▪ Stresses and Strains of Modern Life
Causes of
Abnormal
Human • Pressures of Modern Life
Behaviour - Fierce Competition
- Educational, Occupational and Family
Demands
- Complexity of Modern Living
 • Socio-Cultural Factors
- War and Violence
Causes of - Racial Discrimination
Abnormal and Prejudices
Human - Economic and
Behaviour Employment Problems
- Rapid Social Change