Abnormal Behavior Essay

Introduction

This paper is analyzing the psychological and anthropologic research that is made by Ruth Benedict. She claims that abnormal behavior's background is shaped by the traditions and common beliefs in every culture. More specifically, in the North-Western countries, these abnormal behaviors are seen more rapidly because their common beliefs and traditions are different. Also, she claims that North Western countries' citizens are facing much more stress than other developed countries because their community excludes individuals from society when they behave according to traditions and norms.

Body Paragraphs

In Ruth Benedict’s research Anthropology and The Abnormal, there are specific cultural examples for understanding the reasons of the abnormal behavior. More specifically, in one, the examples of abnormal behaviors in the North-Western communities are that when individuals die from a disease or somebody's hands are seen equal in the community. Also, North-Western communities have strict norms about revenge, and if they do not act the way that society wants it, they are excluded from society, and they are facing other severe outcomes. Therefore, North-Western communities' hostile behaviors against their enemies are an important problem in their society.

Besides, these abnormal behavior’s reasons are highly related to psychological disorders, paranoia, and schizophrenia. Contrary to anthropologist Ruth Benedict's argument that individuals in the society show abnormal behaviors when they are driven by emotions like grief, and anger, I will raise the objection of North-Western communities who are embracing abnormal behaviors so that their abnormal behaviors are seen as normal behaviors in their community and individuals who see these abnormal behaviors as normal they not be seen as psychologically abnormal.

When somebody's wife ran outs to other men, the husband should take his revenge or their community excludes him from society. One other example of abnormal behavior in the North-Western communities is that eating somebody else's food is forbidden, and when someone eats others’ food from their field, they can be killed by others, and they can suffer from heavy outcomes specifically, they have been excluded from the community. Ruth Benedict sees these abnormal behaviors in the North-Western communities as psychological disorders that are carried by everyone in their community (Benedict, 1967). In other words, these psychological disorders exist in every society, but the reasonings of abnormal behaviors are different in every one of them.

Conclusion

The claims that Ruth Benedict suggests in the Anthropology and The abnormals are essential ideas and perspectives about different cultures and abnormal behaviors, but the North-Western communities see these abnormal behaviors as normal, and according to their norm and traditions, these abnormal behaviors are not psychological disorders. More specifically, when suggesting common ideas about different cultures and abnormal behaviors, there are not common psychological disorder because some cultures are seeing abnormal behaviors as normal. Also, cultural norms are different in every culture. Therefore, abnormal behaviors cannot be categorized the same for every culture.

References

Benedict, R. (1967). Anthropology and the abnormal. Bobbs-Merrill.