Never Promised You a Rose Garden , and Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest . Many people who read such books wonder secretly if they are normal themselves. Each of us experiences frustration, anxiety and conflict to some degree. Abnormal behavior involves an exaggerated or distorted response to normal life problems. The amount of distortion depends on factors in the individual's history and, possibly, on his genetic heritage.
Standards vary from place to place and from time to time.
This module addresses the question of normality and introduces the major types of disordered behavior. As you read the text, try to answer the following questions. The definition what behavior is considered abnormal varies from society to society The definition of abnormal behavior is essentially cultural. Mental illness has no clearly defined state of normality with which it can be contrasted. This is not the case with mental illness.