NCJ Number
9376
Date Published
1971
Length
482 pages
Annotation
EXAMINATION OF PSYCHOGENIC, BIOLOGICAL, AND SOCIOCULTURAL THEORIES OF ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR AND THE RELATED WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM.
Abstract
JAMES D. PAGE SUGGESTS THAT THE BASIC MENTAL PROCESSES OF BOTH NORMAL AND DISTURBED PERSONS ARE THE SAME. THE QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCE LIES IN THE RESULTS OF THINKING AND PERCEIVING. ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR IS LESS EFFECTIVE, MORE EXTREME, MALADAPTIVE, AND DISTURBING TO SOCIETY. THE DETERMINANTS OF NORMAL AND ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR ARE THE PRODUCTS OF INTERACTION BETWEEN GENETIC BACKGROUND, PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS, AND INDIVIDUAL LIFE EXPERIENCES. THE AUTHOR SAYS BEHAVIOR CHANGE CAN ONLY COME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ONE OR MORE OF THESE VARIABLES. ALCOHOLISM, DRUG ABUSE, AND SEX DEVIANCE ARE DISCUSSED AS ARE PHYSICAL DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH PSYCHOSOCIAL DISTURBANCES AND DISORDERED BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN. THE BOOK CONCLUDES WITH A CONSIDERATION OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE AND THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY. (SNI ABSTRACT)