When a person behaves differently to how ewe would expect people to behave. Society defines abnormality as behaviour which does not comply with what the majority see as acceptable. It is a collective judgement about what is 'right'
Failure to function adequately
This will define someone as abnormal if they can no longer cope with the demands of everyday life. They might be unable to maintain basic standards of nutrition and hygiene or not keep a job
What did Rosenhan propose about signs that someone is not functioning adequately
They no longer conform to interpersonal rules, maintaining eye contact or respecting personal space. Experiences severe personal distress. Behaviour becomes irrational or dangerous to themselves or others
Statistical deviation
We can judge something as normal or abnormal depending on how many times we observe it. Any relatively usual or characteristic can be thought as normal and any behaviour that is different is abnormal
