BEHAVIOR
âNormal behavior is determined by the society in which a person lives. It is based more on what is average behavior, the norm, rather than on what might be ideal behavior. An Englishman who chooses a strict vegetarian diet is not in the ânormâ of British eaters. In India a vegetarian would be in the norm because those of the Hindu and Jain religions are generally vegetarians. In an inner city ghetto violence might be the norm for teenage boys. But at a senior citizensâ home in the suburbs of the same city, violence would definitely be outside of the norm.
âA society need not be thought of as a whole country or a culture but may be thought of as a smaller group of people with similar interests. So what might be normal for an Orthodox Jew might not be in the norm for a Reformed Jew. What is the norm in London might not be the norm for rural Scotland. And what is normal behavior for a prize fighter in the ring would not be normal behavior if he were attending a university class.
âWe can look at behavior possibilities as being on a continuum with âfightâ or attacking behavior on one side and âflightâ or withdrawing behavior on the other. Normal behavior would be in the middle. Let me make another diagram.
Fight (attack) l l Flight (withdrawal)
(Abnormal) (Normal) (Abnormal)
âWhen we encounter a stress we typically adjust by attacking or withdrawingâfight or flight. Attacking can be as simple as standing up for yourself. But it can include yelling, physical abuseâand even murder. Withdrawing can be as simple as crying, daydreaming or retiring to your room. But it can include drug use, such as alcohol or sleeping pills, developing a neurosis or more serious mental problemâand the ultimate would be suicide. So some movement into the fight or flight areas can be quite normal behavior, even ideal. Standing up for yourself when you are right or crying when your mother dies are good types of attacking and withdrawing. But killing the doctor who treated your mother, or killing yourself, are extremely abnormal fight
âNormal behavior is determined by the society in which a person lives. It is based more on what is average behavior, the norm, rather than on what might be ideal behavior. An Englishman who chooses a strict vegetarian diet is not in the ânormâ of British eaters. In India a vegetarian would be in the norm because those of the Hindu and Jain religions are generally vegetarians. In an inner city ghetto violence might be the norm for teenage boys. But at a senior citizensâ home in the suburbs of the same city, violence would definitely be outside of the norm.
âA society need not be thought of as a whole country or a culture but may be thought of as a smaller group of people with similar interests. So what might be normal for an Orthodox Jew might not be in the norm for a Reformed Jew. What is the norm in London might not be the norm for rural Scotland. And what is normal behavior for a prize fighter in the ring would not be normal behavior if he were attending a university class.
âWe can look at behavior possibilities as being on a continuum with âfightâ or attacking behavior on one side and âflightâ or withdrawing behavior on the other. Normal behavior would be in the middle. Let me make another diagram.
Fight (attack) l l Flight (withdrawal)
(Abnormal) (Normal) (Abnormal)
âWhen we encounter a stress we typically adjust by attacking or withdrawingâfight or flight. Attacking can be as simple as standing up for yourself. But it can include yelling, physical abuseâand even murder. Withdrawing can be as simple as crying, daydreaming or retiring to your room. But it can include drug use, such as alcohol or sleeping pills, developing a neurosis or more serious mental problemâand the ultimate would be suicide. So some movement into the fight or flight areas can be quite normal behavior, even ideal. Standing up for yourself when you are right or crying when your mother dies are good types of attacking and withdrawing. But killing the doctor who treated your mother, or killing yourself, are extremely abnormal fight