Lecture
The phenomenon of "norm-anomaly" in human development rests on comparing the individual with typical developmental characteristics that are considered socioculturally acceptable in a given context. The criteria for "norm" and "anomaly" can vary depending on various factors, such as culture, social standards, the context of development, and scientific knowledge.
Here are some general criteria that can be used to define the phenomenon of "norm-anomaly":
Statistical norm: One approach to defining the "norm" is the use of statistical data. A deviation from average indicators in statistical distributions may be considered an "anomaly". For example, if most children begin to walk at a certain age while some do not, this may be considered a deviation from the statistical norm.
Sociocultural expectations: Norms can be defined by the sociocultural expectations of a society. If individual traits or behavior do not correspond to these expectations, they may be regarded as anomalous. For example, in a particular culture it may be considered the norm to study at a certain age, and if someone does not study during that period, this may be regarded as an anomaly.
Functionality and adaptation: The criterion of functionality and the ability to adapt to the surrounding environment may also play a role. If a deviation from typical developmental traits impedes an individual's normal functioning and social adaptation, this may be considered an anomaly.
Illnesses and disorders: Deviations from physical, psychological, and psychophysiological norms that may be caused by illnesses or disorders may also be regarded as anomalies. For example, medical diagnoses can define the norm and the anomaly in physical or mental development.
Individual differences: Individual differences can also influence the definition of "norm" and "anomaly". For example, if a person possesses outstanding abilities in a particular area that differ from typical expectations, this is not necessarily considered an anomaly but may be perceived as a unique trait.
A natural question arises as to how a social pedagogue at a general education school can determine the severity of a disorder and establish whether the given deviation lies within the bounds of the «norm» or is pathological. It is hardly possible to find exhaustive and unambiguous criteria. Nevertheless, such criteria do exist.
The well-known «Gannushkin-Kerbikov criterion of psychopathy», which makes it possible to determine a pathology of character, is known (after Yu. B. Gippenreiter).
The first sign - the relative stability of character over time, i.e., it changes little over the course of life. If a disorder that arose in childhood does not change and does not disappear with age, this may be evidence of a pathological disorder. V. P. Kashchenko means roughly the same thing when he speaks of the essential differences between «normal and abnormal people». Deviant traits in a normal child are an accidental feature which he can easily get rid of if he wants to and makes an effort. Normal children are amenable to ordinary educational influence and are capable of the necessary social adaptation.
The second sign - the totality of the manifestations of character: the same traits appear everywhere—at home, on vacation, at work, among family and among strangers, i.e., under any circumstances. But if a person is one way at home and «in public» is another way, this is not pathology.
The third sign - social maladaptation, consisting in the fact that a person develops persistent life difficulties, which are experienced either by himself, or by the people around him, or by both together (after Yu. B. Gippenreiter).
There are also other evaluation criteria that make it possible to establish deviations in any behavior.
The English scholar in the field of child psychiatry M. Rutter proposed the following criteria for evaluating deviations in any behavior:
1. It is necessary to take into account the child's age-related characteristics and sex.
Some behavioral characteristics are normal only for children of a certain age. Thus, anxiety at separation from loved ones (the mother) is typical for toddlers who are beginning to walk (this is so typical that an indifferent reaction to separation from parents in a child of this age is a possible cause for concern). For an adolescent, on the other hand, a painful experience of separation from loved ones is quite a rare phenomenon and therefore abnormal.
As for sex differences, even in late childhood the behavior of boys and girls largely coincides. In most boys it is colored by certain feminine traits, and in a minority of girls by certain masculine ones. This is quite normal. It is fairly rare for a boy to display «the entire set of feminine behavioral characteristics», and this is a disorder.
2. The duration for which the disorder persists.
Almost every child at some point experiences a state of reluctance to go to school. This can last from one day to several weeks. But if this state continues for several months or even years, it should be cause for concern.
3. Life circumstances can cause temporary fluctuations in children's behavior and emotional state. Development never proceeds smoothly. «Psychological energetics» has its peaks and its dips, and as a result children may be very vulnerable at one time and possess sufficient resistance and good adaptive abilities at another. Under some conditions fluctuations occur more often. This depends on the circumstances of the child's life. For many children, the appearance of a younger child in the family can become a factor in such fluctuations. A change of school or class is an event that causes the experience of stress and heightens the feeling of anxiety and dependency.
4. The differentiation of normal and anomalous behavior cannot be absolute. A child's behavior should be evaluated from the standpoint of the norms of his immediate cultural environment. It is therefore important to take into account the sociocultural differences that exist in society.
5. It is important to bear in mind the degree of the disorder. Isolated symptoms occur far more often than a whole cluster of symptoms simultaneously. Children with multiple emotional or behavioral disorders require special attention, especially when these disorders simultaneously affect different aspects of mental life, so that disturbances in one sphere negatively affect other spheres.
The severity and frequency of symptoms.
When analyzing a child's behavior, its manifestations should be compared not only with traits that are characteristic of children in general, but also with traits that are typical for the given child.
The situational specificity of the symptom. Attention should be paid to the situation in which the behavioral disorder manifests itself. Although this is not the most important criterion, it can shed some light on the dynamics of development
Thus, in deciding the question of a deviation of behavior from the norm, one should take into account, in M. Rutter's view, a combination of all the criteria named. Even in this case, however, a determination of «abnormality» is not entirely sufficient. It is necessary to take into account the extent to which the deviation from the norm impairs development. It is important to remember that a particular child is a unique, unrepeatable case, and therefore diagnosis is complex work that involves establishing the nature of the disorder in the development of that particular child's personality.
It is important to understand that the concept of "norm-anomaly" is complex and depends on context. Specialists in the fields of psychology, medicine, and pedagogy take various factors into account in order to determine which traits and behaviors are anomalies and which may simply be individual differences.
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