Exploring Socio-Cultural Factors' Influence on Abnormal Behavior

This report examines the impact of socio-cultural factors on abnormal behavior, focusing on the behavioral model. It explores how cultural norms, practices, and beliefs influence individual behaviors, drawing on examples such as polygamy and the 'Reed Dance' ritual. The report references the work of Pavlov and B.F. Skinner, highlighting the role of learned behaviors in shaping responses, such as the development of drinking habits. It emphasizes that socio-cultural factors, including attitudes, discriminations, prejudices, child-rearing practices, regional differences, and taboos, are significant influencers of human behavior. The report concludes that these factors become intrinsic parts of an individual's behavior from childhood.

ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR – SOCIO CULTURAL FACTORS
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There are many such examples: In African subcontinent, polygamy as well as polyandry are
considered normal but not in the Hindu culture. In Swaziland, thousands of naked females take
part in ‘Reed Dance’ in front of their King, a ritual before he chooses his next wife. This kind of
behavior or culture is very absurd in developed as well as developing countries. Barbaric
practices like FGM are still widely accepted in countries like Egypt. All such activities are
legally punishable in any well developed country in the West as well as Asia.
I personally like Behavioral Model explaining abnormal behaviors. Abnormal psychology is the
study of not normal thinking, activities and behaviors. The study helps in treatment of such
abnormal behaviors. There are different ways of explaining an abnormal behavior. Say for
example, a person is trying hard to give up drinking. Some time argue that the addiction is a
disease and it may be genetic.
The behavioral model if abnormality state that people learn patterns of behavior. Learned or
acquired behaviors are the cause of abnormal activities. This model was built on the theories of
Ivan Pavlov and B.F.Skinner, who notices that animals learn to associate one thing with another
(Babkin, 1949). Everyone is aware of the experiment Pavlov (Pavlov, 1927) did with his dog,
associating lunch time with the ringing of the bell. After a while, the dog used to salivate every
time he hears a bell, even though there was no food nearby. It is not just one thing with another
object. It is the same way people are rewarded or punished and the actions of people are
impacted. Coming back to the example of the person with the drinking problem, every time, he
drinks, his friends used to cheer him up. He feels good due to good reception he gets from his
friends. As a result he developed the habit of drinking because his friends think he is cool when
he drinks.

Socio cultural factors are great influencers of human behavior (Miller, 1962). The factors are the
larger-scale forces within the cultures and societies that affect the thoughts, behaviors and feeling
of the individuals. These comprises of the simple processes like attitudes, discriminations,
prejudices, child rearing procedures, regional differences, beliefs and practices as well as taboos.
It is not possible to lead a life not taking into account any of the above mentioned factors. People
from their childhood are molded in a way that these factors become an intrinsic part of their
behavior.
Bibliography
Babkin, B. (1949). Pavlov: A biography. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Miller, G. (1962). Psychology: The Science of Mental Life. New York: Harper and Row.
Pavlov, I. (1927). Conditioned Reflexes: An investigation of the physiological activity of the
cereberal cortex. London: Oxford University Press.