Free Custom «Understanding Abnormal Behavior» Essay Paper

Almost all the criteria people use to define abnormality involves the use of statistical deviation from a normative standard. However, this presents many problems. Statistical methods are fixed and that they fail to take into consideration differences in time, place and community standards. Secondly, the statistical criteria does not provide any formula for differentiating between the desirable and undesirable deviations from the average.

Possibly, the strongest criticism of  abnormality definitions is from the multicultural perspective. If the majority considers a deviation abnormal, then the rest of the community, ethnic or racial minorities that show strong sub-cultural difference from the majority should be classified as abnormal. Using a statistical definition makes the most influential or dominant group generally decides what normality and abnormality constitutes of. The multiculturalists agree here, that all behavior-abnormal and normal originate from a cultural context.

Culture is externally represented as roles, artifacts and institutions. Internally, it is represented by beliefs, epistemology, consciousness, values and attitudes. It is an extremely powerful determinant of worldviews-affects one's definition of normal and abnormal behaviors.

Paraphilia is a scarce disorder characterized by a six-month period of intense, recurrent sexual urges or sexually arousing fantasies involving a certain act depending on the paraphilia. To some people, it is a means of releasing sexual energy or frustration. Arousal and orgasm follows this act, and this by masturbation, and fantasies mainly help to achieve this. Darwin explains that men desire to have sex with many women, unlike women who take caution while choosing their mate. Males are also quicker-to-arousal than average females, which explains why men are the most paraphiliac.

WHY THE U.S. HAS A HIGHER INCIDENCE OF RAPE THAN OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES

Pleasure-related violence is one of the major causes of rape in the United States. This is due to the society’s choice of drugs- societies tend to support behaviors that are consistent with their values and are acceptable to hem socially. The U.S society can be best describe as an aggressive, violent and competitive society. Consequently, the society supports the use of drugs that facilitate this aggressive, competitive and violent behaviors and oppose the drugs that serve to counteract such behaviors. For instance, alcohol facilitates the manifestation of violent behaviors such as rape, and despite addictive potential and severely harmful to its chronic, the U.S society accepts it. The culture of rape in the U.S is also a cause. Traditionally, married women have been considered as men’s property. Thus in most states in the U.S do not prosecute men for raping their, wives which encourages rape among couples. The reasoning is that a man cannot steal what he already owns, which also explains why one can hardly witness a man convicted for raping a loose woman or prostitutes. People take ssuch women to be any man’s property. This shows that the U.S society itself is not headed for the right direction-it supports unruly behavior and does not encourage respectful relationship between men and women. Men are still more violent towards women.

One common myth is that sexually active men are highly unlikely to rape their date since they can easily get sex. However, the reality is that these sexually active men have a higher probability of raping their dates than those with little or no experience. Secondly, there is the willing-victim is an ernomous motivating force behind many rapes. This is the believe that some women demand rape. Some men say that they raped a woman because she seduced them; said no while she meant yes. This may be portrayed by wearing the wrong choice of clothes or being at the wrong place such as walking at night.

SEXUAL EXCIPLITNESS AND THE EFFECTS OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL

Sexually explicit definition differs amongst various cultures. It is a term that explains different features. The materials that count as sexually explicit today areaudio, visual and written representations of sexual acts and exposed private body parts. Examples of such materials is pornographic movies, books such as Tropic of Carpricorn or a film such as Baise Moi. Some of the effects of these materials is that it is harmful to its consumers, for instance corrupting their morals and by rendering them unable to sustain longterm, loving and sexual relationships. Child pornography promotes child abuse, which further harms their interests. Non-sexually explicit material may also be harmful in a relevant way- for instant some may be obscene, and non-sexually advertising exposing women posing in positions of sexual servility is also, bad in a relevant way.

The above information shows that sexually explicit material is dangerous to society and should be censored or banned. It should not be available to adults since it has far-reaching consequences to the involved individuals and society. For instance, people who watch or read this material get aroused which may read to rape, offend the community standards of decency and morality, encourage sexual promiscuity and promote behaviors and attitudes that may threaten religious and family institutions.