Lesson 3: Sociocultural Causes of Abnormal Behaviour

Behaviour

Each cultural group promotes its own patterns of interaction by teaching its children specific behaviours. A result of such training is that members of the group have similar behaviour and similar perspectives. In New Guinea, Margaret Mead found two tribes that were distinctly different despite living in the same general geographical area and despite being of similar racial origin. One tribe, the Arapesh, was kind, peaceful, and co-operative while the other tribe, the Mundugumor, was competitive, revengeful, war-like, and suspicious. These distinct differences between the two tribes appear to be social in origin. Mead also learned about the Tchumbuli tribe. In this tribe the women were the hunters and providers while the men spent their days preening and dressing up in fancy outfits.

Cultural groups also have sub-groups within them. The sub-groups and corresponding roles within the groups are varied. People are expected to act in certain ways depending on whether they are single or married, employed or unemployed, old or young, male or female, parents or childless, etc. For instance, the role of an elderly woman in one culture may differ from that of a religious figure in the same culture.

Please watch this short clip that illustrates how a woman's role in India differs from that in North America.

Other examples include teacher, nurse, police officer, and scientist – they are all influenced by what role each “title” implies within their culture. Even the title of “skateboarder” implies specific vocabulary, clothing, and customs!

People often advance through a series of roles; they start with the role of the child progressing to students then workers. Most people become spouses and parents before becoming senior citizens. Sometimes social roles are conflicting and uncomfortable. Conformity to social roles can be achieved through reward or punishment. In some parts of the world, a woman is punished if she is seen walking with a male who is not a relative. The role of women in this culture is seen as somewhat oppressive to many North Americans.

Gender roles are also important within cultures. The expectations for men and women within a society have a substantial effect on personality development. Research has shown, however, that low masculinity is associated with maladaptive behaviour and vulnerability to disorder for either gender. Women with low masculinity and high femininity tend to reject opportunities to be in control, an effect Baucom (1983) compares to learned helplessness. Learned helplessness develops when individuals have repeated experiences of failure at tasks or skills, causing them to believe they are not capable when they may simply need to be taught from a different point of view or to break the problem into smaller, achievable subcomponents (K. Brehob, et al, 2004). Learned helplessness is linked to depression.

Related to the terms masculine and feminine is the term androgyny, learned helplessness a combination of andro (male) and gyne (female). It removes the stereotypes we have for each sex and allows people to combine the best traits of both men and women. Traditional concepts of masculinity and femininity put limitations on behavior and how people can express themselves.

In our society, an adult must be independent, assertive, and self-reliant. However, traditional femininity frowns on women behaving in such ways. In addition, an adult male must be sensitive, caring, and attuned to emotional needs.

Traditional masculinity keeps men from expressing these personal needs. Androgyny combines the best of both abilities. It allows adults to be independent yet sensitive; they can be assertive yet open to the wishes of others. In other words, they can be both masculine and feminine. Androgyny facilitates a superior standard of psychological health for the sexes. It unburdens people from sets of narrow views and narrow behaviors. Androgyny expands the horizons of both men and women. It permits people to cope effectively with a wide range of situations.

How does androgyny translate into actual role behaviors or activities? For example, androgyny means a man can manage a business on his own, vacuum the family room, cuddle his children, read them bedtime stories, and do the family laundry. Androgyny means a woman can change the oil in her car, bake a casserole for someone who has been ill, and mow the lawn. Because many of the activities of men and women now overlap because of androgyny, both sexes should have a better understanding and appreciation of each other.