The common features of the definition of abnormality is danger, deviance, dysfunction and _________.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → distress
No single definition of abnormality is accepted by all, but most share four features, the ‘four Ds’: deviance, distress, dysfunction and danger. Psychological disorders are deviant (different, extreme, unusual), distressing (unpleasant and upsetting to the person and to others), dysfunctional (interfering with the ability to carry out daily activities) and possibly dangerous (to the person or to others).
Option (1) demonic — Incorrect. The word recalls demonology, the old belief that people with mental problems were possessed by evil. That was an early explanation of abnormal behaviour, not a feature of its definition.
Option (3) driven — Incorrect. Being driven, that is pushed hard towards a goal, describes many normal people and is not one of the four features.
Option (4) divided — Incorrect. A divided mind is a popular but wrong picture of mental illness; it is not one of the four Ds.
NCERT (2025-26): “Concepts of Abnormality and Psychological Disorders … Although many definitions of abnormality have been used over the years, none has won universal acceptance. Still, most definitions have certain common features, often called the ‘four Ds’: deviance, distress, dysfunction and danger. That is, psychological disorders are deviant (different, extreme, unusual, even bizarre), distressing (unpleasant and upsetting to the person and to others), dysfunctional (interfering with the person’s ability to carry out daily activities in a constructive way), and possibly dangerous (to the person or to others).…” |