""Normal" is one of those words that we don't really think about much when we use it (e.g., "normal reaction," "normal behavior," "normal person"). However, if you take the time to think about what "normal" means and how complicated the concept really is, things begin to get murky. Some people will tell you that in this fragmented, hyper-diverse world of today, no one is really "normal" any longer. This claim, while appealing in its"
""normal" equals "ideal" or "health" is a major misinterpretation of how people think every day. An example of the problem is how we picture all "normal people" as emotionally balanced, physically healthy, productive, socially skilled, and able to think clearly and with sound judgment. This view of the "normal person" is not only unrealistic, but terribly wrong. The idea that normal is some gold standard that everyone must reach and that those who do not achieve this gold standard are somehow maladaptive is entirely misguided."
Normal describes typical variation in populations rather than a moral ideal or flawless health. Medical and psychological fields define normal statistically using large representative samples and consider factors like age, sex, race, geography, and socioeconomic status when establishing expected ranges. Treating normal as an ideal fosters unrealistic expectations and stigma by portraying a single gold standard of emotional balance, physical health, productivity, and social skill. Clinical assessment compares individuals to population data to understand differences and to guide evaluation and treatment, not to label people for failing to meet an impossible perfection.
Read at Psychology Today
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