Psychology for Students

I have been asked so often by my students what actually represents normal or abnormal behaviour and can we measure it? In fact, if we take all world populations and analyse what they consider as abnormal behaviour then we get a totally different statistic. No. We cannot measure on a scale from 1-10 what is out of the norm when we come from the Far East, Russia or any other exotic country of the globe. However, we need to know when behaviour starts to disturb not only our average well-being but that of others in our environment. The moment we become a danger to ourselves and others this is when we need to take urgent action. Another aspect which has fascinated my students is the dark side of psychology and crime. Audiences are drawn to psychopaths, serial killers, cannibals, mass murderers etc. The media industry cannot get enough material to satisfy the hungry populace. My work in prisons and psychiatric institutes provided me with a rich amount of materials on this subject. Every case was unique and yet totally fascinating to the point of no return as they say in our profession. Why are we curious about these crimes? The answer perhaps lies in our longing for justice, moral and ethical standards or just a confirmation about our own deepest desires. Crime stories are the best-established forms of entertainment worldwide. This is why I have included in this book a section dedicated to “Psychopaths” as this is a highly dangerous disorder that can get out of control if left to its own devices. In my last book; “Aiming High” I wrote about bosses and political leaders who have these characteristics and the outcomes of their behaviour on their innocent victims. Just remember, this little book is a mixture of articles from the world of psychology and used by my students for light understanding about this complex subject.