ABSTRACT
It is almost a daily occurrence to meet or hear about some individual who is considered eccentric, sadistic, wicked, magnanimous, or virtuous to an extreme degree. These people are recognized as being out of the ordinary—unusual in their behavior. They are driven to react in their individualistic manner by forces that are not readily apparent. Closer study often reveals these characteristics to be the result of attempts by the various persons to adapt themselves to life's situations. Whether they belong in the realm of what constitutes normal personality functioning or whether these people are suffering from some form of mental disorder can be judged only on the basis of a knowledge of normal behavior and its development.
