Abnormality, or anomaly, refers to a deviation from the norm or what is typically expected. In various fields, such as medicine, psychology, and statistics, an abnormality can indicate a condition or behavior that is unusual or atypical. For example, in medical contexts, an anomaly might refer to an irregularity in anatomy or physiology that could signal a health issue.
In statistics, an anomaly is often identified as an outlier, which is a data point that significantly differs from the rest of the dataset. Detecting anomalies is crucial for identifying potential problems or trends, whether in healthcare, finance, or machine learning. Understanding these deviations helps professionals make informed decisions and improve outcomes.