Framing anatomical variation in anatomy textbooks: Language use and its implications

This study examines how anatomical variation is described linguistically in commonly used anatomy textbooks. We conducted a systematic content analysis of descriptions and terminology across commonly used English-language human anatomy textbooks using text mining to extract descriptors such as "unusual," "uncommon," "variant," and "abnormal." We quantified the frequency of these terms and qualitatively evaluated their contexts through prevalence statistics and functional implications. Results show that across all textbooks, "abnormal," a term that carries negative sentiment, was used more frequently than more neutral descriptors, including in contexts where the condition in question is common, asymptomatic, or has little to no functional impact. These patterns suggest that textbook language continues to frame human variation as deviant, pathological, or defective. Such framing may inadvertently reinforce biased notions of normality and pathology, shaping learners' implicit assumptions about the human body. We recommend explicit integration of anatomical variation into anatomy curricula, and that instructors and textbook authors reframe anatomical variation through neutral, prevalence-aware terminology. These steps are critical for fostering more accurate, inclusive understandings of human diversity.