Behavior

Behaviour
Human behaviour is complex, yet it's vital to understand it to know the mental state of
people around us. Psychologists use various methods to study human behaviour, such as
experiments and observation. Understanding types of human behaviour and the distinct
personality types can help you understand why people behave the way they do and know
how to handle people differently and effectively.
What is behavior?
"Behavior" refers to the actions or reactions of an individual, organism, or system in
response to internal or external stimuli. It encompasses a wide range of actions, including
physical movements, verbal expressions, thoughts, and emotional responses. Behavior can
be influenced by various factors, including genetics, environment, culture, and personal
experiences. Studying behavior is essential in fields such as psychology, biology, sociology,
and neuroscience, as it provides insights into how organisms interact with their
surroundings and each other.
Types of human behaviour in psychology

The different types of human behaviour in psychology help measure and analyse behaviour.
Psychologists have divided human behaviour into categories based on people's behaviour in
different situations and responses to various stimuli. One behaviour, when accomplished,
may become the stimulus for another behaviour, though people can control some
behaviours through education, training and setting. You can know why you behave and
make choices the way you do using these categories. The types of human behaviour include:
Molecular and moral behaviour
Molecular behaviour occurs suddenly without thinking. For instance, you may close your
eyes suddenly when something is about to enter them, such as dust, an insect or an object.
This act of closing your eyes happens unexpectedly without prior preparation. Moral
behaviour, opposite of molecular behaviour, occurs after thinking. For instance, you can
respond to an invitation or accusation at work after understanding the event well. Similarly,
you may change the route when you see someone you want to avoid or something harmful.
Overt and covert behaviour
Overt behaviour is a behaviour that's visible and happens outside of human beings.
Examples of overt behaviour include eating or drinking something and taking part in sports,
such as football or riding a bicycle. Covert behaviour, which is the opposite of overt,
happens inside human beings and isn't visible. You engage in covert behaviour when you
think since no one can see you thinking.
Factors Influencing Behavior:

o Genetics: Inherited traits and genetic predispositions can play a significant role in shaping
behavior.
o Environment: External factors such as upbringing, socialization, culture, and surroundings
can strongly influence behavior.
o Psychological Factors: Cognitive processes, emotions, personality traits, and mental
health all contribute to shaping behavior.
o Biological Factors: Brain chemistry, hormones, and physiological states can affect
behavior.
o Social Factors: Peer pressure, societal norms, and cultural values influence how
individuals behave in different social contexts.
Functions of behavior
The functions of behavior refer to the purposes or reasons behind why organisms exhibit
specific actions or reactions. Understanding the functions of behavior helps us comprehend
why individuals engage in certain activities and what consequences these behaviors may
have.
 Survival: Many behaviors are directly related to ensuring the survival of the
individual organism or its species. For example:
o Feeding
o Seeking shelter
o Avoiding potentially harmful
 Communication: Behavior serves as a primary means of communication among
individuals within a species. Communication can take various forms, including:
o Verbal communication
o Body Language
 Reproduction: Behaviors associated with mating, courtship, and parenting are
essential for ensuring the continuation of the species.
 Social Bonding: Behaviors that foster social cohesion and strengthen bonds within
groups or communities are crucial for collective survival and well-being. Examples
include:
o Altruistic Acts
o Cooperation
o Sharing and reciprocity
o Conflict resolution
 Learning and Adaptation: Behaviors facilitate learning from experiences and
adapting to changing environmental conditions. Through trial-and-error learning,
observation, and cognitive processes, organisms acquire new skills and knowledge.
Examples include:
o Problem-Solving
o Imitation
By examining the functions of behavior, researchers can gain insights into the evolutionary,
ecological, and social significance of various actions and reactions exhibited by organisms.
These insights contribute to our understanding of the complex interactions between
individuals and their environments.
Behaviorism
Exploring the intricacies of human behavior leads us to delve into behaviorism, a
psychological perspective that scrutinizes observable actions and their connections to
stimuli, responses, and learned associations. Behavioral psychology is the study of the
connection between our minds and our behavior. Sometimes you will hear behavioral
psychology referred to as behaviorism. The researchers and scientists who study behavioral
psychology are trying to understand why we behave the way we do and they are concerned
with discovering patterns in our actions and behaviors. The hope is that if we can use
behavioral psychology to help us predict how humans will behave, we can build better
habits as individuals, create better products as companies, and develop better living spaces
as communities. According to this school of thought, behavior can be studied in a
systematic and observable manner regardless of internal mental states. Behavioral theory
also says that only observable behavior should be studied, as cognition, emotions, and
mood are far too subjective. Strict behaviorists believe that any person—regardless of
genetic background, personality traits, and internal thoughts— can be trained to perform
any task, within the limits of their physical capabilities. It only requires the right
conditioning.
History of Behaviorism
Behaviorism was formally established with the 1913 publication of John B. Watson's classic
paper, "Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It." From about 1920 through the mid-1950s,
behaviorism became the dominant school of thought in psychology.Some suggest that the
popularity of behavioral psychology grew out of the desire to establish psychology as an
objective and measurable science. During that time, researchers were interested in creating
theories that could be clearly described and empirically measured, but also used to make
contributions that might have an influence on the fabric of everyday human lives.
Zdroje:
https://www.verywellmind.com/behavioral-psychology-4157183#:~:text=Behaviorism%20is%20a
%20theory%20of,1
https://jamesclear.com/behavioral-psychology#:~:text=Behavioral%20psychology%20is%20the
%20study,psychology%20referred%20to%20as%20behaviorism.
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-human-behavior-definition-lesson-
quiz.html#:~:text=Types%20of%20human%20behavior%20include%20moral%20versus
%20molecular%2C%20overt%20versus,interaction%2C%20tradition%2C%20and%20work.
https://www.careerguide.com/career/psychology/types-of-human-behavior-in-psychology
https://www.noldus.com/blog/what-is-behavior

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