behaviour

behaviour

Psychology

Behaviour is a psychological process by which we learn and interpret our environment and what behaviours are appropriate and inappropriate. It can also be defined as the process that our minds and our thoughts take to bring forth a particular response or action. Behavior may refer to both positive or negative behaviour, but the term is usually used in reference to responses to situations and events that we observe. A variety of factors may impact behaviour; they include the individual who is being observed, the way they perceive their surroundings, their background or culture.

Behavioural psychology encompasses the study of how individuals respond to particular stimuli. Such studies of behavioural learning are generally viewed as investigating specific aspects of human behavior, such as what causes people to behave one way, or another. The first psychological field was cognitive, looking at mental processes through the use of laboratory conditions and laboratory tests to understand and model certain cognitive functions, based on the premise that the brain is divided into two types — those working memory and attention processes, with each type representing different cognitive functions and processing strategies. In this approach, researchers relied heavily on empirical evidence generated by behavioural psychologists and neuroscientists and was criticized for its reliance on animal models and thus limited in its application to understanding personality. With time, though, several behavioral psychologists started using animal models to study the neural basis of human behaviour. This led to the development of theories of ‘cognitive’ behaviour, which proposed that certain tasks and activities required resources from your mind rather than the brain itself. These cognitive models attempted to examine why we perform things like driving safely when there is so much traffic around us and why we act one particular way or another when doing something new, regardless of whether it’s acceptable to do otherwise. Research on these models started with animals and the introduction of newer methods of investigation allowed them to be applied in more natural settings such as humans and children, eventually leading to the ‘behaviourism’ school of thought that focused more on studying observable behaviour rather than subjective.

Behaviour is not only linked to physical changes to the body, but also social interaction. Social behaviour refers to how we interact with others, such as the way we greet someone or how we answer to a question. Positive and negative reinforcement are important in shaping our actions as well. Physical consequences are important as well, as they enable you to feel safe, and are often associated with punishment. Social interactions can have an effect also on your emotional behaviour. For example, if you see someone smiling and think that they look happy, you might be kinder towards them regardless of whether they are actually happy, because they are just being kind when they are feeling good. But this cannot be said for some people, and sometimes this is due to their upbringing or cultural expectations. Other ways that behaviour may affect you are through how you talk to others and how you dress. Some examples of how physical and social environments influence behaviour include the amount of noise you make in crowded areas, where that person tends to stand out rather than blend into the crowd. When we feel bad about ourselves, this can lead to excessive crying, or over-exaggeration of our own emotions. All of this is known as self-regulation, the ability to control our own actions. If you want to control how you behave more, try using self-regulatory strategies — for example change your outfit whenever you have the chance to. There are plenty of steps you can take to help improve your behaviour every day, such as changing how often you check your emails or answering your phone while standing up. Asking questions when a conversation goes on will help you to better engage with other people’s opinion too. Using yourself as a guide, especially when the people around you don’t like it, will enable you to improve your interactions with others and encourage healthy thinking. This will give you confidence and reduce your feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy. Self-control is highly effective and can be learned and developed by practice.