Nov
11
What is your definition of human behavior?
By
I have to write a paper in sociology class explainig an author’s definition of human behavior. I also have to give an example in my life that shaped me how I am today, but I would like some definitions of what others think human behavior is so I can show the contrast of definitions. My definition of human behavior are the attempts to satisfy certain needs. Those needs may be simple or complex.
6 Comments
November 11th, 2009 at 12:51 am
this is absolutely not an academic definition, but i would say human behavior is any action intended or unintended.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:23 am
Hmm. I am currently getting my masters in psychological research and evaluation. There are many ways of looking at human behavior. Is human behavior always an effort to satisfy a need? For example, I may volunteer at a soup kitchen during the holiday season. Is this true altruism, or is it serving a need that I have? The answer to that question is debatable.
I guess I would look at human behavior more in terms of frequency of response. It is simply what we do, and how much we do it. We could throw other variables into this definition, such as motivation, or instinctual drives if necessary, but I believe that what motivates human behavior is very different than merely stating what the behavior is.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:40 am
Hello – I am a sociology professor and I think approaching this question from the different sociological perspectives (rather than starting with the definition) is the easiest way to answer this for your paper. So first pick the perspective you feel the most comfortable with: how about behaviorism? (that is human behavior is defined by conditioned learning) or symbolic interactionism (human behavior is driven by the day to day interactions between individuals that construct the meaning of all interactions) or conflict theory (human behavior is defined by the competition over limited resources) or functionalism (human behavior is defined by social integration – people coming together and structuring interactions for the benefit of the larger society). Once you find a perspective you like/agree with/understand then you can create a definition and support it sociologically. Use your assigned text book for help. Good Luck – I hope you enjoy your class.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:53 am
Human behavior is the evolution of human’s way to reason.
In other words, logic and knowledge. From birth to baby to kid to teenager to adult to old age to death. That human went through countless experiences and those experiences are the factors for that human’s behavior.
For example, George is hungry but he’s in a middle of the amazonian jungle. Trying around various stuff. He learns through experience that certain things are edible and some aren’t.
What george did was gathering information about his surroundings. (Knowledge) Then by looking through what he knows, he simplified his knowledge by giving them a common fact. For examples, apples and tomatoes are edible. So george will think Red round things are edible. (that is logic, not a good one but it’s a start)
Human behavior is our conclusion or our thoughts from our day to day basis. The likes and dislikes, good or bad. Thus determining the human behaviour.
November 11th, 2009 at 2:31 am
Human behavior? Humm….I’d say human: us, you and me…behavior: our feelings and emotions and how we act on them if and when we can. our will power and determination for the things we want for ourselves and other people and the world and if we actually do them and how it affects others if we do is human behavior. to me anyway.
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Kassy
November 11th, 2009 at 3:21 am
An easy concept to look at that deals with human behavior is Norbert Elias’s ‘civilising process’. Elias describes how human behavior over the centuries has changed in relation to what is determined as normal behavior and how we have strived for, accepted and adapted ourselves to take on these behaviors. I think you will find that this is an easy to understand concept and is actually quite interesting. Elias also discusses an uncivilising process, which, if you look at the world today, can be seen to be happening quite clearly. If you want a brief rundown type Elias into Wikipedia and that should give you a quick brief and some useful links…. Good luck …