Human Behavior by Geb Galagala

CRIMINOLOGY 5

Human Behavior

Definition

        Anything an organism does that involves self-initiated action and/or reaction to given stimulus. It is composed of adoptive adjustment people make as they cope with one another, with problems, with opportunities, and with working together-aspects, ina given situation.

        It is the sum total of man’s reaction to his environment

A. Two Basic Types of Behavior

1. Inherited behavior

These are inborn behavior, any behavior reactions or reflexes exhibited by people because of their inherited capabilities or the process of natural section e.g. the survival of species that are dependent on behavior like breathing, digesting food, mating and depending oneself.

1. Learned behavior

These are operant behavior which involves knowing or taking into account, adaptations that enhance a human being’s ability to cope with changes in the environment in ways which improve the chances of survival e.g. good command of English, logical problem solving technique, job skills, and other learned expertise that give people more control over their lives. It is this behavior that sets human being apart from other animals.

 B. Classification of Human Behavior (HICS)

1. Habitual = refers to motorized behavior usually manifested in language and emotion.
2. Instinctive = they are generally unlearned and simply comes out, out of man’s instinct, which can be seen among instinct-instinct survival behavior.
3. Symbolic = are behavior that are usually carried out by means of unsaid words, and shown through symbols or body signs.
4. Complex = are those behaviors that combines two or more of the classified ones.

C. Causes of Human Behavior (SPA)

1. Sensation = is the feeling or impression created by given stimulus or cause, that leads to a particular reaction or behavior, in short, the effects e.g. Visual (sight), Olfactory (hearing), gustatory (taste).
2. Perception = refers to the person’s knowledge of a given stimulus which largely help to determine the actual behavioral response in a given situation.
3. Awareness = refers to the psychological activity based in interpretation or past experience with a given stimulus or object.

D. Characteristics of Behavior

1. Primarily negative or primarily learned
2. Evoked by External stimuli or internal need
3. Automatic, voluntary, conscious or motorized

E. Attributes of behavior

1. Duration – how long in terms of function of time
2. Extensity – size, distance and location
3. Intensity – magnitude, whether mild, strong and disintegrated
4. Quantity – whether normal, abnormal, misleading or unacceptable

Abnormal Behavior

        = “A.B.” is Latin initials which means “away from”, Abnormal behavior then can be defines as a behavior which is away from or deviating from the normal behavior. Normal Behavior on the other hand, is one that is within the concept of a person’s as his own behavior which he or she sees normal, and that people who behave as they do, are likewise normal and those that do not behave similarly are abnormal. Abnormal behavior most of the time referred to as “sick” behavior. It is associated to mental illness. Behavior which are ineffective, self-defeating, self-destructive and which separates the individuals from those who are important to him, are regarded as abnormal.

Guidelines for judging abnormal behavior

1. Appropriateness (includes assessment of not only the behavior itself but also the situation in which it is happening).
2. Flexibility (Normal behavior tends to be flexible as a sign of healthy behavior).
3. Impulsitivity (normal behavior is more likely to be a result of a consideration of its consequences, with being given careful thought before implementation) Abnormal behavior, being uncontrolled or partially controlled needs and drives, tend to be impulsive.

Causes of Human Behavior:

1. Sensation – feeing or impression of stimulus (Visual, olfactory, cutaneous, auditory, gustatory)
2. Perception – knowledge of the stimulus
3. Awareness – refers to psychological activity based on the interpretation and experience of the object or stimulus

How people interact:

        People interact by three psychological position or behavioral patterns called ego states:

Parent-ego states – protective, idealistic, evaluation, righteous, refers to law, rules and standard.

Adult-ego states – more upon reason, factual, flexible, views other as co-equal, and reasonable.

Child-ego-states – dependent, rebellious, selfish, demanding, impatient and emotional.

How people transact:

Complimentary – if stimulus and response pattern from one ego state to another are parallel.

Non-complimentary – if stimulus and response pattern from one ego state to another are hot parallel.

1. The Biological background of Behavior

The HEE is the product of hereby environment, and education (training). At birth, man is consider black except for reflexes which are necessary for his survival. Some of these reflexes are the following, sucking, swallowing, crying and others.

Man’s eight (8) stages of growth:

1. Pre-natal stage – which is composed of:

1. Ovum period – first two weeks
2. Embryo period – second week to second month
3. Fetus period – second moth to birth

1. Infancy stage – first two weeks after birth
2. Babyhood – second week to two years old
3. Childhood – which is divided into: (early childhood, 2-6 yrs old and late childhood, 7 to eleven yrs)
4. Puberty – end of childhood and beginning of adolescence
5. Adolescence – which is divided into: (early adolescence, puberty to 17 yrs. And late adolescence, 17 to 21 yrs)

1. Adulthood – 21 to forty yrs old.
2. Middle age – forty to sixty yrs. Old
3. Old age – sixty and above

Developmental Tasks

        Every stage of life has its accompanying development tasks. They are task imposed on the individual by maturation and culture that prepare him for the next stage of life.