Behavior

Behavior (or behaviour) refers to the actions or reactions of an object or organism, usually in relation to the environment. Behavior can be conscious or unconscious, overt or covert, and voluntary or involuntary. Behavior is controlled by the endocrine system, and the nervous system. The complexity of the behavior of an organism is related to the complexity of its nervous system. Generally, organisms with complex nervous systems have a greater capacity to learn new responses and thus adjust their behavior.

The behavior of people (and other organisms or even mechanisms) falls within a range with some behaviors being common, some unusual, some acceptable, and some outside acceptable limits. The acceptablity of behavior is evaluated relative to social norms and regulated by various means of social control. For behavior of people see human behavior. In sociology, behavior is considered as having no meaning, being not directed at other people and thus is the most basic human action. Behaviour should not be mistaken with social behaviour, which is more advanced action, as social behaviour is behaviour specifically directed at other people. Animal behavior is studied in comparative psychology, ethology, behavioral ecology and sociobiology.

See also

• Animal behavior
• Behaviorism
• Behavior-based_robotics
• Chaining
• Eccentric
• Forms of activity and interpersonal relations
• Human behavior
• Instinct
• normal
• Taboo
• Work behavior
• Reasoning

External link

• Brain and behavior - (EPOB 3730) - University of Colorado