List of Examples of Behaviour in Psychology

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What is behavioural psychology and what are the examples of behaviour in psychology?

Behavioural psychology or behaviourism refers to the study and analysis of observable behaviour. It’s a theory that suggests the environment affects human behaviour.

Psychology as a field of study influenced thoughts during the mid-20th century and much of it. Soviet experimental neurologist and psychologist Ivan Petrovich Pavlov is still to this day remembered for discovering Classical Conditioning.

The behavioural procedure was one of the earliest theories of behaviour in psychology.

We will explain more about the examples of behaviour in psychology in this article.

Examples of Behaviour in Psychology

Behavioural Psychology

Behavioural psychology refers to the study and analysis of observable behaviour. It’s also called behaviourism, a theory suggesting that environment shapes the human behaviour.

It’s a field of psychology that influenced thoughts during the mid-20th century and much of it. Behavioural psychology is still used today by mental health professionals to study behaviours.

The concepts and theories of behavioural psychology are still important in study areas like psychotherapy and education.

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Human Behaviour in Psychology

Psychologists generally use different approaches to study human behaviour.

Human behaviour is unpredictable and quite complex. It’s important to study the behaviour of those around us to understand how their mental state functions.

Observation and experiments are the common methods often used by psychologists to study human behaviour.

American psychologist John B. Watson believes that behaviour is a result of individuals being rewarded or punished. The founder of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud believes that behaviour is primarily a result of persons giving up to different urges.

Other psychologists like American psychologist Abraham Maslow had a different opinion. Abraham Maslow believes that people are good just as they are eager for accomplishment.

Examples of Behaviour in Psychology

Examples of behaviour in psychology include conscious and unconscious, rational and irrational, overt and covert, and ethical and unethical behaviour.

Let’s explore these examples of behaviour in psychology in detail.

#1. Conscious Behaviour

This describes a conscious effort, a behaviour that’s intentional. It generally occurs as a result of conscious thought.

Conscious behaviour is any behaviour we are aware of and can consciously control. It’s a type of behaviour that defines our choice to make preferential decisions.

It’s a kind of behaviour like choosing the type of outfit we want to wear, deciding what and who we want to talk to, and choosing whether we want to participate in an activity or not.

Also, people are held accountable for their conscious behaviours and reconsider their actions for their unconscious behaviours. It’s common to easily forgive someone for his or her unconscious behaviour than their conscious ones.

#2. Unconscious Behaviour

While conscious behaviour is any behaviour we are aware of and held accountable for, unconscious behaviour is a behaviour that happens without our awareness.

This is a type of behaviour that defines what we do unintentionally and never planned for. For example, we breathe, blink, and digest food as humans without doing much.

#3. Overt Behaviour

This is defined as the actions that are displayed and also readily observable.

Psychologists like Ivan Petrovich Pavlov and John B. Watson were almost focused on how to affect overt behaviour.

In reality, overt behaviour may be under conscious control if we closely look at how we focus and try to improve our posture when walking. On the other hand, overt behaviours may be unintentional if we look at a bad posture we may not be aware of, but others are.

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#4. Covert Behaviour

Covert behaviour can include things such as disguising one true intention, hiding emotions, or hiding information.

Although covert behaviour may sound like it has bad intentions, it’s a good thing in another way. If you lack the ability to control your words and actions, you would struggle in social situations.

For example, when you look at your partner’s outfit and you don’t like it, you may decide to keep that to yourself.

Covert behaviour is commonly to achieve goals in a social situation or to avoid unpleasant situations.

#5. Rational Behaviour

This is a behaviour that is clearly based on logic and reason.

Rational behaviour is the opposite of irrational behaviour and it’s often considered as way to make decisions. Rational behaviour and optimal behaviour are not always the same.

Optimal behaviour is that which usually leads to the best outcomes while rational behaviour means that the individual making the decision is relying on logic and reasoning.

#6. Irrational Behaviour

This type of behaviour does not align with logic nor does it align with reasoning. Most people are aware that their behaviour is irrational, while most people do not.

For example, there are people who react irrationally to stimuli that they are aware are aligned with fearful experiences.

Stimulus desensitization is the procedure that worked for psychologists to help their clients to manage their irrational behaviours. Through this procedure, American psychologist, John B. Watson was able to help a child lose his fear of rabbits.

Also Read: 10 Affirmative Action Examples

#7. Voluntary Behaviour

Voluntary behaviour just as the name implies, defines a movement or action initiated willingly by an individual. This behaviour is determined by choice and done without force.

This is a type of behaviour that we have control over. We choose to do whatever we feel is the right to do, helping others in process, and making an impact where it’s needed.

Most students sometimes connect voluntary behaviour with conscious behaviour. Sometimes conscious behaviour is compelled by force, but voluntary behaviours are done without an irrational need to perform an action.

#8. Involuntary Behaviour

This type of behaviour refers to any action that is totally not within your control.

Involuntary behaviour is mostly a response to stimuli that do not need thoughts or deliberation. The flight and fight response is usually involuntary.

Generally, the flight and fight response can be similar to unconscious behaviour. It can also include conscious behaviour.

Unconscious involuntary behaviour in some situations may be a sign of a health problem. For example, one may be shaking uncontrollably because he suffers from Parkinson’s disease.

#9. Ethical Behaviour

Ethical behaviour is a behaviour that defines the actions that are taken based either on a personal or shared moral framework.

This type of behaviour is often referred to in situations where an individual is left with two choices. For example, we may refer to ethical behaviour if we look at a situation where a worker decides not to steal from the company even though the worker knows he can get away with it.

Also Read: 12 Extrinsic Motivation Examples

#10. Unethical Behaviour

Unethical behaviour is the opposite of ethical behaviours and it refers to behaviours which are inconsistent with a personal moral framework.

Conclusion

Behavioural psychology or behaviourism refers to the study and analysis of observable behaviour. It’s also called behaviourism, a theory suggesting that environment shapes the human behaviour.

Psychology as a field of study influenced thoughts during the mid-20th century and much of it. Examples of behaviour in psychology include conscious and unconscious, rational and irrational, overt and covert, and ethical and unethical behaviour.

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