BEHAVIOURAL PSYCHOLOGY (Determinants Of Behaviour)

From a previous article, we looked at the four main determinants of behaviour that fall under Behavioral Psychology, the third type of psychology we would be explaining.

We should be reminded that Behavioral Psychology tries to study and understand how habits form in people, and how the mind plays a role in a physical response. It also aims to predict better how people will behave in different situations.
In the same article, I explained extensively the four determinant of human behaviour, which was Prewiring (nature), Formative years (nurture), Contemporary Society, and Creativity. My goal in this article is to further explain these determinants by using real-life situations and an observed test subject.

For this article, let our test subject be Claire.

Claire’s Prewiring (nature)

As we explained earlier, Prewiring is a genetic inheritance predisposing us to behave in particular ways. This simply means that it is those behaviours that we carry into the world and was not influenced by external forces (some of these behaviours can and might be influenced by environmental factors, but not easily).
We would be looking at three prewired behaviours that Claire possesses.

Social Interaction Preference

It is normal for every individual to be considered, either an extrovert or an introvert, but in the case of Claire, she is considered both. As much as she thrives in social settings, enjoys meeting new people, and is comfortable in group situations she also has a genetic inclination to find solitary activities more rewarding. She enjoys being out and wild with friends as much as she enjoys being alone in her room reading her novels and writing. As much as she always fits into any large group gatherings with people she might or might not know, she also finds it hard to talk to new people and establish a friendship with them because she would much rather sustain and maintain the tiny circle she has leaving no room for new people. She is outgoing and reserved, loud and quiet, she mingles and isolates, and she is a social butterfly and a wallflower.
Most people are prewired to be extroverts or introverts, but she is prewired to be both.
She naturally possesses traits that make her charismatic, confident, and effective at rallying groups of people toward a common goal. She has the natural instinct of a leader that makes her peers always look to her to speak, guide and make decisions. She also has a strong social energy that makes everyone gravitate towards her.

Sleep Pattern

Claire can be considered a night owl as she tends to feel more alert and active later in the day. She struggles to wake up early in the morning and experiences a higher energy level during the evening.

Learning Style

Claire is an auditory and kinesthetic learner, meaning she grasps information better when she hears it. She prefers lectures, discussions, and audio materials and as a kinesthetic learner, she also learns best through physical activity and hands-on experiences. She needs to engage in activities related to the subject matter.

These are a few of the behaviours I believe Claire has been prewired with. Behaviours that she has always had and behaviours that only grow as her years go by.

Claire’s Formative Years (nurture)

The second determinant of our behaviour is learned in our formative years from our experiences with siblings, parents or guardians. Let’s take a look at three behaviours Claire possesses as a result of her nurture.

Communication Skills

Claire was raised in an environment where open conversations were highly encouraged. She grew up in an environment where she as well as the members of her family believe in communication, to understand, relate or even solve conflicts. As the years go by, it is hard to not notice that this environment has helped her shape and develop effective communication skills. She strongly believes and stands by the fact that communication is the key to all successful friendships, relationships or whatever ship there is.

Values and Morals

Claire possesses very strong morals and values instilled into her in her formative years through her family. Values and morals like gratitude, honesty, sharing, respect, cooperation, generosity and togetherness.
One of the main ones is sharing. She grew up seeing and learning that no one person owns something, be it material things, food items or whatever. Whatever is brought into the house should never be hoarded but should always be shared with an open heart. This value has remained with her till date and it has made her find it very easy to give to people with an open hand and heart.

Self Esteem

Growing up in a family that always showed love, support, and validation helped in boosting her self-esteem. Claire knows her worth, she knows that she is worth a lot and would never let anybody tell her otherwise. She didn’t grow up in a family where she is constantly compared to her peers in a demeaning way as this would have had a very negative impact on her self-esteem.

Claire’s Contemporary Society

Contemporary society has had an impact on Claire’s behaviour. Paying attention to societal views and perceptions of things has influenced some of her life choices and they include:

Body Image:

Societal beauty standards conveyed through media and advertising have influenced perceptions of her body image. Claire has struggled with behaviours like body dissatisfaction, self-comparisons, and the pursuit of an “ideal” body shape. These behaviours were only influenced because of things people say and the things she sees, the opinions and ideas of her contemporary society.

Fitness and Exercise

The emphasis on fitness and health in contemporary society has at a point and until now even, led her to adopt behaviours like engaging in regular exercise, following fitness trends, and pursuing specific body goals. She has adopted the behaviour of engaging in certain exercises because of motivation, or should I say, pressure to look a certain type of way. This impact of contemporary society on her behaviour is not all negative, as exercise is good and advised, and it is not a bad thing to want to work to get your body to a certain shape. But the bad thing about it is doing it not because it is a resolution you made within yourself, for yourself, but because of the pressure to fit into societal beauty standards.

Dieting and Nutrition

Societal pressure to achieve certain body types has led Claire to adopt behaviours like restrictive eating, following fad diets, and seeking “quick fixes” for weight loss. She has only just begun to understand that she should only try to alter the way she looks because she wants to, she should only take safe measures in achieving a desired body figure for herself and herself alone and not because of societal pressure or the perception or opinions of how she should look.

You would notice that under how contemporary society is a determinant of behaviour, I focused mainly on how it affects and makes her adopt behaviours concerning her body and that is because it is one of the major ways contemporary society has determined her behaviour.
On a more general note, it is not a new discovery that society really plays a very determining role in how women feel about themselves. The pressure is so much on them that they always, even from a very young age begin to really think and make how they look a priority.

Claire’s Creativity

In our previous article, we explained that though creativity is not a strong determinant of behaviour, it isn’t ruled out. The major way creativity has determined Claire’s behaviour is in how she expresses herself.
As a creative person, she often engages in behaviours that allow her to express herself through various mediums such as art, writing, music, or other forms of self-expression. As a creative person, Claire is also deeply passionate about her creative pursuits, exhibiting behaviours that are driven by enthusiasm and dedication. She is also a very good critic that provides constructive criticism which is a quality of a creative person.
Creativity has also fostered her enjoyment of crafting and sharing stories, whether through writing, oral storytelling, or other forms of narrative expression.

We have fully gone through all the determinants of behaviour under Behavioural Psychology using the life of Claire as a case study. I believe that with these explanations, these determinants are much more understandable and it is clear how Prewiring (nature), Formative years (nurture), Contemporary society and Creativity greatly determine what behaviours are exhibited by an individual.