Human behavior is fairly complex in its expression but simple in its explanation. The complexity of human behavior is vividly manifested when people behave in non-normative ways. Anthropologists summarize the scenario with some fascinating words. They say:
Every person is like all other persons
Every person is like some other persons
Every person is like none other person
Although all humans display some common attributes and some group characteristics, it is their unique and non normative behavior which presents perplexing complexity. Why does this man talk in a funny way? Why does that lady lose temper on the slightest provocation? Why does this old man spank children? Hundreds of questions of this nature crowd our minds every minute. Although we may have some ready-made answers, we are not fully satisfied with the causal explanations.
The “why” of a behavior is rooted in a simple principle of behavior formation. It may be termed ABC of human behavior.
First, each behavior has an antecedent (A)- a context. The behavior does not take place in a vacuum. The context may be social or interpersonal in nature. One or more people are present when a person is displaying a behavior. In the absence of people, other objects or situations may also provide the context. Even a person’s behavior may be in the form of response to the imagined presence of others. When a person is dressing himself or herself to go to a party, people may not be around. Yet, he or she is imagining the ways people would respond when he/she arrives in the party. Furthermore, persons may also behave in response to internal stimulation (some neural stimulation in the brain).
The antecedent (context) provides the stage. The principal hero is the behavior (B). Yet, what roles the behavior would play depends on the consequence (C) experienced. In other words, consequence is the director. Depending on the consequences, behavior takes its shape. If a particular behavior produces (it is associated with) rewarding experiences, the behavior is strengthened. The child gets a gift every time he/she recites a poem. Accordingly, the tendency of reciting a poem would heighten. An individual encounters praise for a successful completion of a task, the motivation to undertake more tasks would go up. In other words, the positive (pleasant) consequences of a specific behavior would make it likely that the behavior would be repeated.
On the contrary, the absence of positive consequences (or the encounter with negative consequences) would weaken the probability of behavior. If students find that the class-room participation is not bringing valued outcomes, their tendency of class-room participation would drop.
Thus, behavior formation is basically tied to the valence of experiences. The positive consequence that follow a behavior strengthens behavior. On the other hand, the absence of positive consequence (or encounter with unpleasant consequences) weakens and eliminates the behavior. The message it imparts is clear and strong.
1. If you wish to strengthen a specific behavior of an individual, ensure that something satisfying and pleasant is provided each time the individual shows a desirable behavior.
2. If you wish to weaken or eliminate a behavior, withdraw the reward (or privileges) each time the individual shows undesirable behavior.
3. Learn where to connect and where to disconnect reward (reinforcement)