Today is our topic of discussion Behavioural science
Behavioural science
Behaviour :
It is the aggregate of all the responses of an individual in any situation.
Behavioral science:
It is the application of scientific methods to the study of behaviour of organisms. The subject may be included to sociology, anthropology, or psychology, in which the actions and reactions of humans and animals are studied through observational and experimental methods.
Components of behavioral science:
Sociology:
Sociology deals with study of human relationships and human behavior for a better understanding of the pattern of human life. It is also concerned with the effects on the individual of the ways in which other individuals think and act.
Social psychology:
It is concerned with the psychology of individuals living in human society or groups.
Social anthropology/anthropology:
It is the study of the physical, social and cultural history of man.
Factors of behaviour / behaviour change:
Knowledge –
It is the ability of a person or client to remember and interpret information.
Attitude –
It is the way a person views something or tends to behave towards it.
Practice –
It is the use of one’s knowledge in a particular profession; the practice of medicine is the exercise of one’s knowledge for recognition and treatment of disease.
Emotion –
It is strong feeling of the whole organism. Emotions motivate human behaviour.
Motivation –
Described below
Learning –
Learning is any relative permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of practice or experience. It implies new knowledge, new techniques, new skills etc.
Habits –
Habit is an accustomed way of doing things.
Personality –
It means certain physical and mental traits which are characteristic of an individual and determines to some extent, the individual’s behaviour or adjustments to his surroundings.
Beliefs and previous experiences –
Influence of family members, co-workers, friends and pears.
Sociocultural and demographic (age, sex, etc) factors
Types of behaviour:
Overt behaviour –
Overt behaviors are those behaviours that are visible to the eye. In short, seen behaviours are the overt behaviours. Examples of overt behaviors: the way of dressing, the way of talking, the way of eating, the color of one’s hair, the color of one’s dresses. These are the actions that are observable and can be measured.
Covert behaviour –
Covert behaviours are behaviours not visible to the naked eye. These are unseen behaviors. Examples of covert behaviors would be anger, jealousy, pity, kindness, happiness, sadness etc. These are behaviors that cannot be measured at a glance.
Health behaviour:
It refers to those activities people undertake to avoid disease and to detect asymptomatic infections through appropriate screening tests.
Types of health behaviour:
Compliance behaviour –
It is the result of motives that move towards a desired action. For example, accepting immunization, brushing teeth, bathing etc.
Avoidance behaviour –
It is the result of motives that move away from disliked or feared situation.
From public health point of view behaviour are of three types:
1. Health behaviour (described above)
2. Illness behaviour – How people react to symptoms.
3. Treatment behaviour – Activities used to cure diseases and restore health
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