University Learning

This article discusses the framework of Level of Analysis in understanding human behaviour. It explores the three major tools of analysis - Biological, Psychological, and Socio-cultural - and their application in university learning. The author shares personal experiences and insights gained from studying psychology at the university level.

Running head: UNIVERSITY LEARNING
University Learning
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Author Note:

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Usage of the framework of Level of Analysis to understand human behaviour.
The human behaviour is often noted as scientific behaviour in its orientation.
Therefore, the human conduct has often been an interesting point of observation for the
psychologists and over the time they have developed certain tools to understand and evaluate
and cognize the ways of behaving that is found among the human society (Klöckner. 2013).
The three major tools for analysis that have been developed by the psychologists are,
Biological, Psychological and Environmental analytical tools to understand the levels of
behaviour of the human beings.
The Biological level of analysis (BLA) includes the behaviours and emotions and
cognitions of the human beings, having a psychological base (Kruglanski and Higgins. 2013).
They are of the opinion that, certain anatomic structure and physiology of a person determine
the behavioural output and the emotional balance or imbalance. They have analysed it further
stating that certain pituitary processes and hormonal changes provide the basis for biological
analysis and illicit certain behavioural approaches. This can be included as a reductionist
approach since it involves complexity behaviour approaches and break them into smaller
approaches to study and cognize and evaluate them better (Martinez and Kesner. 2014).
The cognitive level of analysis (CLA) on the other hand, views the mental processes
and understandings and the way that influence upon the behaviours of people. They do not
look at the brain structures rather, they view the background and psychological
understandings of the person and the influences of the same on their behaviour (Sternberg
and Sternberg. 2016). Human perception, attention, memory, thinking and brain processes
and language are included as the subject matter in this orientation (Barsalou, 2014). This
process basically refers to how human beings capitulate and cognize the available
information and the way they put the same into use. The psychologists viewing this process
of analysis is of the opinion that the processing of information and representation of the

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information shape their behavioural processes. They provide language an important role and
includes certain theories to explain the various conducts of human.
The socio-cultural levels of analysis (SLA) refers to the scientific understanding of
the feelings, emotions and thoughts of human beings as influenced by others or rather the
society. It includes the social conditioning of human beings and studies the behaviour of the
same on individual and group level (Parker. 2014). Their basic approach is that the
individuals are social beings and therefore they need to belong to the group. Thy also include
the environmental elements and their influence upon the behaviour of the individuals and
groups.
My personal application of Level of Analysis while pursuing University.
While pursuing my Master’s course on Psychology, this learning of Levels of
Analysis had helped me in various ways. Since, I was learning the concept while pursuing the
course I could apply and use the concepts better. Firstly, since our university had an
atmosphere of multiculturalism, it helped me to understand the people around. I will start
with the BLA approach. This particular approach helped me to rectify myself. In various
situations, while pursuing studies, I found myself to be demotivated and demoralised and take
certain comments or actions of others very seriously. In certain situations, these emotions
were very justified but in others, they were not much relevant. Then, a detailed understanding
of the BLA approach helped me to identify some specific characteristics of myself and the
kind of behaviour I was producing. The BLA approach helped me to reason out my conduct
and orientation to certain circumstances and also helped me to identify some characteristics
of myself that were unknown to me. It also changed my approach to some specific issues that
generated in the course of time.

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Further, the CLA approach helped me to evaluate the conduct of others. Since the
CLA approach includes the brain processes and perceptions of others it helped me to
understand the behaviour of others. The outlook and viewpoints of others are much easier to
perceive once I understood the orientation of other students. It also helped me to evaluate
their thinking and change my orientation towards them. Moreover, I understood the reason of
people being the way they are and the analysis of their behaviour helped me to cognize who
can be of help and who can be harmful for me.
Lastly, the SLA approach cleared my confusion about the diverse personalities within
a single being. I find this particular approach to be the most helpful one. The culture and
background of some people describe a lot about them and helps to deconstruct their code of
behaviour. SLA approach explains why and how people keep their personal and professional
life distinct and why they think in a certain way. The culture and societal norms play a great
part on the behaviour of the people. I have often seen some people to look at something in a
judgemental way while some people approve it very easily. It also explain why some students
behave in a particular way within their group and completely differently while conversing
with others. Moreover, it helped me to change my behaviour to certain people according to
the way they are and the way they think to avoid awkwardness and tension.

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References:
Barsalou, L.W., 2014. Cognitive psychology: An overview for cognitive scientists.
Psychology Press.
Klöckner, C.A., 2013. A comprehensive model of the psychology of environmental
behaviour—A meta-analysis. Global environmental change, 23(5), pp.1028-1038.
Kruglanski, A.W. and Higgins, E.T. eds., 2013. Social psychology: Handbook of basic
principles. Guilford Publications.
Martinez Jr, J.L. and Kesner, R.P. eds., 2014. Learning and memory: A biological view.
Elsevier.
Parker, I., 2014. Discourse dynamics (psychology revivals): Critical analysis for social and
individual psychology. Routledge.
Sternberg, R.J. and Sternberg, K., 2016. Cognitive psychology. Nelson Education.