Exploring Human Behavior: Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches

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PSYCHOLOGY
OF BEHAVIOR

TABLE OF
CONTENT before
INTRODUCTION
APPROACHES OF PSYCHOLOGY
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
HUMAN BEHAVIOR
RESEARCH INTO GROUP INFLUENCE
ANALYZE CONSEQUENCES OF PREJUDICE AND
DISCRIMINATION
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION
In the field of psychology, there are different parameters that are present to study the
human mind and their functions. Psychology programs are highly presenting the
emotions, reactions, attitudes and actions of the human. This might determine if
psychology and human behaviour has the right field for you. The approaches and
research has been widely covered in the study. Further, the consequences of prejudice
and understanding has been covered with the theories and social influence relevant to
public services.

APPROACHES OF PSYCHOLOGY
4
Cognitive Psychology directs on
the thinking, remembering and
knowing the perception and memory
of the human. The way they
communicate also depends on the
cognitive
Humanistic Psychology is driven
by the belief of the people. This
might constant lead to growth or
enhancement of the human. This
approach directs on the people who
are not motivated enough or don’t
care enough to get things done.
Socio-cultural Psychology helps in
gaining the knowledge of the society
and cultures preferences and their
behavior affecting the thinking of the
people. This would certainly think to
enact differently then those with
certain situations.
Biological Psychology is highly
linked to the psychology and biology
and somewhat relevant to genes
and hormones. It might believe that
the parent genes may be the reason
of the actions and thoughts.
Evolutionary psychology
approach can be the root of the
mental processes and behavior of
the individual over the natural
selection. It has been originated
from monkeys which is preferred to
be the significant psychology of
human
Behavioral psychology approach
directs on the behavior of the
individual. This help in
understanding the behavior of the
human by observing them.

Two Theories
5
60
%
The cognitive theories of psychology has entirely based on the motivation, decision-
making and problem-solving or internal states theory. This might direct on the thinking
and attention to the work.
COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
80
%
The role of the behavior theory might acquire the condition of the psychologists such as
B.F. Skinner and John. B. Watson. The theories dominates the psychology in a
therapeutic settings that help the people to learn new skills and behavior.
BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGY

Similarities and differences
6
Behaviorism is based
on the observable
changes in the
behavior
Focus is entirely
based on new
behavioral pattern
which is being
repeated until
becoming automatic
Behaviorism
advocates by the
principles provided
by Watson and
skinner
demonstrating a
specific
environmental
stimulus
It involves all
activities of human
like thinking,
feelings, acting and
are regarded as
behavior
It is based on the
process behind the
behavior
Changes in the
behavior are
approached with the
happenings and
learners mind.
The role of behavior
is important as it
indicates the
happenings insider
the learners mind.
The focus is on
mental activities and
stress over efficient
processing
strategies
They are usually
efficient in mental
planning, goal
setting and
organizational
strategies

RESEARCH INTO GROUP INFLUENCE
05/12/2025 7
Group Influence
Social Loafing directs on the efforts to
achieve goals when one works in a group
than working alone. This can direct on
the group for main reason i.e. they might
be less productive sometime but are
distinct in combined performance.
Further, the accidental coordination
problem might help the group
sometimes. According to Latane et al
1979, the efforts of person has been seen
while working in a group which direct on
the performance of the individual put
while performing in groups compared to
what they exhibit in individual

CONSEQUENCES OF PREJUDICE AND
DISCRIMINATION
05/12/2025 8
Prejudice and
discrimination
Prejudice present the inflexible and irrational behavior
through which solely the individual and membership of
the social group is undertaken negatively.
On the other hand, discrimination is the action or
behavior of individual towards the group of people.
There are different types of the prejudice i.e. classism,
racism, sexism and lookism. On the other hand, the
discrimination is highly considered on the basis of
gender reassignment, age, disability and being married
or civil partnership and other.
There are certain consequence. They are:
• Violent crimes
• Powerlessness feelings
• Anger
• Anxiety
• Alienation to aggressive behavior

EFFECT OF SOCIAL INFLUENCE ON
BEHAVIOR
9
Conformity
Obedience
Obedience directs on the test which lines to match with other. This
shows that 99 percent of the time the participants have the right to
do what they what to do. However, there is drop in the response is
variant with the needs of others.
Milgram has research on the people those who are prone to learning
with the fact that the acts of genocide offered to others at World
war II.
Conformity is something like social influence have on the behavior or
belief of the individual in order to fit in the group. This change might
include the real response or physical presence of others in the form of
imagined or involving the pressure of social norms. The difference
between compliance and acceptance is that they can help in forming
the acceptance of values and norms through social group externally. It
is likely to believe that the change in one’s behavior is due to the
result of group pressure
Sherif (1935) has involved the auto-kinetic phenomena with the clients
through which the far the light is moved on one side of the screen from
the other has been reflecting on the subjective change put into the
room with the other subjects.

CONCLUSION
10
The inclusion of differences and
similarities regarding cognitive
and behavioral approach has been
also covered in the study.
The study has provided the
valuable information regarding the
psychological perspective to the
human behavior
The theories by Skinner and
Watson has helped in
understanding the behavioral and
cognitive practices of the
individual.
The inclusion of the obedience,
conformity, prejudice and
discrimination has been vividly
discussed. The featured
similarities and differences help in
influencing the behavior between
them.

REFERENCES
Daly, M. and Wilson, M., 2017. Homicide:
Foundations of human behavior.
Routledge.
Davis, M.H., 2018. Empathy: A social
psychological approach. Routledge.
Hulse, S.H., Fowler, H. and Honig, W.K.,
2018. Cognitive processes in animal
behavior. Routledge.
Neff, W., 2017. Work and human
behavior. Routledge.